Editing Savoy Theatre

{{Short description|West End theatre in London}}
{{For|other theatres of the same name|Savoy (disambiguation)}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Savoy Theatre
| image = File:The Savoy Theatre on The Strand - geograph.org.uk - 2196272.jpg
| caption = Savoy Theatre on the Strand
| address = Savoy Court, [[Strand, London|Strand]]
| city = [[London]], [[WC postcode area|WC2]]
| publictransit = {{rint|london|underground}} {{lus|Charing Cross}}; {{lus|Embankment}}<br />{{rint|gb|Rail}} {{rws|Charing Cross}}
| pushpin_map = United Kingdom Central London
| coordinates = {{coord|51.5101|-0.1209|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| architect = [[Charles J. Phipps|C. J. Phipps]]
| owner = [[ATG Entertainment]]
| operator = ATG Entertainment
| capacity = c. 1,150 on 3 levels
| type = [[West End theatre]]
| opened = {{Start date and age|1881|10|10|df=y}}
| rebuilt = {{Plainlist|
* 1929 (Frank A. Tugwell)
* 1993 (William Whitfield)
}}
| closed = 
| othernames = 
| logo_image = 
| production = ''[[Mean Girls (musical)|Mean Girls]]''
| website = {{URL|https://www.thesavoytheatre.com/}}
}}
The '''Savoy Theatre''' is a [[West End theatre]] in the [[Strand, London|Strand]] in the [[City of Westminster]], London, England. The theatre was designed by [[Charles J. Phipps|C. J. Phipps]] for [[Richard D'Oyly Carte]] and  opened on 10 October 1881 on a site previously occupied by the [[Savoy Palace]]. Its intended purpose was to showcase the popular series of [[comic opera]]s of [[Gilbert and Sullivan]], which became known as the [[Savoy opera]]s.

The theatre was the first public building in the world to be lit entirely by electricity. For many years, the Savoy Theatre was the home of the [[D'Oyly Carte Opera Company]], which continued to be run by the Carte family for over a century. Richard's son [[Rupert D'Oyly Carte]] rebuilt and modernised the theatre in 1929, and it was rebuilt again in 1993 following a fire. It is a Grade II* [[listed building]].

In addition to ''[[The Mikado]]'' and other famous Gilbert and Sullivan premières, the theatre has hosted such premières as the first public performance in England of [[Oscar Wilde]]'s ''[[Salome (play)|Salome]]'' (1931) and [[Noël Coward]]'s ''[[Blithe Spirit (play)|Blithe Spirit]]'' (1941). In recent years it has presented opera, [[Shakespeare]] and other non-musical plays, and [[musical theatre|musicals]].

==History of the site==
The [[House of Savoy]] was the ruling family of [[Savoy]] descended from [[Humbert I, Count of Savoy|Humbert I, Count of Sabaudia]] (or "Maurienne"), who became count in 1032. The name Sabaudia evolved into "Savoy" (or "Savoie"). [[Peter II, Count of Savoy|Count Peter]] (or ''Piers'' or ''Piero'') of Savoy (d. 1268) was the maternal uncle of [[Eleanor of Provence]], queen-consort of [[Henry III of England]], and came with her to London.<ref name=bho/>

[[Image:Savoy Palace.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Savoy Palace]], as it appeared in the 14th century (19th c. engraving)]]
King Henry made Peter [[Earl of Richmond]] and, in 1246, gave him the land between [[Strand, London|The Strand]] and the [[Thames]] where Peter built the [[Savoy Palace]] in 1263. On Peter's death, the Savoy was given to [[Edmund, 1st Earl of Lancaster]], by his mother, Queen Eleanor. Edmund's great-granddaughter, Blanche, inherited the site. Her husband, [[John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster]], built a magnificent palace that was burned down by [[Wat Tyler]]'s followers in the [[Peasants' Revolt]] of 1381. King [[Richard II of England|Richard II]] was still a child, and his uncle John of Gaunt was the power behind the throne and so a main target of the rebels.<ref name=bho/>

In about 1505 [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]] planned a great hospital for "pouer, nedie people", leaving money and instructions for it in his will. The hospital was built in the palace ruins and was licensed in 1512. Drawings show that it was a magnificent building, with a dormitory, dining hall and three chapels. Henry VII's hospital lasted for two centuries but suffered from poor management. The sixteenth-century historian [[John Stow]] noted that the hospital was being misused by "loiterers, vagabonds and strumpets". In 1702 the hospital was dissolved, and the hospital buildings were used for other purposes. Part of the old palace was used for a military prison in the eighteenth century. In the nineteenth century, the old hospital buildings were demolished and new buildings erected.<ref name=bho>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol3/pp95-100 "The Savoy"], British History Online, University of London. Retrieved 15 April 2015</ref>

