Adelphi Theatre
Sections:
History:
Originally founded as Sans Pareil in 1806, the theatre was a cramped venue for small scale, affordable entertainments. In 1819, it was taken over by John Scott and his daughter Jane, a famous actress and playwright. The Scotts had ambitions for the theatre and renaming it the Adelphi in 1819 after the Adelphi buildings that stood opposite, the theatre became the home to a celebrated series of melodramas known as the Adelphi Screamers. Many of these were written by Charles Dickens, his most famous being The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain (1848).
Throughout the nineteenth century, a great many adaptations of Dickens’ novels found a home at the Adelphi. The Adelphi’s success meant that the old, cramped tavern hall that was Sans Pareil could be demolished and that a new structure would be more fitting for the theatre’s productions, and the new 1,500 seater was opened in 1858. It was outside this theatre that the legendary actor William Terriss was stabbed to death by his protégé Richard Archer Prince in 1897.
The theatre has seen two further rebuilds, one in 1901 and the last in 1930. However, the current art deco building has seen no less success in the twentieth and twenty first centuries, with notable productions including Mr Cinders (1929), A Little Night Music (1975), My Fair Lady (1979) and Chicago (1997).
Hauntings:
The actor William Terriss who was stabbed to death as he arrived at the stage door for a performance in 1897 allegedly haunts the backstage areas of the Adelphi Theatre.
Previously called:
Sans Pareil
Theatre Royal Adelphi
The New Adelphi
The Century Theatre
Previously showing:
Evita (2006)
Chicago (1997)
Close to:
Charing Cross Station
Trafalgar Square
Covent Garden
Contact Details
Adelphi Theatre
Strand
WC2R 0NS
For all ticket enquiries, call:
0871 789 1004
Map
Facilities
Theatre capacity:
1,550
Stage door location:
The stage door is located to the rear of the building on Maiden Lane.
Theatre layout:
A compact theatre, the Adelphi is arranged on three levels, with overhang affecting the views from the last three rows in the stalls (V-X) and the last four in the Dress Circle (M-P). The stalls and Dress Circle are arranged in single blocks, but the Upper Circle is split into two by an end-to-end aisle. The Upper Circle offers great value seats from rows F to H as these are just out of the handrail restriction area (rows A-E).
Air conditioned:
Yes
