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Wyndham's Theatre, Charing Cross Road, London, WC2

Above - Wyndham's Theatre during the run of 'A Voyage Around My Father' in October 2006.

The Wyndham's Theatre opened on the 16th of November 1899 with a play called 'David Garrick' by T.W. Robertson. The Theatre was built for Sir Charles Wyndham by the theatre architect W G R Sprague. It was Sprague who also built Charles Wyndham's second Theatre, the New Theatre in St. Martin's Lane, which opened on the 12th of March 1903. When Wyndham bought the land to build Wyndham's Theatre he also acquired the land to the rear of it which he had intended to sell on. However this deal fell through and he decided he might as well build another Theatre on this spare land which fronted onto St. Martin's Lane. Hence the New Theatre was built, which was only the second to be built on St. Martin's Lane. The first was The Trafalgar Square Theatre, now known as The Duke Of York's which opened in 1892. The London Coliseum was being built on St. Martin's lane during the building of The New but it didn't open until 1904.

The Wyndham's Theatre auditorium was built on three levels, Stalls, Upper Circle, and Balcony and was noted as being decorated in the Louis XVI style. In the 1970's the fine ceiling, (See text below) was restored to its former glory.

Left - Programme for 'Tyranny of Tears' at the Wyndham's Theatre January 29th 1902.

Right - Programme for 'Chance, The Idol' at the Wyndham's Theatre September 9th 1902.

On the opening of the Wyndham's Theatre The Era printed a review of the Theatre in their 18th November 1899 edition saying: 'The house is not very large, being built on a site of only 7000 square feet. The reserved portion includes

twelve private boxes, 157 stalls, 160 dress circle and 180 family circle seats. The pit is small, but particularly good, and the gallery is large and admirably planned.

Left - Programme for 'Mrs. Gorringe's Necklace' at the Wyndham's Theatre 1902.

Right - Programme for 'Betsy' at the Wyndham's Theatre July 17th 1902.

The theatre being isolated, the exits from the various parts of the house are many and direct.

Above - Programme detail for 'The Finishing School' at the Wyndham's Theatre June 16th 1904.

The proscenium is set in cream and gold bordering, which is continued along the front of the stage, thus hiding the footlights, and forming a complete frame. At the top are allegorical figures, and portraits of Sheridan and Goldsmith.

Left - Programme for 'The Maitlands' at the Wyndham's Theatre November 29th 1933 which was the second and sadly the last play by Ronald Mackenzie.

Right - Programme for 'Sweet Aloes' at the Wyndham's Theatre 1934 running for 476 performances.

The ceiling of the auditorium contains paintings after Boucher, which are illuminated by a ring of concealed electric lights and a central sunlight covered by a crystal pendant and surrounded by eight smaller lights. Round the dress and family circle there are clusters of electric lights, tempered by cream silk shades. The vestibule is decorated in 'old rose'.'
Above text - The Era 18th November 1899.

In 2006 The Wyndham's Theatre is currently owned and run by The Ambassadors Theatre Group whose own website can be found here...

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