Royal Alexandra; The Old Vic: The Finest Theatre on the Continent; The Most Famous Theatre in the World

Patricia Vervoort is an assistant professor of art history at Lakehead
University.

In a reversible book with Toronto’s Royal Alexandra Theatre on one side and London’s Old Vic on the other, John Lindsay records the history of the theatres. The reason for grouping the two buildings is that the same man, Ed Mirvish, purchased, restored, and revitalized both. Intended for the general public, the text is brief and to the point, whetting the appetite for more information. It is filled with recent and historic photographs of the buildings, their plans, and actors, actresses, directors and productions. There is more architectural history in the Royal Alexandra portion and more theatrical history for the Old Vic.

The Royal Alexandra, designed by John M. Lyle in 1907, was built without interior posts so that every seat had a clear view of the stage. The descriptions and photographs clearly complement one another, although Frederick Challener’s mural Venus and Attendants Meeting Adonis and Cupid ismentioned, but not visible in any of the photographs. Musical comedies, vaudeville acts, operettas, films, and dramas were among the varied offerings to the Toronto public. Ed Mirvish took over ownership in 1962.

In 1982, Mirvish acquired London’s Old Vic, formerly the Royal Coburg Theatre, which had been designed by Rudolphe Cabanel and built in 1818. The Old Vic’s early specialty was sordid melodrama and by the 1840s was also known for Shakespearean drama. In 1880, Emma Cons renovated the theatre as the Royal Victoria Coffee Music Hall and her niece Lilian Bayliss became manager temporarily, but stayed 40 years. Architect Barry Pritchard has recently restored the Old Vic to its original design.

Both the Royal Alexandra and the Old Vic are used for live dramas and their plans allow for an intimate relationship between stage and audience.