Trafalgar Studios: 1
Theatre build date:
1930
History:
Built in 1930, the Whitehall Theatre was somewhat intimate in itself, with two levels and a capacity of 620. The Whitehall was a successful little theatre, one of many West End venues that opened in 1930, with the Whitehall, the Cambridge and the Phoenix all opening in September.
In 1942, Phyllis Dixey made her name in The Whitehall Follies as the West End’s first stripper, and in 1945 and 1947, R.F. Delderfield’s comedy A Worm’s Eye View played over 2,000 performances. The Whitehall really became famous in the 1950’s and 60’s when Brian Rix staged his Whitehall Farces here, many of which were televised. In 1969, an all nude revue called Pyjama Tops ran for five years before the Whitehall Theatre was used as a World War II museum. This breached the theatre’s license and the Whitehall was closed.
After an extensive refurbishment, the Whitehall reopened in1986. After a brief spell in the 1990’s as a BBC radio studio, the Whitehall Theatre was closed indefinitely in 2003 to undergo complete reshaping. The auditorium was split into two intimate performance areas, the 380 capacity Studio 1 taking up the Dress Circle and the tiny 100-seater Studio 2 in the stalls.
Previously called:
The Whitehall Theatre
Close to:
Trafalgar Square
Charing Cross
St James’s Park
Buckingham Palace
Contact Details
Trafalgar Studios: 1
Trafalgar Studios
Whitehall
SW1A 2DY
For all ticket enquiries, call:
0871 789 1004
Facilities
Theatre capacity:
380
Stage door location:
The Trafalgar Studios stage door is at the rear of the building on a small side street a few doors down from the theatre, just opposite Great Scotland Yard.
Theatre layout:
Studio 1 is arranged in one steeply tiered block offering clear views throughout. There are also three boxes available with side views.
Air conditioned:
Yes
