Ambassadors Theatre

Arthur Lloyd.co.uk The Music Hall and Theatre History Site Dedicated to Arthur Lloyd, 1839 - 1904. Above - The Ambassadors Theatre during the run of 'Mind Games' in May 2018 whilst still showing signage for the former production at the Theatre of 'All or Nothing'. The Ambassadors Theatre opened on Thursday the 5th June 1913 with a production of the play 'Panthea' by Monckton Hoffe. The original plan was to build two Theatres side by side at roughly the same time but the outbreak of the first world war caused the building of the second Theatre, St. Martin's , to be delayed until 1916 . Because the Ambassadors Theatre was constructed before the building previously on the site of the St. Martin's Theatre had been demolished, the Ambassadors Theatre itself had to be lower than originally intended so as not to interfere with the 'ancient lights' of the other building. Hence the reason that the stalls of the Ambassadors Theatre is below ground level. Both Theatres were designed by the well known Theatre Architect W. G. R. Sprague . The ERA reported on the Theatre's opening in 1913 saying:- The general scheme of decoration is Louis XVI and the colour scheme of Parma violet ivory, and dull gold is a refreshing change to the warm colours usually selected in decorative schemes. The Auditorium is arranged with a commodious stalls area, behind which is a good roomy pit, and above this level is the dress circle, and forming part of the same tier is the family circle, or upper boxes, sufficiently raised to form another distinct circle.' - The ERA , 1913 . Right - A Seating Plan for the Ambassadors Theatre, probably from the 1920s. The Stage Newspaper also reported on the opening of the Ambassadors Theatre in their June 12, 1913 edition saying:- 'This new theatre, which was opened on Thursday by Mr. Durrant Swan with Panthea , a new play from the pen of Monckton Hoffe, stands at the corner of West Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, midway between Cambridge Circus on the one side and Great St. Andrew Street on the other. It is a one-tier house, decorated chiefly in white and gold, with a seating capacity of about 500, there being two rows of stalls and some dozen of pit on the ground floor, and the comparatively spacious and lofty tier above being divided into balcony stalls and upper circle. This fresh bijou house, which has been erected from the designs and under the superintendence of Mr. W. G. R. Sprague , has for [its] proprietors, The Ambassadors Theatre, Limited, Mr. Herbert Jay being the managing director and licensee. Mr. Swan has taken the Ambassadors on a lease, and among the functionaries connected with the new house must be named the general manager, Mr. F. Rolison Littler (well known as Frank Rolison, with Martin Harvey D.C.), the stage manager, the experienced Mr. Lilford Arthur, and Mr. Mark Strong, the musical director, who has lately been on tour as composer and Conductor.' The above text (edited) in quotes was first published in The Stage , June 12, 1913. Above - A Seating Plan for the Ambassadors' Theatre - From 'Who's Who in the Theatre' published in 1930 - Courtesy Martin Clark. Click to see more Seating Plans from this publication. The world's longest running play, 'The Mousetrap' by Agatha Christie, started its run at the Ambassadors' Theatre on the 25 November 1952, with Richard Attenborough and his wife Sheila Sim heading the cast, see flyer right. The production moved to the St. Martin's Theatre next door in 1974, where it is still going strong today. Right - An early Flyer for 'The Mousetrap' at the Ambassadors Theatre with Richard Attenborough and his wife Sheila Sim playing the lead roles. In November 2022 the production celebrated its 70th year in the West End . Left - An early Programme for 'The Mousetrap' at the Ambassadors Theatre with Richard Attenborough still in the cast, although his wife, Sheila Sim, was no longer in the play - Click to see the Entire Programme. And an advertisement carried in a