In 1864 a fire burned everything except the stone walls and the [[Savoy Chapel]], and the property sat empty until [[Richard D'Oyly Carte]] bought it in 1880 to build the Savoy Theatre specifically for the production of the [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] operas that he was producing.<ref>Ainger, p. 193</ref> The new theatre was built speedily, and accounts noted that it "was situated on a site which, though rich in historical associations, was also rich in the olfactory sense, Mr Rimmel's scent factory being close by as was Burgess's Noted Fish-Sauce Shop."<ref name=bettany/>

==Richard D'Oyly Carte's theatre==
[[File:Savoy pre-1920.JPG|left|thumb|Original interior of Savoy Theatre, 1881]]
Carte bought the freehold of the site, then known as "Beaufort Buildings", early in 1880 for £11,000, but had begun planning his theatre several years before. In 1877 he engaged [[Walter Emden]], an architect whose work includes the [[Garrick Theatre|Garrick]] and the [[Duke of York's Theatre|Duke of York's]] theatres.<ref name=savoyard/> Before completing the site purchase, city officials had assured Carte that they would open a new street on the south side of the plot, provided he paid half the cost. He paid his half in March 1880, but the officials caused lengthy delays. Carte told ''[[The Times]]'', "I am struggling in the meshes of red tape".<ref>Carte, Richard D'Oyly. "Building Difficulties", ''The Times'', 22 May 1880, p. 6</ref> He finally received the necessary agreement in June. At the same time he ran into another obstacle: Emden suddenly revised his estimate of building costs upward from £12,000 to £18,000. Carte dismissed Emden, who successfully sued for £1,790 for services to date and £3,000 for wrongful dismissal.<ref name=savoyard>"100 Electrifying Years", ''The Savoyard'', Volume XX no. 2, D'Oyly Carte Opera Trust, September 1981, pp. 4–6</ref>

[[File:1881 Savoy Theatre.jpg|thumb|upright|Original façade of the Savoy Theatre, 1881]]
Design of the theatre was given to [[Charles J. Phipps|C. J. Phipps]]. The builders were Patman and Fotheringham. Plans were drawn up and executed with speed and efficiency. Nonetheless, the advertised opening date had to be put back several times while the innovative electrical work was completed.<ref name=savoyard/> The Savoy finally opened on 10 October 1881.<ref>Rollins and Witts, p. 8</ref> Carte had at one time intended to call it the Beaufort Theatre,<ref name=Howard>Howard, p. 214</ref> but he announced in a letter to ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' in 1881, "On the Savoy Manor there was formerly a theatre. I have used the ancient name as an appropriate title for the present one."<ref name=savoyard/> The exterior of the building was made from red brick and Portland stone.<ref name="Oost, p. 59">Oost, p. 59</ref> The interior decoration, by Collinson and Locke, was "in the manner of the [[Italian Renaissance]]", with white, pale yellow and gold predominating, including a gold satin curtain (instead of the usual printed act-drop), red boxes and dark blue seats.<ref name=Times/> There were none of the cherubs, deities and mythical creatures familiar from the décor of rival theatres. Carte wanted nothing that would appear too garish or gaudy to his target, middle-class audience.<ref name="Oost, p. 59"/>

On the opening night Phipps took curtain calls along with [[W. S. Gilbert|Gilbert]], [[Arthur Sullivan|Sullivan]] and Carte.<ref name=savoyard/> ''[[The Times]]'' commented, "A perfect view of the stage can be had from every seat in the house."<ref name=Times/> Exits on all four sides of the theatre were provided, and fireproof materials were used to ensure maximum safety.<ref name=Times/> There were three tiers with four levels: stalls and pit, balcony, circle, and amphitheatre and gallery at the top. The total [[seating capacity]] was 1,292.<ref>18 private boxes (72 seats); 150 stalls, 250 pit, 160 balcony, 160 circle, and 500 (maximum) amphitheatre and gallery. "The Savoy Theatre", ''The Times'', 3 October 1881</ref> The [[proscenium]] arch was {{convert|30|ft|m}} high by {{convert|30|ft|m}} wide, and the stage was {{convert|27|ft|m}} deep from the proscenium to the back wall.<ref>''Who's Who in the Theatre'', 1912, p. 297.  Chapple, p. 11, and Howard, p. 214, give the dimensions as 60 feet wide by 52 feet deep, but those measurements included the wing space and the scene dock at the rear.</ref> The theatre originally had its main entrance on the [[Thames Embankment|Embankment]]. The parcel on which it was built is steep, stretching from the Strand down to the Embankment along Beaufort Street. After Carte built the [[Savoy Hotel]] in 1889, the theatre entrance was moved to its present location at the hotel's courtyard off the Strand.<ref>Goodman, p. 27</ref>

