Lyceum Theatre

The Lyceum Theatre is a 2,000-seat West End theatre located in the City of Westminster, on Wellington Street, just off the Strand. There has been a theatre with this name in the locality since 1765, and the present site opened on 14 July 1834 to a design by Samuel Beazley. The building was unique in that it had a balcony overhanging the dress circle. It was built by the partnership of Peto & Grissell.

The present building retains Beazley's façade and grand portico, but the theatre behind is substantially different from the 1904 design of Bertie Crewe, restored to theatrical use in 1996 by Holohan Architects, after a long period of use as a Mecca Ballroom.

The Old Lyceum Theatre was first built in 1765 on an adjacent site, and in the late 18th century, musical entertainments were given by Charles Dibdin. Famed actor David Garrick also performed at the Lyceum. Between 1794 and 1809, the building was used as a circus, brought by Philip Astley when his amphitheatre was burned down at Westminster, and then a chapel, a concert room, and for the first London exhibition of waxworks displayed by Madame Tussaud in 1802.

In 1834, the present house opened slightly to the west, with a frontage on Wellington Street, under the name "Theatre Royal Lyceum and English Opera House". The theatre was again designed by Beazley and cost £40,000.

In 1973, the theatre gained protection and was Grade II listed.