The Lyric Theatre in London is a rather curious place with an interesting history.

It was originally built in 1895 as a small opera house.

It was designed my the famed Frank Matcham and was actually located on a site a bit further down on King Street from its current location.

The lovely little theatre had its ups and downs over the years, and in 1966 it was facing demolition. Local public outcry eventually saved the Lyric Theatre from such a grim fate, and it was painstakingly disassembled and rebuilt in its new location, and opened again to the public in 1979.

Housed in a rather utilitarian concrete block, you would never guess what treasures await inside. There is the Main House, a 550 seat Victorian style auditorium full of velvet and gilt, and the Studio, a 120 seat black-box venue that hosts more experimental theatre.

A 2004 renovation added more workshop and rehearsal space, a new ticket booth and facade, and a street level café. Plans for future expansion are also on the way, and the Lyric Hammersmith has plans to be at the forefront of theatre education in the future.

With more than 100 years of history, the Lyric Hammersmith has seen many famous artists pass through its stages, everyone from Harold Pinter to Robert Lepage has graced their halls.

They host over 1000 performances a year and attract more than 150,000 visitors.

You will find a variety and range of theatre at the Lyric Hammersmith that is hard to find at many more conventional venues. They also sponsor some interesting programs such as Lyric Lounge which is an evening of short performances by vocalists, comedians, and up-and-coming bands, and Lyric Children which are interactive theatre presentations designed especially for kids.

The Lyric Hammersmith also has monthly Comedy Nights and special events where you can come in and chat with members of the company about how they put together that season's performances.

The Lyric Theatre in London is a vibrant and engaging place to enjoy some of the best in modern British theatre.

Visiting Lyric Hammersmith

Lyric Square, 2 King Street, W6 0QA

Telephone: 0870 050 0511

Email enquiries@lyric.co.uk

Photo courtesy: markhillary

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