The Lyceum Theatre

The theatre's claim to fame rests not in its architecture, but in its association with a giant of the theatre world and the first actor ever to be knighted - Sir Henry Irving. Hired in 1871 by the Lyceum's American owner, Colonel Bateman, Irving proved to be an electrifying actor. When, only four years later, Bateman died, Irving took on the management of the theatre as well.

The next two decades saw the Lyceum become the cultural powerhouse of the capital and, thanks to its success, one of the most fashionable places to be seen as well. This was the result of lrving's combination of Victorian melodramas (most notably The Bells) in which he excelled, and a series of lavish Shakespearean productions in which he starred opposite Ellen Terry, one of the most beautiful, as well as gifted actresses of the century. Amazingly, she carried on acting into the era of the silent movies so one can see this star of the 1880s on film, with Ivor Novello and Gladys Cooper, in The Bohemian Girl (1922).

Irving's domination of London's theatreland was largely due to his talent on stage, his relationship with Ellen Terry and his ability to spot and employ young actors and actresses of promise, but it was also due to his inspired choice of business manager - a stage-struck Irishman called Bram Stoker. Remembered these days for his novel Dracula (1897), Stoker was an indispensable help to lrving, and wrote a highly entertaining and informative book about his time with the great actor-manager.

Among many anecdotes was one describing a visit to the seaside, in search of peace and quiet. An old fisherman agreed to row them both out to sea for a couple of hours relaxation. As they set off, a crowd gathered on the shore, waving frantically. Irving, accustomed to the adulation of the public, waved regally and smiled, acknowledging their applause, while the fisherman carried on rowing out to sea, where a number of Royal Navy warships were to be seen in the distance. Suddenly there was a tremendous explosion as a sheet of water rushed towards the sky. 'Oh Lord," said the fisherman, "I forgot. They're testing them new torpedoes today!" The crowds had not been cheering England's finest actor - they had been desperately trying to warn him to get back to shore.

Irving's reign ended in 1902, partly due to old age, partly due to changing public taste, but largely because of the inevitable curse of theatreland - fire. A huge fire destroyed his vast warehouse full of the scenery and costumes that he had accumulated over twenty years, and he could not afford to replace it all.

His leaving was rapidly followed by the demolition of the theatre (though the facade was retained). Shortly before the hallowed walls were pulled down, over a thousand actors gathered in the auditorium for a meeting at which it was decided to ask the government to support the creation of a National Theatre. A historic moment, even if it took many years finally to achieve.

The Lyceum's subsequent history was varied, to say the least. Reopened in 1904 as a music hall, in competition with Oswald Stoll's London Coliseum in St Martin's Lane, the theatre changed hands again six years later, and was then the setting for variety shows, musicals and ballet, Ninette de Valois making her London debut there in 1915.

The Melville brothers, who had run the theatre since 1910, died within a year of each other, in 1937 and 1938, after which the Lyceum was closed as part of a road-widening scheme - the theatre was to be replaced by a roundabout! The last performance before the Lyceum was closed was of Hamlet, in which John Gielgud played the lead role. Another great Shakespearean actor, Donald Wolfit, attempted, after the War, to save it as a playhouse, but his gallant efforts failed, and it was converted into a dance hall, then was allowed to rot until Apollo Leisure refurbished and reopened it in 1996, with a production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ, Superstar.

After leaving the Lyceum, walk back up Wellington Street, then turn left into Tavistock Street, which runs behind the Theatre Museum. This takes you into Southampton Street where, almost immediately opposite, stands David Garrick's house, an elegant eighteenth century mansion with a bronze-coloured plaque and bas-relief profile of the great actor, whose association with the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane has already been described.

Dr Samuel Johnson, the compiler of the first English dictionary, was an admirer of Garrick, of whom he said, in a phrase that could as easily have been applied to Henry Irving a century later: "Here is a man who has advanced the dignity of his profession." His epitaph on hearing of Carrick's death, became famous, and has been applied to many other public figures. "I am disappointed in that death which has eclipsed the gaiety of nations and impoverished the public stock of harmless pleasure."

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