Sondheim Theatre (Londres)

Topologie du théâtre

Nombre de salles actives: 1
Salle 1: (990) 1907 - Actif

Accès

En métro: Picadilly Circus/Leicester Square
En bus: 14, 19, 22B, 38, 53, 88, 94, 159
Adresse: Shaftesbury Avenue

Evolution

Bâtiment: 1907. Designed by W. G. R. Sprague and opened on 8 October / 1940. Bombed and badly damaged in air raid of 24 September / 1959. Reopened following rebuilding and remodelling / Statutorily Listed Historic Building: Grade II.
Nom:

Propriétaire(s)

Delfont Mackintosh Theatres

Remarquable

Rebuilt front of house by Bryan Westwood of Westwood Sons and Partners in consultation with Sir Hugh Casson

On Tuesday, 24 September 1940, 110 enemy aircraft carried out a night raid on London, dropping large numbers of incendiary bombs, mainly north of the River Thames. Although the attack was somewhat random, the Queen's was hit by a high explosive device that destroyed the front of house, and with it W. G. R. Sprague's fine, almost symmetrical, Edwardian Renaissance composition that mirrored the Gielgud (formerly the Globe) to its south. A photograph hanging in the present foyer shows a Corinthian-columned vestibule with an impressive geometrical Imperial staircase. It may be that one day the loss will be rectified, perhaps with the help of Arts Council or National Lottery funding.
It was not until 1957 that the work of rebuilding and remodelling commenced, the scheme being designed by architect Bryan Westwood of Westwood, Sons and Partners in consultation with Sir Hugh Casson, who had been Director of Architecture for the 1951 Festival of Britain. The new work clearly reflects the spirit of its age: a five-storey curving curtain-wall structure, in a commercial grey- blue brick and casement-wlndow office style. The foyer, stalls and circle bars, with their deeply reeded walls and dark wood, are spacious extensions of the mid-1950s street architecture, as is the grand staircase with Its enormous timber handrail. The theatre was reopened on 8 July 1959 by John Gielgud in a Shakespearean recital, The Seven Ages of Man. Externally, the long, red-brick, 12-bay flank elevation overlooks the remains of St Anne's Church (1686), also bombed In 1940 and probably designed by William Talman, who later worked at Burghley House, Stamford, and Chatsworth, Derbyshire.
Just as at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, in west London, where modem offices encase Frank Matcham's reslted and elevated auditorium, so at the Queen’s the magic of the auditorium is enhanced by the contrast with the pared-down architecture of the late 1950s. Sprague’s Interior, which survived the bombing almost undamaged, Is a controlled, exquisite composition in what was described as the Old Italian Renaissance style, Incorporating two cantllevered balconies decorated in an Adamesque manner, and three tiers of boxes either side of a rectangular framed proscenium. The more baroque saucer-domed celling has four semicircular lunettes, each adorned with pairs of seated muses. The decorative scheme when the theatre opened on 8 October 1907 was cream and gold, and these colours predominate In the auditorium over a century later. Skeletal remains of original timber stage machinery are extant in a single corner trap, a grave trap and an upstage bridge.
J. E. Vedrenne, the first lessee, named his theatre after Queen Alexandra. The first production was Madeline Ryley’s The Sugar Bowl, followed more successfully by The Devil’s Disciple. Other successes followed, including Potash and Per/mutter (1914), The Apple Cart (1929, with Cedric Hardwlcke and Edith Evans), Private Lives (1972), and Les Misérables (2004).

1907. Designed by W. G. R. Sprague and opened on 8 October / 1940. Bombed and badly damaged in air raid of 24 September / 1959. Reopened following rebuilding and remodelling / Statutorily Listed Historic Building: Grade II.

The stalls are below street level and feel rather dungeon-like due to the heavy overhang and lack of division. Sitting as one large body of seats it is easy to feel claustrophobic and distant from the action on-stage Most seats in this area are priced the same, which does not fully reflect the variation in seat quality. Sitting close to the action provides an intense and gripping experience and even seats on the end of rows from row A to J offer the best value for money in this section.

The overhang of the Dress Circle significantly reduces the seat quality of those seats in the back half of the auditorium, but seats towards the centre of each row should be selected first. The section is not significantly raked and so you are aware of the audience in front of you at all times, rather than focused on the drama on-stage Leg room is sufficient in most rows and the seats themselves are relatively comfortable.

The Dress Circle offers the most consistent views of the stage and is better value for money than the Stalls overall. Again the section is undivided by an aisle so those who want extra legroom need to pitch for the ends of the rows, where views of the stage are not as good due to the curve of the theatre. Dress Circle Lodge seats are available and run as slips along the side of the auditorium, but are priced as restricted view. To avoid the overhang aim to sit as close to the front as possible to get full value for money.

A number of seats towards the front sides of the Dress Circle are labelled restricted view but offer a good way to see the show at a discounted rate. Although some areas of the show may be obstructed, you will feel ultimately more involved than in other seats further back for the same price. One advantage of sitting further back in the Dress Circle is that the larger ensemble scenes and Barricade scenery are easier to view, giving those who have perhaps seen the show before a fuller appreciation of the scale, substituting some detail.

