The Duke of York’s Theatre first opened in 1892 under the name Trafalgar Square Theatre, but was later renamed in honour of King George V. Whilst it has undergone several transformations over the course of its history, it has always maintained its original character as designed by architect Walter Emden and is a Grade II listed building. The venue was originally built for performers Frank Wyatt and his wife, Violet Melnotte.
In 1980 the venue was bought by Capital Radio, who maintained patronage until it was sold to Ambassadors Theatre Group in 1992, who have since based their headquarters in the theatre.
Many iconic shows have been staged at The Duke of York’s, including the debut of Jim Barrie’s classic fairy tale Peter Pan and several productions of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show. Many iconic British actors have performed at the Duke of York’s Theatre, including Ian McKellen, who played the title role in King Lear in 2018, Michael Gambon, Zoë Wanamaker and Sally Hawkins.