[[File:Savoy Theatre (Westminster City Council).jpg|left|thumb|upright|Plaque noting the Savoy as the first public building to be lit entirely by electricity]]
The Savoy was a state-of-the-art theatre and the first public building in the world to be lit entirely by electricity.<ref name=Times>"The Savoy Theatre", ''[[The Times]]'', 3 October 1881</ref><ref name=Burgess>Burgess, Michael. "Richard D'Oyly Carte", ''The Savoyard'', January 1975, pp. 7–11</ref> In 1881, [[Sir Joseph Swan]], inventor of the [[incandescent light bulb]], supplied about 1,200 Swan incandescent lamps, and the lights were powered by a {{convert|120|hp|adj=on}} generator on open land near the theatre.<ref name=Times/><ref>Henderson, Tony. [http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/tale-tragedy-behind-triumphs-joseph-4424356 "Tale of tragedy behind the triumphs of Joseph Swan"], ''The Journal'', 28 September 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2016</ref> Carte explained why he had introduced electric light: "The greatest drawbacks to the enjoyment of the theatrical performances are, undoubtedly, the foul air and heat which pervade all theatres. As everyone knows, each [[gas lighting|gas-burner]] consumes as much oxygen as many people, and causes great heat beside. The incandescent lamps consume no oxygen, and cause no perceptible heat."<ref>Baily, p. 215</ref> The first generator proved too small to power the whole building, and though the entire front-of-house was electrically lit, the stage was lit by gas until 28 December 1881. At that performance, Carte stepped onstage and broke a glowing lightbulb before the audience to demonstrate the safety of the new technology. ''The Times'' described the electric lighting as superior, visually, to gaslight.<ref>[https://www.gsarchive.net/carte/savoy/electric.html "Savoy Theatre"],  ''The Times'', 28 December 1881, p. 4</ref> Gaslights were installed as a backup, but they rarely had to be used.<ref name=savoyard/> ''The Times'' concluded that the theatre "is admirably adapted for its purpose, its acoustic qualities are excellent, and all reasonable demands of comfort and taste are complied with."<ref>"The Savoy Theatre", ''The Times'', 11 October 1881</ref> Carte and his manager, [[George Edwardes]] (later famous as manager of the [[Gaiety Theatre, London|Gaiety Theatre]]), introduced several innovations including numbered seating, free programme booklets, good quality whisky in the bars, the "queue" system for the pit and gallery (an American idea) and a policy of no tipping for cloakroom or other services.<ref name=bettany>Bettany, unnumbered page (there are no page numbers in the book)</ref><ref>Wilson and Lloyd, p. 29</ref> Daily expenses at the theatre were about half the possible takings from ticket sales.<ref name=Burgess/><ref>Dark and Grey, p. 85</ref>

[[File:Souvenir program for the première production of Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience - Cover.jpg |thumb|upright|1881 Programme for ''[[Patience (opera)|Patience]]'']]
The work that opened the new theatre was Gilbert and Sullivan's [[comic opera]] ''[[Patience (opera)|Patience]]'', which had been running since April 1881 at the smaller [[Opera Comique]].<ref name=bettany/> The last eight of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operas were premièred at the Savoy: ''[[Iolanthe]]'' (1882), ''[[Princess Ida]]'' (1884), ''[[The Mikado]]'' (1885), ''[[Ruddigore]]'' (1887), ''[[The Yeomen of the Guard]]'' (1888) ''[[The Gondoliers]]'' (1889), ''[[Utopia, Limited]]'' (1893), and ''[[The Grand Duke]]'' (1896), and the term [[Savoy opera]] has come to be associated with all their joint works. After the end of the Gilbert and Sullivan partnership, Carte, and later his widow, [[Helen Carte|Helen]] (and from 1901 to 1903, [[William Greet]], lessee of the theatre), staged other comic operas at the theatre by [[Arthur Sullivan]] and others, notably [[Ivan Caryll]], [[Sydney Grundy]], [[Basil Hood]] and [[Edward German]].<ref>Rollins and Witts, pp. 16–19; and {{cite book|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofmu00ganz_1/page/818/mode/2up?q=%22Greet%2C+William%22|title=The Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre, Second Edition|volume=II|first=Kurt|last= Gänzl|author-link=Kurt Gänzl|chapter=Greet, William|publisher=[[Schirmer Books]]|year=2001|pages=819–822 |isbn=978-0-02-865573-4 }}</ref> The Savoy Operas of the 1890s, however, were far less successful than those of the Gilbert and Sullivan heyday. After Carte's production of ''[[The Chieftain]]'' ended in March 1895, the Theatre briefly hosted the [[Carl Rosa Opera Company]] and then closed until late 1895, when Carte resumed productions at the theatre. Sullivan died in 1900, and Richard D'Oyly Carte died in 1901.<ref>Wilson and Lloyd, p. 52</ref>

