[1] The Theatre Royal attracts major touring dramas, opera, ballet, West End musicals and an annual pantomime.

Baroness Orczy’s The Scarlet Pimpernel (1903) was first produced at the Theatre Royal by Fred Terry and Julia Neilson before being published as a novel.

On October 6, 1952, the theatre made history with the world premiere of The Mousetrap (as part of a pre-West End tour).

Two years later William Douglas Home's comedy The Manor of Northstead premiered there before transferring to the West End.

The elegant portico, with its six Corinthian columns of Ancaster stone; owe much to the desire of the Lamberts to build a prestigious theatre.

This allowed balconies to be built without the use of supporting pillars; which had characterised the work of the previous generation of theatre architects, such as Phipps.

[7] The theatre was extensively remodelled and extended in 1976-78 by Nicholas Thompson and Clare Ferraby of the Renton Howard Wood Levin Partnership and Iain Mackintosh of Theatre Projects Consultants Ltd.[8] It was officially reopened 6 June 1978 by Princess Anne who was “impressed and delighted” and said “…what an improvement on the old place.