[4] The Duchess Theatre was designed by Ewen Barr and constructed by F. G. Minter Ltd for Arthur Gibbons.

The theatre is built with stalls below street level, both to overcome the scale of the site and to maintain the rights of neighbours to ancient lights.

The theatre opened on 25 November 1929 with a play called Tunnel Trench by Hubert Griffith.

The original interiors were Art Deco in style, designed by Marc Henri and Gaston Laverder.

The only remaining features of the original decorations in the auditorium are two bas-reliefs by Maurice Lambert, flanking the proscenium arch.