Gillian Lynne Theatre
On 22nd June 2018, Andrew Lloyd Webber officially renamed The New London Theatre as the Gillian Lynne Theatre in honour of the world renowned Choreographer & Director, Dame Gillian Lynne, the first West End theatre to be named after a ‘non-royal’ woman.
The theatre renaming ceremony brought back many memories of the ground breaking musical Cats, which debuted there in 1981. The show ran there successfully for over 21 years, and still continues to delight audiences worldwide.
Andrew Lloyd Webber said, “Gillian has been a pioneer of British musical theatre and dance. Her ground-breaking work on Cats inspired and launched countless careers in dance. It is only fitting that the theatre in which she created Cats is named in her honour”
With a specially invited audience at the theatre that now carries her name, dancers from Cats performed an extract from The Jellicle Ball and then sang a chorus of Masquerade from Phantom of the Opera, heralding Gillian’s grand entrance on stage held aloft on a golden throne to rapturous applause and a standing ovation.
Surrounded by the dancers from Cats, Gillian was presented with the ceremonial key to the Gillian Lynne Theatre by Andrew Lloyd Webber who said, “Thank you for everything you have done for all of us in the theatre. I’m proud that the first West End theatre to be named after a woman should be named after you.”
Cameron Mackintosh told Gillian, “You've made many stars look wonderful over your career, but today you are the star.”
Gillian said, “It is incredible to me, I can’t even believe it. This is such a magnificent honour. I am so proud and will be now and forever”
Gillian Lynne with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh and dancers from Cats
All photos courtesy of Really Useful Group
““Quite simply Gillian Lynne was a seminal figure in choreography for three generations, possibly four as her groundbreaking work in Cats is still being seen around the world.
When I was a boy Gillian Lynne was the go-to name when you thought of British musical theatre. She was a principal ballerina in 1939 and by the mid 1960s she was the choreographic force behind British musicals such as Pickwick and The Roar Of The Greasepaint – The Smell Of The Crowd.
It was her collaboration with Trevor Nunn on the Royal Shakespeare Company’s productions of Once In A Lifetime and The Comedy Of Errors that lead to both Gillie and Trevor’s key roles in the creation of Cats.
At that time British dancers who could also sing and act were few and far between. The idea of a British musical with dance at its heart was unthinkable. It is no exaggeration that Cats opened with the only cast available who could have played their roles. It was Gillie’s depth of contacts from her ballet roots to her work in contemporary dance that made it possible to open Cats in Britain and prove the naysayers wrong.
Even so there were those in America, notably our New York producers, who could not believe that such an achievement in dance was possible by a British choreographer. They sent the legendary Michael Bennett, riding high on the massive success of A Chorus Line, to check out her work and tell them that the show should be reworked for Broadway. This is what he wrote to Gillie…
“While I was in London I saw Cats and wanted to tell you that I loved, loved your work… I’m in rehearsals in New York on a new show (Dreamgirls) call me when you get to New York and we’ll get together. In the meantime, congratulations on your enormous success.”
I could not put it more eloquently myself.
Andrew Lloyd Webber””
For a detailed history of the theatre from it’s early beginnings in the 18th century to what has now become the Gillian Lynne theatre, click below
Photo display in the foyer of the Gillian Lynne Theatre