The Savoy Theatre closed in 1903, and was reopened under the management of John Leigh and [[Edward Laurillard]] from February 1904 (beginning with a musical, ''The Love Birds'') to December 1906.<ref name=Howard/> The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company returned to the Savoy for repertory seasons between 1906 and 1909, in which year [[C. H. Workman]] took over the management of the theatre. He produced, among other works, Gilbert's final opera, with music by German, ''[[Fallen Fairies]]'' in 1909–10, which ran for only 51 performances.<ref>Rollins and Witts, p. 22</ref> He also produced ''[[Two Merry Monarchs]]'' and ''[[Orfeo ed Euridice|Orpheus and Eurydice]]'' in 1910, the latter of which starred [[Marie Brema]] and [[Viola Tree]] in the title roles.<ref>Wearing, vol. 1, p. 24</ref> The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company did not play in the theatre from 1909 until 1929,<ref>Rollins and Witts, pp. 22–154.</ref> instead touring throughout Britain and playing London seasons in other theatres; other works held the stage of the Savoy. George Augustus Richardson managed the theatre from November 1911 to February 1915.<ref name=Howard/> ''The Mikado's'' record as the Savoy's longest-running production was broken by the comedy ''Paddy the Next Best Thing'' by [[Gertrude Page]], which played for 867 performances from April 1920.<ref>Gaye, p. 1536</ref>

==Rupert D'Oyly Carte's theatre==
In 1915 Richard D'Oyly Carte's son, [[Rupert D'Oyly Carte]], took over management of the theatre.<ref name=Howard/> After serving in the navy in World War I, Carte decided to bring the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company back to London in first-rate style. He began to mount seasons of updated and refreshed Gilbert and Sullivan productions at first at the [[Shaftesbury Theatre|Prince's Theatre]] in 1919.<ref name=bettany/> [[J. B. Fagan]]'s adaptation of ''[[Treasure Island]]'' first played in December 1922 at the Savoy Theatre with [[Arthur Bourchier]] as Long John Silver.<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23886297 "London Life – a commentary"] ''The West Australian'' 31 January 1923, p. 10</ref> It was so popular that it was revived every Christmas until the outbreak of World War II.<ref>Chapman, p. 32</ref>

[[File:Mikado Ricketts.jpg|thumb|right|230px|1926 costume for ''[[The Mikado]]'']]
On 3 June 1929 Carte closed the Savoy Theatre, and the interior was completely rebuilt to designs by Frank A. Tugwell with elaborate décor by [[Basil Ionides]]. The ceiling was painted to resemble an April sky; the walls, translucent gold on silver; the rows of stalls were all richly upholstered in different colours, and the curtain repeated the tones of the seating. Ionides said that he took the colour scheme from a bed of zinnias in [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]].<ref name=bettany/> The entire floor space had been replanned: the old cloakrooms and bar at the back of the theatre were relocated to the side, and instead of 18 boxes there was now only one. The new auditorium had two tiers leaving three levels: stalls, dress, and upper circle. The capacity of the old house, originally 1,292, had been reduced to 986 by 1912,<ref>''Who's Who in the Theatre'', 1912, p. 297. The seating plan in that edition shows only 8 boxes instead of the original 18, and reduced numbers of seats in the Dress (156) and Upper Circle (127) (as they were by then named).</ref> and the new theatre restored the capacity almost completely, with 1,200 seats.<ref>"Reopening of the Savoy", ''The Times'', 21 October 1929.</ref> The new stage was 29.3 feet wide, by 29.5 feet deep.<ref name=Howard/>

