The Trafalgar Theatre, Whitehall, London, SW1

Formerly - The Whitehall Theatre - Trafalgar Studios

Above - The Trafalgar Theatre advertising 'Jersey Boys' but closed due to the Coronavirus Pandemic in January 2021 - Courtesy Martin Clark. The Theatre was refurbished and reinstated as a single space during this period for its reopening in July 2021.

The Trafalgar Theatre originally opened as the Whitehall Theatre on the 29th of September 1930 with a play called 'The Way To Treat A Woman' by Walter Hackett, which was a transfer from the Duke Of York's Theatre, which, coincidently, was also once called the Trafalgar Theatre itself.

The Theatre was built on a site which had previously been home to a public house called 'Ye Old Ship Tavern' which had been there since 1650. The Tavern was demolished and rebuilt on the opposite side of the road and the Whitehall Theatre arose in its place.

The Whitehall was one of many Theatres which opened in London's West End in 1930, and one of several opening in the same month. First there was the Prince Edward on April the 3rd,then the Cambridge on the 4th of September, then the Phoenix on the 24th of September, and the Whitehall on the 29th of September. Next to be opened were the rebuilt Adelphi Theatre on 3rd of December, and finally the Leicester Square Theatre which opened on December the 19th. Quite a flurry of Theatre building for one year in the 1930s.

The Whitehall Theatre was designed by Edward A. Stone with an Art Deco interior by Marc-Henri and Laverdet, who also designed the Piccadilly Theatre's interior. The auditorium was built on two levels, Stalls and Dress Circle, with Upper Circle seating behind it, and six boxes, and a capacity overall of around 650. The stage was a compact 27' 7" Wide by 15' 6" Deep.

The Builder reported on the Theatre in their 3rd of October 1930 edition, along with the images shown in the Slideshow Right, saying:- 'This theatre has been built on the site of the original "Olde Shipp." restaurant, which was established in 1650, and is within a few yards of the Admiralty Arch. The main entrance is in Whitehall, but there are further entrances and exits in Spring Gardens, and the patrons of the theatre can use either exit when leaving.

Right - Images of the Whitehall Theatre when it first opened in 1930 - From The Builder, 3rd of October 1930.

The architects' intentions have been to create a building which, while simple as to exterior, is obviously a theatre. It has been built to accommodate approximately 650 persons. The interior in decorated in black and silver. Brilliant colouring has been used in the seats and carpets and in certain panelling with striking effect.

The theatre is on three levels - stalls, dress and upper circle. There are six boxes. The stalls refreshment saloon is approached from the circular foyer at the rear of the stalls. The circle saloon in decorated in the form of a ship's bar, being enamelled in white. On this floor is a ladies' room, where facilities are given for changing into evening dress. The dressing-rooms are all above the theatre, approached by lifts.

Left - A Programme for 'Worm's Eye View' by R. F. Delderfield, a phenomenally successful production which opened at the Whitehall Theatre on the 18th of December 1945 and ran for 500 performances and returned in 1947 to run for a further 1,745 performances.

The ventilation has been carried out in accordance with modern ideas. There is a complete change of air every few minutes. Owing to the confined nature of the site, the offices, plenum chamber and boiler-house are planned over the auditorium. The mechanism in so arranged on shock-absorbing cushions that when running at full pressure no sound is heard in the theatre.

Right - A Programme for 'Afterwards' by Walter Hackett, which opened at the Whitehall Theatre in 1933 and ran for 208 performances.

The architects are Messrs. E. A. Stone and Partners, 20, Berkeley Street, W.1; the consulting engineer is Major C. Bell, and the main contractors Messrs. Griggs and Son, Ltd.'

The above text in quotes was first published in The Builder, 3rd of October 1930.

Above - Images of the Whitehall Theatre when it first opened in 1930 - From The Architectural Review of November 1930.

