Imperial Theatre

Imperial Theatre, London, in Tothill Street, originally the Aquarium Theatre, part of an amusement and exhibition palace known as the Royal Aquarium Winter Garden, which stood on the site of the present Central Hall, West-minister. It opened in 1876, and Phelps made his last appearance there in 1878. In 1879 the name was changed to the Imperial. It closed in 1899 and Lillie Langtry, who had already appeared there in 1882 in Tom Taylor's An Unequal Match, took over, opening in 1901 with Berton's A Royal Necklace. In spite of good reviews and sumptuous costumes and scenery the play was not a success, and in 1903 Mrs Langtry withdrew. Ellen Terry then presented Ibsen's The Vikings at Helgeland, and Much Ado about Nothing, with herself as Hiordis and Beatrice, both productions being designed and directed by her son Gordon Craig. Lewis Waller then presented a series of romantic plays of which the most successful, apart from the perennial Monsieur Beaucaire by Booth Tarkington, was Conan Doyle's Brigadier Gerard (1906). The last play seen at this theatre was Dix and Sutherland's Boy O'Carrol (also 1906), with Martin-Harvey. The theatre was then dismantled and taken to Canning Town, where it was re-erected as the Imperial Palace. It later became a cinema, and was destroyed by fire in 1931.