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Embassy Theatre (London)

Coordinates: 51°32′39″N 0°10′26″W / 51.5442°N 0.1738°W / 51.5442; -0.1738
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Embassy Theatre
Eton Avenue Hall, Hampstead Conservatoire
Map
Address64 Eton Avenue
London
United Kingdom
Coordinates51°32′39″N 0°10′26″W / 51.5442°N 0.1738°W / 51.5442; -0.1738
Public transitSwiss Cottage (Jubilee line)
OwnerRoyal Central School of Speech and Drama
Capacity234[1]
Construction
Opened1890
Rebuilt1928, 1945, 2003
ArchitectAndrew Mather

The Embassy Theatre is a theatre at 64 Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, in the London Borough of Camden, England.[2]

Early years

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The Embassy Theatre was opened as a repertory company in September 1928 on the initiative of Sybil Arundale and Herbert Jay,[3] when the premises of Hampstead Conservatoire of Music were adapted by architect Andrew Mather.[4] The following were some of its productions:

From September 1930 to March 1932, the theatre was directed by Alec L. Rea[10] and A. R. Whatmore.[11] Productions included:

Ronald Adam years

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Control then passed to Ronald Adam (also known as Ronald Adams),[4] who remained at the helm until 1939. During that time, he made over 150 new productions and revivals, of which over thirty were then transferred to various theatres in the West End.[20] The Embassy school of acting was opened in the theatre in 1932.[21] Some of the more notable productions at the theatre were:

Ronald Adam's own list of significant transfers in that period was Ten Minute Alibi, Close Quarters, The Dominant Sex, Professor Bernhardi, Judgment Day.[20]

Post-war period

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After war damage, the building was reopened in 1945, with a capacity of 678.[21] It was then run until 1954 by Anthony Hawtrey.[22] Notable productions included:

In 1953, it was sold to Sidney Bernstein,[4] with management by screenwriter and playwright Wolf Mankowitz. Notable productions included:

  • The Bespoke Overcoat, 1954
  • The Lion in the Lighthouse, June 1955, with Henry Kendall (actor)
  • The World of Sholem Aleichem, ca. 1955
  • The Boychik, ca. 1956

Central School

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The theatre was sold to the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, who continue as the resident company, in 1956.[21]

Notable productions have included the premiere of Mad Forest in 1990.

References

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  1. ^ "Facilities". Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, University of London. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  2. ^ "remotegoat website". Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
  3. ^ a b Who's Who in the Theatre: Arundale, Sybil
  4. ^ a b c The Theatres Trust
  5. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: De Casalis, Jeanne
  6. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Hunt, Martita
  7. ^ a b c Who's Who in the Theatre: Parker, Cecil
  8. ^ "letter to Peggy Kirkcaldy". Archived from the original on 19 July 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
  9. ^ a b Who's Who in the Theatre: Rawlings, Margaret
  10. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Rea, Alec L.
  11. ^ a b Who's Who in the Theatre: Whatmore, A. R.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g Who's Who in the Theatre: Van Gyseghem, André
  13. ^ "Agatha Christie MysteryNet". Archived from the original on 12 December 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
  14. ^ "Griffith Jones obituary, The Independent". Independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  15. ^ a b Who's Who in the Theatre: Shaw, Sebastian
  16. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Donat, Robert
  17. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Lomas, Herbert
  18. ^ Sunday Herald article on rediscovery of Chimneys
  19. ^ a b c George Coulouris at filmreferencce.com
  20. ^ a b Who's Who in the Theatre: Adam, Ronald
  21. ^ a b c British History Online: Hampstead Social and Cultural Activities
  22. ^ a b c d e Colin Chambers, ed. (2002). The Continuum Companion to Twentieth Century Theatre.
  23. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: de Marney, Derrick
  24. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Howe, George
  25. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Wheatley, Alan
  26. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Douglas, Robert
  27. ^ Tom Vallance, "Obituary: Robert Douglas" Archived 2017-04-03 at the Wayback Machine, The Independent, 23 January 1999.
  28. ^ a b Who's Who in the Theatre: Johnson, Celia
  29. ^ The Glass Wall synopsis and history
  30. ^ Chapter by Marie Seton (1998). Paul Robeson: the Great Forerunner. International Publishers Co. ISBN 9780717807246. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  31. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Hawkins, Jack
  32. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Lõhr, Marie
  33. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Chapman, Edward
  34. ^ John Clements at filmreference.com
  35. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Farebrother, Violet
  36. ^ a b Who's Who in the Theatre: Portman, Eric
  37. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Egan, Michael
  38. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Churchill, Diana
  39. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Bird, Richard
  40. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Ray, René
  41. ^ Nancy Cunard, "Many Types Seen in London Cast of 'Stevedore' - Could Not Find Enough Americans So Africans Are Used", The Afro American, 15 June 1935.
  42. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Browne, Coral
  43. ^ Sydney Morning Herald, 6 July 1935.
  44. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Homolka, Oscar
  45. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Robson, Flora
  46. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Sofaer, Abraham
  47. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Adrian, Max
  48. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Howlett, Noël
  49. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Johns, Glynis
  50. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Lacey, Catherine
  51. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Woodbridge, George
  52. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Leaver, Philip
  53. ^ Milly S. Barranger (2004). Margaret Webster: A Life in the Theater. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0472113909.
  54. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Love, Mabel
  55. ^ Alan Strachan, Joseph O'Conor obituary[dead link], The Independent, 2 February 2001.
  56. ^ The Times obituary Joyce Blair[dead link]
  57. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Toone, Geoffrey
  58. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Travers, Linden.
  59. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Allen, Jack
  60. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Burden, Hugh
  61. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Ramage, Cecil R.
  62. ^ Kieron Moore obituary, Daily Telegraph
  63. ^ a b c Templeman collection of theatre programmes: Embassy Theatre
  64. ^ Mary Ellis obituary in The Independent[dead link]
  65. ^ Who's Who in the Theatre: Redgrave, Michael Scudamore
  66. ^ Philip King. On Monday Next. London: Samuel French.
  67. ^ Robert Eddison at IMDb
  68. ^ Laurence Payne obituary, The Times

General references

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