Following the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, the city was rebuilt under the instructions of Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 1st Marquis of Pombal.

The initial reception of the interior by Lisbon's newspapers was very positive although, over the years, it became criticised for being small, cramped and lacking in suitable emergency exits.

Almost all genres passed through the theatre, but it found it easier to fill the house for operettas, variety shows, farces, comedies, and sentimental dramas.

Other actors to perform there included Beatriz Costa, Eunice Muñoz, João Villaret, Laura Alves and Vasco Santana.

[2] In less than three years, however, the Avenida was also destroyed by fire, which broke out 30 minutes before a performance of The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter was due to begin on 13 December 1967.