The Upper Circle is similar in size to the Dress Circle, although has a half aisle in the centre. A significant number of seats are offered at a reduced price as they are restricted view due to the shape of the section. Whilst not to be necessarily avoided, obstructions vary depending on which section you book.

Rebuilt front of house by Bryan Westwood of Westwood Sons and Partners in consultation with Sir Hugh Casson

Musical
Revival

1) Misérables (Les) (Revival)

Joué durant 10 mois

Première preview: mer. 18 décembre 2019
Première: mer. 18 décembre 2019
Dernière: Open end

Compositeur: Claude-Michel Schonberg •
Parolier: Alain Boublil • Jean-Marc Natel •
Libettiste: Alain Boublil • Jean-Marc Natel •
Metteur en scène: Laurence Connor • James Powell •
Chorégraphe:
Avec: Jon Robyns, Bradley Jaden, Gerard Carey, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Shan Ako, Josefina Gabrielle, Ashley Gilmour, Lily Kerhoas, Rachelle Ann Go, Kelly Agbowu, Ciarán Bowling, Richard Carson, Rodney Earl Clarke, Matthew Dale, Matt Dempsey, Harry Dunnett, Jessie Hart, Jessica Joslin, Sarah Lark, Georgie Lovatt, Ellie Ann Lowe, Luke McCall, Leo Miles, Claire O’Leary, Shane O’Riordan, Kathy Peacock, Sam Peggs, Mark Pearce, Emma Warren, Sake Wijers, Mared Williams and Samuel Wyn-Morris.

Commentaire: Après la fermeture du Queen Theatre pour rénovations le 13 juillet 2019, le très long "London Run" de Les Misérables (commencé le 28 septembre 1985 au Barbican) prend fin. Cette série est actuellement la plus longue de tous les temps pour une comédie musicale.

La nouvelle version ici présentée est celle qu avait été crée pour l'anniversaire des 25 ans du spectacle, celle qui se joue désormais dans le monde entier. (plus)

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Musical
Original

23) Fermeture COVID (Original)

Joué durant 1 an 4 mois

Première preview: 16 March 2020
Première: 16 March 2020
Dernière: 19 July 2021

Compositeur:
Parolier:
Libettiste:
Metteur en scène:
Chorégraphe:
Avec:

Commentaire: Tous les théâtres anglais ont dû fermer dès le 16 mars 2020 suite à la pandémide de COVID… (plus)

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Le Queen Theatre devient le Sondheim Theatre

Musical
Original

22) Misérables (Les) (Original)

Joué durant 15 ans 3 mois

Nb de représentations: 10000 représentations

Première preview: 04 April 2004
Première: 12 April 2004
Dernière: 13 July 2019

Fait partie de: London Run

Compositeur: Claude-Michel Schonberg •
Parolier: Alain Boublil • Jean-Marc Natel •
Libettiste: Alain Boublil • Jean-Marc Natel •
Metteur en scène: Trevor Nunn • John Caird •
Chorégraphe: Kate Flatt •
Avec: Daniel Koek (Jean Valjean), Tam Mutu (Javert), Samantha Dorsey (Cosette), Cameron Blakely (Thenardier), Na-Young Jeon (Fantine) , Rob Houchen (Marius) Anton Zetterholm (Enjolras), Carrie Hope Fletcher (Eponine), Wendy Ferguson (Madame Thenardier).

Commentaire: After 19 years at the Palace Theatre the production was moved to the smaller Queen’s Theatre (the Palace needed considerable renovation to meet safety standards). In order to fit into the new space the scenery was reduced in size and the physical production needed shrinking. The most controversial aspect of the move was the size of the orchestra. The Palace pit accommodated 21 musicians, but the Queen’s could only hold 11. The rest of the sound was provided by a computer. The Musicians Union threatened a strike, but capitulated when Cameron Mackintosh claimed the only alternative was to close the show. The critics generally agreed that the “reduced” version had suffered no loss of richness or texture, and the new orchestral sound was perfectly satisfactory thanks to the new-fangled “Sinfonia” computer. Having now been seen by more than 50 million people in 38 countries and 21 languages, “Les Mis” had now become the most successful musical of all time. (plus)

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Théâtre

21) Tamer Tamed (The) ()

Joué durant 1 mois 2 semaines

Première preview: 17 January 2004
Première: 21 January 2004
Dernière: 06 March 2004

Compositeur: * Divers •
Parolier: * Divers •
Libettiste: * Divers •
Metteur en scène: Gregory Doran •
Chorégraphe:
Avec: Jasper Britton (Petruchio), Alexandra Gilbreath (Maria)**

Commentaire:

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Théâtre
Revival

20) Taming of the Shrew (The) (Revival)

Joué durant 1 mois 3 semaines

Première preview: 14 January 2004
Première: 15 January 2004
Dernière: 06 March 2004

Compositeur:
Parolier:
Libettiste: William Shakespeare •
Metteur en scène: Gregory Doran •
Chorégraphe:
Avec: Jasper Britton (Petruchio) , Alexandra Gilbreath (Kate)

Commentaire: Shakespeare's controversial comedy plays out the war of the sexes with Petruchio's laddish wooing meets its match in Kate's spirited opposition; resulting in an hilarious battle of wills. (plus)

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