The theatre reopened on 21 October 1929 with a new production of ''The Gondoliers'' designed by [[Charles Ricketts]] and conducted by [[Malcolm Sargent]].<ref>[http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/carte/1929/index.html Rupert D'Oyly Carte's 1929–30 Season at the G&S Archive]</ref> In the only box sat Lady Gilbert, the librettist's widow.<ref name=bettany/> There were Gilbert and Sullivan seasons at the Savoy Theatre in 1929–30, 1932–33, 1951, 1954, 1961–62, 1975, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. Other famous works presented at the Savoy included [[Robert Morley]] in ''[[The Man Who Came to Dinner]]'', and several comedies by [[William Douglas-Home]] starring, among others, [[Ralph Richardson]], [[Peggy Ashcroft]], and [[John Mills]]. The long-delayed first public performance in England of [[Oscar Wilde]]'s ''[[Salome (play)|Salome]]'' played at the theatre in 1931.<ref>Ellis, Samantha. [https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2003/mar/26/theatre.samanthaellis "Salomé, Savoy Theatre, October 1931"], 26 March 2003. Retrieved 22 February 2013</ref> In 1951 Noël Coward's ''[[Relative Values (play)|Relative Values]]'' premièred at the theatre and ran for 477 performances.<ref name="Gaye, p. 1537">Gaye, p. 1537</ref>

After Rupert D'Oyly Carte died in 1948 his daughter, [[Bridget D'Oyly Carte]], succeeded to the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and became a director and later president of the Savoy Hotel group, which controlled the theatre. Management of the theatre was assumed in 1948 by [[Hugh Wontner|Sir Hugh Wontner]], chairman of the Savoy hotel group.<ref name=Howard/> The theatre was designated a Grade II* [[listed building]] in 1973.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1236724 |desc=Grade II* |access-date=13 May 2009}}</ref> The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company closed in 1982, and Dame Bridget died childless in 1985, bringing the family line to an end. Wontner continued as chairman of the theatre until his death in 1992.<ref name=times>''The Times'', obituary of Hugh Wontner, 27 November 1992</ref>

==1990 fire and restored theatre==
[[File:Savoy theatre london.jpg|left|thumb|The Savoy Theatre and hotel entrance in 2003]]
While the theatre was being renovated in February 1990, a fire gutted the building, except for the stage and backstage areas. A proposal to build a new theatre in late 20th-century style was overruled by the Savoy's insurers and by English Heritage, the government body that had oversight of listed buildings. It was decided to restore the building as faithfully as possible to the 1929 designs.<ref name=gala>Young, John. "Royal gala marks rebirth of D'Oyly Carte's theatre". ''The Times'', 20 July 1993, p. 6</ref> Tugwell's and Ionides's working designs had been preserved, allowing accurate restoration of the theatre under the direction of the architect Sir William Whitfield, Sir Hugh Wontner and the theatre's manager, Kevin Chapple.<ref>[https://www.thestage.co.uk/features/obituaries/2008/kevin-chapple/ Kevin Chapple obituary], ''The Stage'', 8 January 2008. Retrieved 30 November 2011</ref> It reopened on 19 July 1993, with a royal gala that included a specially commissioned ballet, ''Savoy Suite'', by choreographer [[Wayne Sleep]] to a score arranged by [[Carl Davis]] based on Sullivan's music.<ref>Church, Michael. [https://www.proquest.com/docview/477611803 "An object all sublime"], ''The Observer'', 30 May 1993, p. 55 {{subscription required}}</ref> The present theatre has a capacity of 1,158. During the renovation, an extra storey was added above the theatre that includes a health club for the hotel and a swimming pool above the stage. The reopened theatre was the venue for the [[World Chess Championship]] in 1993, won by [[Garry Kasparov]].<ref>Keene, Raymond and Ian Murray. "Kasparov clinches world title after Short accepts draw", ''The Times'', 20 October 1993, p. 10</ref>

In 1993 Coward's ''Relative Values'' was revived.<ref name="Gaye, p. 1537"/> [[Tom Stoppard]]'s ''[[Travesties]]'', with [[Antony Sher]] was next, and from 1994 to 1995 the musical ''[[She Loves Me]]'' played, with [[Ruthie Henshall]] and [[John Gordon Sinclair]]. These were followed by [[Terry Johnson (dramatist)|Terry Johnson]]'s ''Dead Funny''; [[Alan Ayckbourn]]'s ''[[Communicating Doors]]'' (which transferred to the theatre in 1996), with [[Angela Thorne]]; [[J. B. Priestley]]'s ''When We Are Married'', with [[Dawn French]], [[Alison Steadman]], and [[Leo McKern]]; and [[Ben Travers]]' ''Plunder'', with [[Griff Rhys Jones]] and [[Kevin McNally]]. In 1997 a group led by [[Stephen Waley-Cohen|Sir Stephen Waley-Cohen]] was given management of the theatre by The Savoy Group. Productions that followed included [[Simon Callow]] in ''[[The Importance of Being Oscar]]''; [[Pet Shop Boys]] in concert; [[Ian Richardson]] in [[Arthur Wing Pinero|Pinero]]'s ''The Magistrate''; [[Edward Fox (actor)|Edward Fox]] in ''A Letter of Resignation''; the [[Royal Shakespeare Company]]'s production of ''[[Richard III (play)|Richard III]]'', with [[Robert Lindsay (actor)|Robert Lindsay]]; and Coward's ''[[Hay Fever (play)|Hay Fever]]'', with [[Geraldine McEwan]] in 1999.

