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John Scott

West End

Adelphi Theatre

Adelphi Theatre, London

A theatre has stood on the site of the Adelphi Theatre in the Strand since 1806, originally called the Sans Pareil.

The original theatre was built by businessman John Scott who wanted a stage for his talented writer-pianist daughter Jane, who he thought was “without compare”… hence the theatre’s name.

Following 14 years and more than 50 Jane Scott productions, her father sold the theatre in 1819 to Jones and Rodwell. It was at this time that the theatre came to be known as The Adelphi.

Address: Adelphi Theatre, Strand, London, WC2R 0NS

Nearest Stations: Charing Cross (Bakerloo, Northern, Mainline); Covent Garden (Piccadilly Line); Embankment (Circle and Disctrict Lines)

Nearby Hotels: The Savoy, The Strand Palace, The Waldorf Hilton

Capacity: 1,500 across three tiers (stalls, dress circle and upper circle).

During Jones and Rodwell’s years at the helm, the Aldephi was home to many controversial productions – causing much upset amongst the complainers, and reliably keeping the punters coming through the doors.

The theatre has been sold and renamed multiple times over the years. Notably, the Gatti brothers brought the theatre into the modern age with two grand reconstruction projects – in 1901 and subsequently in 1930.

The art deco features of the latter Gatti project can still be enjoyed by visitors today.

Despite a scary moment which saw Woolworths attempt to turn the theatre into a supermarket, the Adelphi Theatre has hosted many successful productions in recent years.

Andrew Lloyd Webber bought the theatre in 1993 and did it up ahead of the world premiere of his musical Sunset Boulevard. Other Lloyd Webber musicals have followed, including Evita (2006), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2007) and the world premiere of Love Never Dies (2010).

The 1997 production of Chicago claims the title of longest-running production at the Adelphi, when it transferred to the Cambridge Theatre after 9 years on the Strand.

And after 3 years of sharing “the most beautiful thing in the world” with Kinky Boots audiences, the Adelphi Theatre opened its doors to Sara Bareilles’s smash-hit musical Waitress.

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