Princess' Theatre

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Venue Type & Location

Theatre

Site Name: Princess' Theatre
Location: London
County: London (city-county)
Location Type: Town - in town at determined location

Overview

  • Address: 73 Oxford Street. For a current map, Click Here. For an historical map showing the venue (in addition to those excerpted at right), Click Here and Here.


  • Performance Space Description: Information about this venue has not yet been compiled; however, some sense of the performance space may be gleaned by following the links at right. In particular:


  • See the 'Bibliographic Sources' link for a provisional list of venue-relevant resources (both primary and secondary). Wherever possible (i.e. when the pertinent text is relatively short and/or easily condensed) this material has been transcribed, and appears beneath the appropriate bibliographic citation.


  • See the 'Events at venue' link for a listing of blackface/minstrelsy-related events that took place in this performance space (with attached bibliographic references).


    Beth Marquis

  • Events at Princess' Theatre

    Event Date Venue Location Troupe
    Variety 10 April 1843 - 10 April 1843 London, London (city-county) Sweeney, J.W.
    Dramatic 14 February 1844 - 17 February 1844 London, London (city-county) Bounce! Troupe (Princess', 44)
    Opera 21 March 1844 - 21 March 1844 London, London (city-county) Unknown "Otello" Troupe
    Ballet 5 October 1844 - 5 October 1844 London, London (city-county) Slave Market Ballet Troupe (Princess', 44)
    Ballet 10 October 1844 - 10 October 1844 London, London (city-county) Slave Market Ballet Troupe (Princess', 44)
    Ballet 14 October 1844 - 14 October 1844 London, London (city-county) Slave Market Ballet Troupe (Princess', 44)
    Dramatic 14 May 1845 - 14 May 1845 London, London (city-county) Chevalier St. George Troupe (London-Princess, 45)
    Dramatic 10 November 1845 - 10 November 1845 London, London (city-county) Macready
    Dramatic 26 January 1846 - 31 January 1846 London, London (city-county) Macready
    Dramatic 18 February 1846 - 19 February 1846 London, London (city-county) Macready
    Dramatic 15 April 1846 - 15 April 1846 London, London (city-county) Macready
    Dramatic 17 April 1846 - 17 April 1846 London, London (city-county) Macready
    Dramatic 20 April 1846 - 20 April 1846 London, London (city-county) Macready
    Dramatic 15 May 1846 - 15 May 1846 London, London (city-county) Macready
    Dramatic 11 January 1847 - 16 January 1847 London, London (city-county) Enchanted Beauties Troupe, Cowell, Sam
    Dramatic 8 March 1847 - 13 March 1847 London, London (city-county) New Orleans Ethiopian Serenaders
    Dramatic 15 March 1847 - 15 March 1847 London, London (city-county) New Orleans Ethiopian Serenaders
    Dramatic 22 March 1847 - 25 March 1847 London, London (city-county) New Orleans Ethiopian Serenaders
    Dramatic 6 October 1847 - 6 October 1847 London, London (city-county) Macready
    Dramatic 11 October 1847 - 16 October 1847 London, London (city-county) Macready
    Dramatic 18 October 1847 - 23 October 1847 London, London (city-county) Macready
    Dramatic 15 March 1848 - 15 March 1848 London, London (city-county) Macready
    Dramatic 29 March 1848 - 29 March 1848 London, London (city-county) Macready
    Concert 22 December 1848 - 22 December 1848 London, London (city-county) Dumbolton's Serenaders (1848-49)
    Dramatic 14 May 1851 - 14 May 1851 London, London (city-county) Apartment Troupe (Princess, 51)
    Dramatic 19 February 1852 - 21 February 1852 London, London (city-county) King of Raritongo Troupe (London-Princess, 52)
    Dramatic 23 February 1852 - 24 February 1852 London, London (city-county) King of Raritongo Troupe (London-Princess, 52)

    Bibliographic Sources

    • Arthur Lloyd Website. 05/22/2008 (http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/)
    • Black’s New Guide to London and its Environs. London: Adam and Charles Black, 1863.




      “PRINCESS’ THEATRE, Oxford Street, stands on ground belonging to the Duke of Portland, who has granted a lease of it for sixty years from 1830, when the theatre was built from Nelson's designs at a cost of £47,000. When in the hands of Mr. Charles Kean, Shakspere's historical plays were brought out with at this theatre” (214).
    • Clarke, Henry Green. London in All Its Glory. London: H.G. Clarke & Co., 1851.