In 2000 the briefly reconstituted D'Oyly Carte Opera Company produced ''[[H.M.S. Pinafore]]'' at the theatre.<ref>Bradley, p. 67</ref> [[Donald Sutherland]] next starred at the theatre in ''Enigmatic Variations'', followed by a further D'Oyly Carte season, playing ''[[The Mikado]]'' and ''[[The Pirates of Penzance]]''.<ref name=Ambass>[http://www.atgtickets.com/information.aspx?cat=aboutus&Vid=674&regionID=5 Information from the Ambassador Theatre Group's website]</ref> In 2002, a season of ''[[Return to the Forbidden Planet]]'' was followed by the D'Oyly Carte productions of ''[[Iolanthe]]'', ''[[The Yeomen of the Guard]]'' and ''[[The Mikado]]'', and then a revival of [[Yasmina Reza]]'s ''Life x 3''. In 2003, the company revived ''Pinafore'', followed by ''[[Bea Arthur]] at The Savoy'', [[John Steinbeck]]'s ''Of Mice and Men'', ''Peter Pan'' and ''Pirates''. These were followed by ''[[The Marriage of Figaro]]'' and ''[[The Barber of Seville]]'' performed by The Savoy Opera Company in 2004. Next were seasons of [[Lorna Luft]] starring in ''Songs My Mother Taught Me'' and the new salsa musical ''Murderous Instincts''. Coward's ''Blithe Spirit'' was revived in 2004–05.<ref name=Ambass/>

The Savoy Hotel group, including the theatre, was sold in 2004 to Quinlan Private which, in turn, sold the theatre in 2005 to the Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) and the Tulbart Group (selling the Savoy Hotel to Prince [[Al-Waleed bin Talal]]).<ref>Walsh, Dominic. "Savoy Group changes name after deal", ''The Times'', 25 January 2005</ref><ref>Bawden, Tom. "Curtain rises on new Savoy Theatre owner", ''The Times'', 13 October 2005; Wolf, Tom. [https://variety.com/2005/legit/news/savoy-theater-sold-to-ambassador-1117930903/ "Savoy Theater (sic) sold to Ambassador"], 13 October 2005. Retrieved 7 July 2013</ref> Productions since then have been mostly revivals and transfers of modern musicals; major productions have included ''[[The Rat Pack: Live from Las Vegas]]'' and a new musical theatre version of ''[[Porgy and Bess]]'', directed by [[Trevor Nunn]] (both in 2006), ''[[Fiddler on the Roof]]'' (2007–08),<ref>[http://www.thisistheatre.com/londonshows/fiddlerontheroof.html ''Fiddler on the Roof''], This is Theatre. Retrieved 15 April 2015</ref> ''[[Carousel (musical)|Carousel]]'' (2008–09),<ref>[http://www.whatsonstage.com/west-end-theatre/news/06-2009/carousel-posts-closing-notices-at-savoy-20-jun_16830.html "Carousel Posts Closing Notices at Savoy, 20 Jun"]. WhatsOnStage, 9 June 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2010</ref> ''[[Legally Blonde (musical)|Legally Blonde]]'' (2010–12)<ref>[http://westend.broadwayworld.com/article/LEGALLY-BLONDE-Ends-West-End-Run-Tonight-20120407 "''Legally Blonde'' Ends West End Run Tonight"], BroadwayWorld.com, 7 April 2012</ref> and ''[[Let It Be (musical)|Let It Be]]'' (2013–14).<ref>O'Boyle, Claire. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:DSM1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=144A83394FF8AB38&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "Let It Be top of your list"], ''Daily Mirror'', 24 February 2013</ref>

