The Opera Comique was a 19th-century opera house constructed between Wych Street and Holywell Street with entrances on the East Strand. The theatre opened in 1870 and was demolished in 1902, for the construction of the Aldwych and Kingsway. It is perhaps best remembered for hosting several of the early Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

History

The Opera Comique opened in 1870, followed shortly by construction of the adjoining Globe Theatre in Newcastle Street. The two theatres, both owned by Sefton Parry, were built back to back and called the "Rickety Twins," on the site of the former Lyon's Inn, an old Inn of Chancery, previously belonging to the Inner Temple.^[1] The theatre, built partly underground, had three entrances through long narrow tunnels from three streets (including the Strand) and was therefore nicknamed the "Theatre Royal, Tunnels". It was reportedly hastily built, and draughty, and its long flight of stairs leading down to the level of the stalls was a dangerous fire hazard. However, it was nicely decorated.^[2] Parry built the theatre cheaply, hoping ?to make handsome profits in compensation when the area was demolished, which was even then in contemplation.?^[3]

The theatre was opened in October 1870 with a French company led by the veteran actress Pauline Virginie Déjazet. This was followed by the Parisian company, Comédie-Française, who made the theatre their base during the Franco-Prussian War.^[4]

1878 programme cover

In November 1877, however, Carte took on the lease and returned to produce the première of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Sorcerer, a proudly English comic opera, at the theatre. This was followed in 1878 by the patriotic H.M.S. Pinafore (during the performance on 31 July 1879, Carte's former business partners tried to seize the set), which became a nearly unprecedented hit, running for 571 performances. Two more successes followed, The Pirates of Penzance (1880), and finally Patience (1881), which was later transferred to Carte's larger new theatre, the Savoy Theatre. During this period, Carte also presented various companion pieces with the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, including the 1877 revival of Dora's Dream by Arthur Cecil and Alfred Cellier; The Spectre Knight (1878); revivals of Trial by Jury; several pieces by George Grossmith beginning in 1878: Beauties on the Beach, A Silver Wedding, Five Hamlets, and Cups and Saucers; revivals of Gilbert's After All!; a Children's Pinafore (1878); In the Sulks (1880); and Uncle Samuel (1881).

Once the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company left the theatre, its fortunes declined. Later productions includied farces and burlesque, such as Mother-In-Law (1885, by George R. Sims), which was paired with Vulcan, by Rose and Harris.

The Opera Comique was rebuilt in 1895 and closed in 1899, to be demolished in 1902 when the maze of slums in the area was redeveloped to create Aldwych (named after old Wych Street) and Kingsway.

See also

• Savoy Opera

References

External links

• Information about the Opera Comique
• Article on the Opera Comique and other London theatres
• Profile of the theatre and other Victorian theatres
• Account of the "Fracas at the Opera Comique" in 1879

sv:Opera Comique