      “THE PRINCESS'S THEATRE, Oxford Street. A small yet elegant theatre, erected on the site of the Queen's Bazaar, devoted to the production of English operas and farces, under the management of Mr. Maddox” (127).
    • Cunningham, P. Modern London; or, London as it is. London: John Murray, 1851.




      ”The PRINCESS'S THEATRE is in OXFORD STREET, nearly opposite the Pantheon. It was built and is the best theatre in London for the purposes of a manager and the interests of the public. The present lessees are M.r Charles Kean and Mr. Robert Keeley” (180).
    • Davis, Jim & Victor Emeljanow. Reflecting the Audience. London Theatregoing, 1840-1880. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2001.




      Letter to Arthur Munby from his mistress Hannah (c. early 1860s) “tells of visiting the gallery at the Princess’s together with her friend Ann and meeting a young man and his sweetheart who gave them ale, ginger beer, and oranges” (190).
    • Dictionary of Victorian London Online. 07/27/2008 (http://www.victorianlondon.org/)

      (Under Entertainment - Theatre & Shows - Theatres & Venues - Princess' Theatre)

    • Howard, Diana. London Theatres and Music Halls 1850-1950. London: The Library Association, 1970.

      pp.186-8.

    • London and its Environs. Leipsic: Karl Baedeker, 1885.




      ”PRINCESS'S THEATRE, 73 Oxford Street, between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road. Shakspeare's plays, comedies, etc. ” (38).
    • London as it is To-day. London: H.G. Clarke & Co., 1851.




      The information provided within this source is similar to that given within London in all its Glory, also published by H.G. Clarke, & Co.


      In addition, this source also contains the following:

      “The interior is the most gorgeous of any of the metropolitan theatres, and is richly decorated in the arabesque style; the proscenium, and proscenium boxes, being very massive and rich in appearance. The present lessees are Messrs. Charles Kean and Robert Keely, who have engaged a numerous and talented company, for the performance of tragedy, comedy, and farce; amongst the performers, we may enumerate Mesdames Charles Kean, Wigan, and Keely; Miss Phillip,s and Mdlle. Auriol; Messrs. Harley, Meadows, Charles Kean, F. Cooke, A. Wigan, Keely, Flexmore, (a remarkably clever burlesque dancer) C. Fisher, and Addison. It is the aim of the lessees, to produce, in addition to the Shakspearian revivals, new pieces of high pretensions, before the ordeal of a London audience; an intention, which if worthily carried out, must ensure for this theatre a high position in public estimation, and confer an enduring honour on the the [sic[]talented and enterprising lessees. Doors open at half-past six o’clock; performances commence at seven. Admission: orchestra stalls, which which [sic] may be returned the entire evening, six shillings; dress circle. five shillings; boxes, four shillings; pit, two shillings; gallery, one shilling. Second price at nine o clock: dress circle, two shillings and sixpence; boxes, two shillings; pit, one shilling; gallery, sixpence. The entrance to her Majesty's box is in Great Castle Street, as also the stage entrance” (215-16)
    • Sherson, Erroll. London’s Lost Theatres of the Nineteenth Century. New York: Benjamin Blom, Inc., 1925.

      pp121-184.

    • Theatres in Victorian London Website. 05/22/2008 (http://www.victorianweb.org/mt/theaters/pva234.html)
    • Timbs, John. Curiosities of London (1868). London: Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer, 1868.




      “PRINCESS'S THEATRE, Oxford-street, originally built as the Queen's Bazaar (see p. 41), was designed by Nelson, and opened Sept. 30, 1841, with promenade concerts. It cost 47.000l.; but the unique character of its Renaissance decoration, by Crace, has been spoiled: originally it consisted entirely of four tiers of boxes. This theatre, under the management of Mr. Charles Kean, became famous for his reproduction of Shakspeare’s historic plays, excellently acted, with scenic accessories hitherto unprecedented. For these efforts to improve the tone and elevate the character of our stage, Mr. Charles Kcan was, in 1862, presented with a costly service of plate, by public subscription” (786).


      Also gives the theatre’s capacity (in 1866) as 2000 (789)
    • Timbs, John. Curiosities of London (1855). London: David Bogue, 1855.

      p719.


      The information provided within this source is much the same as that given within the 1868 edition of the book.
    • "A Tour Among the Theatres". Metropolitan Magazine March, 1847: 280-287.