Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith)

The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a nonprofit theatre on Lyric Square, off King Street, Hammersmith, London.^[1]

The Lyric Theatre was originally a music hall established in 1888 on Bradmore Grove, Hammersmith.^[1] It was rebuilt and enlarged on the same site twice, firstly in 1890^[2] and then in 1895 by the English theatrical architect Frank Matcham, due to its success as a music venue. The 1895 reopening, as The New Lyric Opera House, was accompanied by an opening address by the famous actress Lillie Langtry.^[1]

In 1966 the theatre was due to be closed and demolished. However, a successful campaign to save it led to the auditorium being dismantled and reinstalled piece by piece within a modern shell on its current site on King Street, a short distance from the former Bradmore Grove location. The relocated theatre opened in 1979.^[3]

It has two main performance areas: the Main House, a 565-seat 19th-century auditorium maintaining the original design which hosts its main productions; and the 120-seat Studio, which houses smaller productions by up-and-coming companies. The Lyric also presents frequent Lyric Children and Lyric Music performances as well as Sunday Night Comedy.^[1]

A major redevelopment project at the Lyric, with new facilities for young people and the local community was completed in 2015. Designed by Rick Mather Architects,^[4] it was nominated in the 'community benefit' and 'tourism and leisure' categories at the RICS Awards 2016, London.^[5]

In 2011, the Lyric won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre for Sean Holmes' production of Sarah Kane's Blasted.^[6]

Its artistic director is Rachel O'Riordan, who succeeded Sean Holmes in February 2019.^[7] Its executive director is Amy Belson.^[8]

The Lyric's programme is divided into five strands:

• Main House
• Studio
• Music & Comedy
• Lyric Children
• Lyric Young Company^[1]

(Source: the Lyric official website^[9])

• A Doll's House 2019
• Noises Off 2019
• Ghost Stories 2019
• City of Glass, 2017
• The Seagull, 2017
• Herons, by Simon Stephens, 2016
• Cinderella, 2015
• Tipping The Velvet, 2015
• Bugsy Malone, 2015
• Secret Theatre, 2015
• Secret Theatre, 2014
• Secret Theatre, 2013
• Steptoe and Son produced by Kneehigh Theatre, 2013
• Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, adapted by Gísli Örn Garðarsson and David Farr, 2013
• Alice by Heart by Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik, 2012
• Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs, adapted by Pins and Needles Productions, 2012
• Cinderella by Joel Horwood and Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, 2012
• Desire Under the Elms by Eugene O'Neill, 2012
• Morning by Simon Stephens, 2012
• Three Kingdoms by Simon Stephens, 2012
• A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, 2012
• Lovesong by Abi Morgan, 2012
• Aladdin by Joel Horwood, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and Steve Marmion, 2011
• Saved by Edward Bond, 2011
• The Wild Bride created by Kneehigh Theatre, 2011
• Mogadishu by Vivienne Franzmann, 2011
• Roald Dahl's Twisted Tales, 2011
• Dick Whittington and his Cat, by Joel Horwood, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and Steve Marmion, 2010
• Blasted by Sarah Kane, 2010
• The Big Fella (21 September – 16 October 2010)
• Punk Rock by Simon Stephens, 2010
• Lifegame (7 – 17 July 2010)
• Tightrope (17 – 19 June 2010)
• A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky (7 May – 5 June 2010)
• Spymonkey's Moby Dick (20 April – 1 May 2010)
• Ghost Stories (24 February – 3 April 2010)
• Three Sisters (6 January – 20 February 2010)
• Jack and the Beanstalk (21 November 2009 – 9 January 2010
• Comedians (7 October – 14 November 2009)
• Punk Rock 2009 (3–26 September 2009)
• Spyski/The Importance of Being Ernest (3 October – 1 November 2008)
• Christmas For the Under 7s (29 November 2007 – 5 January 2008)
• Beauty and the Beast (6 – 24 November 2007)
• Casanova (16 October – 3 November 2007)
• Water (25 September – 13 October 2007)
• Rough Crossings (5 – 22 September 2007)
• The Bacchae (2 – 4 August 2007)
• Accidental Heroes (21 June – 22 July 2007)
• Angels in America: Part 2 (20 June – 22 July 2007)
• Angels in America: Part 1 (7 – 9 June 2007)
• Elegy (26 April – 26 May 2007)
• Absolute Beginners (3 – 14 April 2007)
• St George and the Dragon (13 – 31 March 2007)
• Don't Look Now (9 February – 10 March 2007)
• Ramayana (17 January – 3 February 2007)
• Cymbeline (23 November 2006 – 13 January 2007)
• Watership Down (31 October – 18 November 2006)
• pool (29 September – 28 October 2006)
• Metamorphosis (16 May – 17 June 2006)
• Aurélia's Oratorio (12 – 29 April 2006)
• The Wolves in the Walls (24 February – 1 April 2006)
• The Odyssey (20 January – 18 February 2006)
• Nights at the Circus Christmas (2 December 2005 – 14 January 2006)
• The Magic Carpet (1 – 26 November 2005)
• Brontë (19 – 29 October 2005)
• Road to Nowhere (2 September – 15 October 2005)
• Julius Caesar (30 June – 23 July 2005)
• Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others (17 June 2005)
• Asterisk (10 – 13 June 2005)
• Stars Are Out Tonight (19 April – 7 May 2005)
• Hymns (30 March – 16 April 2005)
• Aurelia's Oratorio (5 – 26 March 2005)
• Rhinoceros (18 February – 26 March 2005)
• A Raisin in the Sun (27 January – 12 February 2005)
• Strictly Dandia Christmas for 7+s (26 November 2004 – 22 January 2005)
• The Firework-Maker's Daughter (2 – 20 November 2004)
• The Bacchae (30 September – 30 October 2004)
• Don Juan (14 – 25 September 2004)
• A Passage to India/National Youth Theatre Guest Season/The Master and Margarita (20 August – 11 September 2004)
• Here's A Funny Thing, 1980
• Aladdin by Sandy Wilson, 1979

• Lyric – Official website of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.
• Lyric Hammersmith at The London Theatre Guide
• Artistic Associates Named
• The collection of Lyric Theatre Hammersmith box office returns from 1964 to 1966 is held by the Victoria and Albert Museum Theatre and Performance Department.
• History of the Lyric, Hammersmith