Scala Theatre

The Scala Theatre was a theatre in Charlotte Street, London, off Tottenham Court Road. The theatre began as concert rooms in the late 18th century. It then became a private theatre club in 1802, a circus in 1808, and a proper theatre in 1810. It was operated by a succession of managers under different names until 1835. From 1839 to 1865, under the scenic artist Charles James, it became the home of lurid melodrama and acquired a poor reputation. In 1865 the theatre was reconstructed with an elegant interior, known as the Prince of Wales's Theatre (not to be confused with the later Prince of Wales Theatre). H. J. Byron, one of the theatre's leading playwrights, and Marie Wilton, its leading lady, assumed its management, presenting burlesque, farce and prose comedies by Byron and a celebrated series of plays by T. W. Robertson. In 1867, Wilton married Squire Bancroft, the theatre's leading man. Other plays were by W. S. Gilbert, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Dion Boucicault and Clement Scott. The Bancrofts managed the theatre until 1880. Edgar Bruce took over the management until 1882, when the theatre went dark, and from 1886 it was used as a Salvation Army Hostel until it was demolished in 1903. In 1903 Edmund Distin Maddick bought the property and enlarged the site. A new theatre, designed by Frank Verity after the manner of Palladio and managed by Johnston Forbes-Robertson, opened in 1905 as The Scala Theatre. It was considered to be the most beautiful theatre in London. Robertson's management was brief and not particularly successful. The theatre then gave special matinees and occasional evening performances over the next few years. In 1911, it was taken over by Charles Urban and showed the earliest colour films. During the First World War films continued to be shown from time to time, including The Birth of a Nation in 1915. From 1918 once again live drama was staged. During the early 1920s the Scala was opened only on rare occasions. It was…