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Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London

The Theatre Royal in Drury Lane opened in 1663, soon after the Restoration when Charles the Second returned to the throne. This ended the Puritan rule of Parliament which had seen the closing of all theatres, and the destruction of Shakespeare's Globe. Charles himself licensed the formation of two acting companies. Thomas Killigrew formed the Kings Company and built the first Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The Theatre Royal Drury Lane is, therefore, an important symbol of Britain's theatrical reinvigoration following the barren years of Puritan rule.

Since that first theatre there have been three more theatres built on the site of the original, in 1674, 1794 and 1812, the date of the building of the present theatre. The 1794 theatre was built by the dramatist and radical MP Richard Sheridan. This was the biggest of all the Drury Lane theatres. It was in this theatre that an assassination attempt was made against George the Third. James Hadfield fired two shots in the direction of the king who was sitting in the royal box. Both missed their target. The would-be assassin was arrested, and George ordered the performance to continue. This theatre burned down in February 1809, a disaster which ruined Sheridan, whose finances were already shaky.

The Theatre Royal Drury Lane is now owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Company, and is used to stage musical theatre. A backstage tour of the theatre is available, called Through The Stage Door. This tour lasts about an hour, and actors bring to life the personalities associated with the theatre's history. You will meet amongst others Richard Sheridan, and Nell Gwynne, the actress and mistress of Charles the Second. Tours run twice a day, Monday to Wednesday and Friday , at 2.15pm and 4.15pm , and on Thursdays and Saturdays 10.15am and 12.00 midday. Sunday tours are by appointment only. Ring the theatre for bookings.

Access: this tour is not suitable for people with mobility problems.

Contact:

telephone: 0870 8901109. Group bookings: 0870 899 3342

web site: http://www.rutheatres.com/tours.htm

e-mail: lashmars@londontheatre.co.uk