The Duchess Theatre is owned or operated by Nimax Theatres
What date did the Duchess Theatre open?
25 November 1929
Who designed the Duchess Theatre?
Ewen Barr
What was the first production at the Duchess Theatre?
Tunnel Trench by Hubert Griffith
The Duchess Theatre on Catherine Street in Covent Garden as designed by Ewen Barr and first opened on 25 November 1929 with a production of Tunnel Trench by Hubert Griffith.
Notable productions over the years include Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit (1942), where it completed its record run of 1,997 performances in 1942; Bill Naughton’s play Alfie (1962), which promoted Lewis Gilbert to get the film rights and make his Michael Caine movie; Tom Eyen’s The Dirtiest Show in Town (1970’s); Oh! Calcutta! (1974) transferred to the Duchess Theatre from the Royalty Theatre; The Players’ Theatre Company with their Late Joys Victorian Music hall programme between 1987 and 1990; Marc Camoletti’s Don’t Dress For Dinner which transferred to the Duchess from the Apollo Theatre in 1992 and stayed until 1997; and The Royal Shakespeare Company’s The Herbal Bed by Peter Whelan (1997).
Past shows that have played at the Duchess Theatre include:
Dr Richard Shepherd: Unnatural Causes
