Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith)


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

Background

The Lyric Theatre was originally a music hall established in 1888 on Bradmore Grove, Hammersmith. Success as an entertainment venue led it to be rebuilt and enlarged on the same site twice, firstly in 1890 and then in 1895 by the English theatrical architect Frank Matcham. The 1895 reopening, as The New Lyric Opera House, was accompanied by an opening address by the famous actress Lillie Langtry.
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.
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.
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, it was nominated in the 'community benefit' and 'tourism and leisure' categories at the RICS Awards 2016, London.
In 2011, the Lyric won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre for Sean Holmes' production of Sarah Kane's Blasted.
Its artistic director is Rachel O'Riordan, who succeeded Sean Holmes in February 2019. Its executive director is Amy Belson.

Five strands

The Lyric's programme is divided into five strands: