Lyric Theatre

The Lyric Theatre opened on 17 Dec. 1888 and was designed by C J Phipps. It was commissioned by Henry J. Leslie as an operetta house, the first production being a transfer of Dorothy from the Prince of Wales Theatre, starring Marie Tempest. The theatre has housed various types of theatre, including operetta and comedy, but has mainly seen plays and musicals take up residence in the twentieth century. Notable productions include The Chocolate Soldier by Oscar Straus, an operetta setting of George Bernard Shaw's play Arms and the Man.