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The Duchess Theatre, Catherine Street, London, WC2.

Above - The Duchess Theatre during the run of 'See How They Run' in October 2006.

The Duchess Theatre opened on the 25th of November 1929 with a play called 'Tunnel Trench' by Hubert Griffith. The site had been vacant for many years due to the 'Ancient Lights' rule which prevented new buildings blocking the light of buildings close by. The Theatre was designed by Ewen Barr who overcame the 'Ancient Lights' problem by building his new Theatre with the upper storeys set back and the rest of the building low to the ground, much of it, including the Stalls, in the basement. A design which has proved problematic for the Theatre ever since as ground water has to be permanently pumped out of the basement by several dedicated pumps, rather like the bilge pumps on a boat.

The Duchess was built by F. G. Minter Ltd. in a 'Modern Tudor Gothic' style and the auditorium was built on two different size levels, the Circle being narrower than the Stalls. The Theatre has concealed lighting throughout.

This small playhouse has a capacity of 479 but the sight-lines are excellent due to the Circle being suspended from the roof . The Duchess has had far too many productions to name here but it is generally home to small touring shows or limited run seasons of plays and small musicals.

Above Various views of the Duchess Theatre's auditorium in the 1990s. - Photo M.L.

Left - Two Views of the concealed lighting in the stalls and stairways of the Duchess Theatre in the 1990s. - Photo M.L.

Above - The Duchess Theatre on the right and the site of the Gaiety Theatre, Aldwych at centre, currently being prepared for building of an Hotel in October 2006, during the run of 'See How They Run' - Photo M.L.

Above - The Duchess Theatre from above - Photo Taken from the roof of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in October 2006 during the run of 'See How They Run' - Photo M.L.

London's West End Theatres

Adelphi Aldwych Apollo Apollo Victoria Arts Cambridge Comedy Criterion Dominion Drury Lane Duchess Duke Of Yorks Fortune Garrick Gielgud Haymarket Her Majesty's London Coliseum London Palladium Lyceum Lyric New Ambassadors New London Noel Coward / Albery Novello Old Vic Palace Peacock Phoenix Piccadilly Playhouse Prince Edward Prince of Wales Queen's Royal Opera House Savoy Shaftesbury St. Martin's Trafalgar Studios / Whitehall Vaudeville Victoria Palace Wyndham's