Haymarket
London
SW1Y 4QL

Her Majesty’s Theatre dates back to 1705, where architect John Vanbrugh established a building on the same site named Queen’s Theatre. It was constructed as an alternative to the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and Lincoln’s Inn, two of the earliest theatres in London, and remains today as the second oldest theatre site still in use in London. In 1714, the building was renamed as the King’s Theatre following George I’s accession to the throne, and was again renamed Her Majesty’s in 1837. The name changes with the gender of the current monarch, and was most recently known as His Majesty’s Theatre from 1901 until 1952, before being renamed to its current title, Her Majesty’s on the 1952 accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II.

The present building of Her Majesty’s was designed by Charles J. Phipps and constructed in 1897 for RADA founder, Herbert Beerbohm Tree. Tree built the theatre from his profits of the great success of the nearby Haymarket Theatre, and he owned and lived inside the building from its construction until his death in 1917. Tree produced many classical works and Shakespeare productions at Her Majesty’s during the beginning of the 20th Century, and the theatre played host to premieres by major playwrights such as George Bernard Shaw and Noel Coward during this period.

Her Majesty’s Theatre was home to World War I smash Chu Chin Chow which was first seen in 1916 and went on to play for five years. The musical performed 2,238 times to audiences which was more than twice as many performances as any other previous musical, and this record was kept for nearly forty years. Other notable productions at the theatre include West Side Story in 1958 and Fiddler on the Roof in 1967 and the theatre was also the setting on the ITV variety show, Live from Her Majesty’s which ran from 1982 until 1985.

Since 1986, Her Majesty’s Theatre has been home to the most-successful musical of all time, The Phantom of the Opera, and today, the theatre is owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Really Useful Theatre Group’.

Her Majesty’s Theatre.org provides a guide to the current show, The Phantom of the Opera, including videos and reviews. It also describes the location of the theatre with a map of the area included, details on how to buy official The Phantom of the Opera tickets, seating plan and details on restaurants and hotels near Her Majesty’s Theatre.

Access and Facilities 

The foyer and box office have step free access from street level. From this location, the Stalls section is 22 steps down, with the Stalls bar being a further 18 steps up. There are 32 steps up to the Royal Circle, 62 to the Grand Circle and 89 to the Balcony. Steps to the stalls have handrails to the side. If you have mobility issues please check in with front of house staff upon arrival. The auditorium is equipped with infra-red hearing systems. An adapted toilet is also available on the ground level.