London theatre - Dury Lane

The first West End venue began in 1663 when the first of quite a lot of theatres was started on Drury Lane. This venue played host to the earliest West End stars such Nell Gwyn and Charles Hart until it was shattered by fire in 1672. A new theatre, called the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane was designed by Christoper Wren and opened on the same site in 1674. This second theatre stay alived for the next 120 years during which time several other theatres, such as the Theatre Royal Haymarket and the Theatre Royal Covent Garden (now the Royal Opera House) were made and the notion of West End theatre evolved.

David Garrick
One of the many managers of the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane was the legendary David Garrick, another actor/manager/impresario who dominated West End and London theatre throughout the 18th Century. Garrick came to London in 1737 as a wine seller, but was soon distracted by the lure of the theatre, and in 1741 he played his first great role, Shakespeare’s Richard III. Over the next 30 years, Garrick had a huge influence on London theatre. His impact on West End (and world) theatre is remembered through the Garrick Club and the Garrick theatre.