____________________________________________________________________________________________

St. Martin's Theatre, West Street, London WC2

Above - The St. Martin's Theatre during the 54th year of 'The Moustrap" in 2006.

The St. Martin's Theatre opened in the 23rd of November 1916 with 'Houp La!' by Fred Thompson, with Gertie Millar and George Graves under the direction of Charles B. Cochran, the Lessee of the building on its opening.

The Architectural Review wrote on the Theatre's opening: 'This building shows a change that has slowly been taking place during recent years. Its interior, instead of revelling in a lavish display of modelled plaster work, tricked out with gold leaf and paint, has an intimate, almost domestic character.

In general style it tends to be what is known as English Georgian and gives one the impression of being a private theatre provided by some patron of the dramatic arts for the entertainment of his guests.

Right - Programme for 'Penny Plain' with Joyce Grenfell, Elisabeth Welch, and Max Adrian at the St. Martin's Theatre in 1951 - Courtesy Jean Lloyd - Part of a collection of programmes from my parents' Theatre visits in their first years of marriage.

The facade comprises a range of columns standing on a plain base and entablature and parapet. On this cornice, at the centre, is a large bronzed cartouche with flags grouped around, and on either side are vases. The proscenium and flanking walls of the auditorium are panelled their full height in Italian walnut with a range of columns and pilasters on either side, with gilded capitals and bases, carrying a bold entablature which is continued across the proscenium.'

Above text in quotes from 'The Architectural Review' 1916.

The original plan was to build two theatres side by side at the same time, The Ambassadors and St. Martin's, but the war caused the building of the second Theatre, St. Martins, to be delayed until 1916. Both Theatres were designed by W. G. R. Sprague.

The world's longest running play, The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie, started its run at the Ambassadors Theatre next door to St. Martin's on the 25 November 1952, with Richard Attenborough and his wife Sheila Sim before moving to St. Martins in 1974 where it is still going strong in 2006 despite being in its 54th year.

Left - Early Programme for 'The Mousetrap' at the Ambassadors Theatre with Richard Attenborough still in the cast, although his wife, Sheila Sim, was no longer in the play. - Click to see the Entire Programme.

The St. Martin's Theatre has recently been refurbished inside and out and is looking splendid.

For more history and images of St. Martin's the Theatre's own website can be found here...

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