| London: Westminster Theatre |
Country: England, United Kingdom City: London Borough: City of Westminster Location: Victoria, 12 Palace Street Built 1766 as "Charlotte Chapel" (1849 renamed "St Peter's Chapel"). 1922 converted into a cinema by John Stanley Beard. Opened 9 Apr 1923 as "St James' Picture Theatre". Closed 28 Mar 1931. Subsequently converted into a live theatre by Arnold Dunmar Smith. Reopened 7 Oct 1931 as "Westminster Theatre" with James Bridie's play "The Anatomist". Since 1946 operated by the Westminster Memorial Trust (driven by the Moral Re-Armament movement). 1965-1966 major exterior and foyer rebuilding by John Reid and Sylivia Reid, with a new facade made from Welsh slate. Demolished in 2002. [2008-2012 a new "St James Theatre" was built on the site, later renamed "The Other Palace".] Notable world premieres:
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Picture: after the 1966 exterior rebuildingFront Text: inscription over entrance: "Westminster Theatre", sign: advertising "Happy Death Day by Peter Howard" Reverse Text: "Westminster Theatre Arts Centre. Built in memory of Peter Howard, leader of Moral Re-Armament, and opened in November, 1966. The riven Welsh slate with which the building is faced is the gift of the people in Wales." Publisher: Grosvenor Books, Pinner; MR1/67/10 Size: Modern Not sent. |
Reverse Text: "Westminster Theatre Arts Centre. Built as a chapel by Dr William Dodd in 1766. In 1923 it was made into a cinema and in 1931 into a theatre. Acquired in 1946 by the Westminster Memorial Trust in memory of men in Moral Re-Armament who gave their lives in World War II. The view of Westminster on the safety curtain is from a painting by Sir Hamilton Kerr, Bart."Publisher: Grosvenor Books, Pinner; MR2/75/5 Size: Modern Not sent. |
| For another picture of this theatre, see London: "The Theatres of London". Permanent link: https://www.andreas-praefcke.de/carthalia/id/4396 |