In December 2013, ATG acquired sole ownership of the Savoy.<ref>Shenton, Mark. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/185052-UKs-Ambasssador-Theatre-Group-Acquires-Complete-Ownership-of-West-Ends-Savoy-and-Playhouse-Theatres?tsrc=nx "U.K.'s Ambassador Theatre Group Acquires Complete Ownership of West End's Savoy and Playhouse Theatres"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407074515/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/185052-UKs-Ambasssador-Theatre-Group-Acquires-Complete-Ownership-of-West-Ends-Savoy-and-Playhouse-Theatres?tsrc=nx |date=7 April 2014 }}, Playbill.com, 3 December 2013</ref> The first new production after this was  ''[[Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (musical)|Dirty Rotten Scoundrels]]'' (2014–15),<ref>Maxwell, Dominic. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=14CF61E70BC3A090&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "Comic vitality and saucy staging make up for lack of oomph"], ''The Times'', 3 April 2014</ref> followed by ''[[Gypsy (musical)|Gypsy]]'' (2015),<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32331570 "Gypsy's five star return to London's West End"], BBC News, 16 April 2015</ref> ''[[Funny Girl (musical)|Funny Girl]]'' (2016),<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-36099983 "Victoria Wood remembered at Funny Girl opening"], BBC News, 21 April 2016</ref> ''[[Dreamgirls (musical)|Dreamgirls]]'' (2016–19),<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38327225 "Lion King helped Dreamgirls transfer to West End"], BBC News, 15 December 2016</ref> and ''[[9 to 5 (musical)|9 to 5: The Musical]]'' (2019–March 2020),<ref>[https://officiallondontheatre.com/news/dolly-partons-9-5-musical-play-savoy-theatre-111413759 "Dolly Parton’s ''9 to 5 The Musical'' is coming to the West End"], Official London Theatre, 18 September 2018</ref> when UK theatres closed due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uktheatre.org/theatre-industry/news/theatre-industry-coronavirus-advice-16-march-2020/|title=Theatre closures to help slow the spread of Coronavirus|date=16 March 2020|website=UK Theatre|access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref>

The theatre reopened in July 2021 with ''[[Pretty Woman: The Musical]]'', which had been playing at the [[Piccadilly Theatre]] before the closure.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://www.bestoftheatre.co.uk/blog/post/pretty-woman-the-musical|title=''Pretty Woman the Musical'' Will Return to the West End at the Savoy Theatre from 8 July 2021|website=bestoftheatre.co.uk|access-date=March 23, 2021}}</ref> The production closed in June 2023.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Pretty Woman sets West End closing date and announces new lead casting |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/pretty-woman-close-tompsett_58493.html |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=whatsonstage.com|date=8 March 2023 }}</ref> ''[[Sunset Boulevard (musical)|Sunset Boulevard]]'' starring [[Nicole Scherzinger]] played a limited 16-week run from September 2023 to January 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/dates-and-details-announced-for-sunset-boulevard-with-nicole-scherzinger_1264998/ |title=Dates and details announced for ''Sunset Boulevard'' with Nicole Scherzinger|website= [[WhatsOnStage.com]]|first=Alex|last=Wood|date=6 June 2023|access-date=21 September 2023}}</ref> The Broadway transfer of ''[[Plaza Suite]]'', starring [[Sarah Jessica Parker]] and [[Matthew Broderick]], had a limited run from January to April 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Stephi |last=Wild |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/PLAZA-SUITE-Extends-By-Two-Weeks-in-the-West-End-20240126|title=''Plaza Suite'' Extends by Two Weeks in the West End|website=broadwayworld.com|date=January 26, 2024|access-date=2 July 2024}}</ref>