Above - A Seating Plan for the Whitehall Theatre from 'Who's Who in the Theatre', published in 1946 - Courtesy Roger Fox.

The Theatre became famous in the 50s and 60s for being the home of Brian Rix's 'Whitehall Farces'.

Right - A Programme for 'Simple Spyman' at the Whitehall Theatre in the 1950s - Courtesy George Richmond. In the cast were Raymond Cooney, Toby Perkins, Charles Cameron, Gerald Andersen, Leo Frankly, Brian Rix, Joan Sanderson, Larry Noble, Merylin Roberts, Peter Allenby, Peter Mercier, and Andrew Sachs, who later found fame in the BBC's 'Fawlty Towers'.

This began with a play called 'Reluctant Heroes', which opened in September of 1950, and ended in 1969, when the phenomenally successful nude show 'Pyjama Tops', starring Fiona Richmond, opened at the Theatre on Monday September 22nd 1969, and ran for the next 5 years.

Left - A Programme for 'Pyjama Tops' at the Whitehall Theatre. Inside it states that the 1,000 performance was reached on Wednesday, February the 23rd, 1972 - Courtesy Maurice Poole.

Paul Raymond bought the lease of the Theatre in 1971 and by the end of the decade, and without permission, he had turned the Theatre into a kind of tourist museum called 'The Theatre Of War.' Raymond got into serious trouble with Westminster Council as a result.

A successful Public Inquiry followed, supported by the newly formed Save London's Theatres Campaign, and the Theatres Trust, which eventually went against Paul Raymond and has helped to preserve the status of Theatre buildings in London ever since.

Above - The Whitehall Theatre sporting the 'Theatre of War' signage in 1986 - Courtesy Jason Mullen

Above - A 1970s Seating Plan for the Whitehall Theatre

In the late 80s the Theatre was refurbished, and it reopened on March the 5th 1986 with J. B. Priestley's 'When We Are Married.'

Right - The derelict circle of the Whitehall Theatre after the Theatre of War period in 1986 - Courtesy Jason Mullen.

The Whitehall then went on to stage a series of successful plays and tribute shows.

In the late 90s it was used as a Television and Radio Studio for a few years before returning to live Theatre use again, but eventually the Theatre was to close again, and this time for major reconstruction.

The Last performance at the Whitehall Theatre was 'Rat Pack Confidential which opened on the 18th of September 2003 and closed on the 15th of November 2003.

Left - A Programme for 'Glorious Morning' at the Whitehall Theatre in 1938.

After 'Rat Pack Confidential closed in 2003 the Theatre had a major, but reversible, conversion to the newly renamed Trafalgar Studios. This involved splitting the Theatre into two Studio Spaces, one above the other, and creating a 380 seat auditoria in the original Dress Circle and extending this level down to the front of the stage; Studio One, and a new intimate 100 seat auditoria in the space which was formerly the Stalls area underneath the Dress Circle; Studio Two. The new Trafalgar Studios' Studio One opened with a production of 'Othello' by the Royal Shakespeare Company on the 3rd of June 2004.

Right - The Original Mohair Seats at the Whitehall Theatre when it first opened in 1931 - From The Bioscope, 3rd of June 1931.

In 2020 during the Coronavirus Pandemic the Theatre underwent a multi million pound conversion back to a single space, which included restoring the original auditorium by reinstating and restoring the Balcony Front, which had been in storage for a number of years, restoring the Ceiling and proscenium Arch, redecorating the auditorium and replacing the seats and carpets to reflect the original colour palette, creating a new stalls bar, a new spacious foyer, and new toilet facilities. The Theatre reopened in July 2021 under the new name of the Trafalgar Theatre with a production of the musical 'Jersey Boys'.

The Trafalgar Theatre is today a 630 seat Grade II Listed Theatre and is currently owned by the Trafalgar Entertainment Group, controlled by Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire who originally set up and ran ATG, the Ambassador Theatre Group.

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