The Savoy Theatre

TQ 3080 NW and NE 72/114; 73/46

CITY OF WESTMINSTER, STRAND WC2, Savoy Court The Savoy Theatre

23.10.73

GV II* Theatre. 1881 by C. J. Phipps for Richard D'Oyly Carte, refronted to Savoy Court by Collcuttin 1903 and with new entrance and auditorium and foyer, 1929, by A. Tugwell with interior design by Basil Ionides.

Polished stainless steel facing to main entrance, Doulton Carrara Ware above, remaining parts of Phipps elevations to Carting Lane including south lower level foyer entrance, of painted brick with rusticated piers. Because of the sloping site the Savoy Court foyer entrance is on high level with theatre below, with original main entrance on Carting Lane level necessitating long access corridors from foyers. Art Deco Moderne with unique and highly accomplished Deco theatre interior. The Savoy Court main entrance front is of one storey faced in stainless steel with strong horizontal emphasis, (see Savoy Hotel qv); steel doors with glazed panels grouped with display cases under ornamental flat band and, above, a full length glazed panel containing in thin steel sanserif letters "Savoy Theatre".

Interior: both upper and lower level foyers have sunk panelled ceilings, fluted plaster and mirror lined walls, retaining original steel bench seating and furnishings; the auditorium is rectangular with small sunk panels over the whole of the ceiling and main wall surfaces with varied Chinese motif reliefs in the wall panels; square proscenium; two balconies with sunk ornamental panels in the soffits and flat lozenge shaped and fluted wall panels - in Chrisopher Hussey's contemporary opinion "the first really outstanding example of modern decoration applied to a public place on a commercial basis." The queen post roof over the stage, containing drum and shaft machinery, is part of Phipps' original theatre. The theatre was the first part of the Savoy complex developed by D'Oyly Carte.

The Theatres of London; Mander and Mitchenson

Listing NGR: TQ3050080696