The West End premiere of ''[[Mean Girls (musical)|Mean Girls]]'' began previews on 5 June 2024 with an opening night on 26 June.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Millward |first=Tom |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/mean-girls-celebrities-such-as-tina-fey-and-lorne-michaels-ask-the-questions-on-west-end-opening-night_1609821 |title=''Mean Girls'' – Celebrities such as Tina Fey and Lorne Michaels ask the questions on West End opening night |date=27 June 2024|website=WhatsOnStage}}</ref><ref>[https://playbill.com/production/mean-girls-london-savoy-theatre-2024 "''Mean Girls'' – London"], ''Playbill''. Retrieved 8 March 2025</ref> The show is set to close on 8 June 2025, and ''[[Burlesque (stage musical)|Burlesque]]'' is scheduled to play from 10 July until 6 September 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-24 |title=''Burlesque the Musical'' to transfer to the West End |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/burlesque-the-musical-to-transfer-to-the-west-end_1670234/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |language=en-US}}</ref> ''[[Paddington: The Musical]]'' is scheduled to premiere at the theatre on 1 November 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McIntosh |first=Steven |date=2025-04-24 |title=Paddington musical: McFly's Tom Fletcher reveals details of new stage show |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c793l125gwvo |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
{{refbegin|35em}}
* {{cite book | last=Ainger | first=Michael | year = 2002 | title = Gilbert and Sullivan – A Dual Biography | location = Oxford | publisher = Oxford University Press | isbn = 978-0-19-514769-8}}
* {{cite book | last = Allen | first = Reginald | year = 1975 | title = The First Night Gilbert and Sullivan | location = London | edition = centennial | publisher = Chappell | isbn = 978-0-903443-10-4 }}
* {{cite book|last=Baily|first=Leslie|year=1956|title=The Gilbert and Sullivan Book|location=London|publisher=Cassell|edition=fourth|oclc=21934871}}
* {{cite book | last = Bettany | first = Clemence | year = 1975 | title = D'Oyly Carte Centenary 1875–1975 | location = London | publisher = D'Oyly Carte Opera Trust | oclc = 3511414}}
* {{cite book| last=Bradley| first=Ian| title=Oh Joy! Oh Rapture! The Enduring Phenomenon of Gilbert and Sullivan| publisher=Oxford University Press| year=2005| isbn=978-0-19-516700-9| url=https://archive.org/details/ohjoyohraptureen00brad}}
*{{cite book | last = Chapman | first = Don | year = 2009 | title = Oxford Playhouse: High and Low Drama in a University City | location = Hatfield | publisher = University of Hertfordshire Press | isbn = 978-1-902806-86-0}}
* {{cite book | last = Chapple | first = Kevin | author2 = Jane Thorne | year = 1993 | title = Reflected Light: The Story of the Savoy Theatre | location = London | publisher = Dewynters | oclc = 80573775 }}
* {{cite book | last = Dark | first = Sidney | author-link = Sidney Dark|author2 = Rowland Grey | year = 1923 | title = W. S. Gilbert: His Life and Letters | url = https://archive.org/details/wsgilberthislife0000dark | location = London | publisher = Methuen | oclc = 3389751 }}
* {{cite book | last = Earl | first = John | author2 = Michael Sell | year = 2000 | title = Guide to British Theatres 1750–1950 | location = London | publisher = Theatres Trust | isbn = 978-0-7136-5688-6}}
* {{cite book|last= Gaye|first=Freda |year= 1967|title=Who's Who in the Theatre |edition=fourteenth|location=London |publisher=Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons |oclc=5997224 }}
* {{cite book | last=Goodman | first=Andrew | year= 1988| title= Gilbert and Sullivan's London | location=Tunbridge Wells and New York | publisher=Spellmount (UK) and Hippocrene (US)| isbn= 978-0-87052-441-7 }}
* {{cite book | last = Howard | first = Diana | year = 1970 | title = London Theatres and Music Halls 1850–1950 | location = Old Woking | publisher = Library Association and Gresham Press | isbn = 978-0-85365-471-1}}
* {{cite book | last= Oost | first= Regina | year= 2009| title= Gilbert and Sullivan: Class and the Savoy Tradition, 1875–1896| location=Farnham, UK and Burlington, US | publisher= Ashgate | isbn= 978-0-7546-6412-3}}
* {{cite book | last = Parker | first = John | year = 1912 | title = Who's Who in the Theatre | location = London | edition = first | publisher = Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons | oclc = 320573141 }}
* {{cite book | last = Rollins | first = Cyril | year = 1962 | author2 = R John Witts | title = The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in Gilbert and Sullivan Operas: A Record of Productions, 1875–1961 | location = London | publisher = Michael Joseph | oclc = 504581419}}
* {{cite book | last = Wearing | first = J P | title = The London Stage, 1910–1919: A Calendar of Players and Plays | location = New Jersey | publisher = Scarecrow Press | isbn = 978-0-8108-1596-4}}
* {{cite book | last = Wilson | first = Robin | author2 = Frederic Lloyd | year = 1984 | title = Gilbert & Sullivan – The D'Oyly Carte Years | location = London York | publisher = Weidenfeld and Nicolson | isbn = 978-0-297-78505-7}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Savoy Theatre, London}}
*[https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/savoy-theatre/ Savoy Theatre] at the Ambassador Theatre Group website
*[https://www.gsarchive.net/carte/savoy/description.html Description of the theatre in ''The Times'', 3 October 1881]
*[https://www.gsarchive.net/carte/savoy/patience.html Description of the first opening night at the theatre in ''The Times'', 11 October 1881]
*[http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas/carte/1929/index.html Information about the 1929 re-opening of the theatre]

{{Theatres in London}}
{{ATGVenues}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:West End theatres]]
[[Category:1881 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Theatres completed in 1881]]
[[Category:Theatres completed in 1929]]
[[Category:Theatres in the City of Westminster]]
[[Category:Gilbert and Sullivan]]
[[Category:Grade II* listed buildings in the City of Westminster]]
[[Category:Charles J. Phipps buildings]]
[[Category:Strand, London]]