May 2026

On 11 May 2026, friends, colleagues and collaborators will gather at the theatre that bears Gillie's name to mark her centenary in the most fitting of ways. The date carries its own significance. On 11 May 1981, Andrew Lloyd Webber's CATS opened at what is now the Gillian Lynne Theatre, renamed in her honour by Andrew in 2018. The show would go on to define her legacy.

The evening will mark the unveiling of two permanent tributes now installed in the theatre foyer. A specially curated short film telling the story of Gillian's life and career will play on a continuous loop, welcoming every audience who walks through the doors and introducing them to the woman behind the theatre's name. Alongside it, a newly dedicated area, Gillie's Corner, now features a beautiful collection of photography capturing Gillian in performance and in rehearsal.

The evening will celebrate her legacy with champagne, a solo performance of ‘Memory’ and the presentation of a key to the theatre's current choreographer, a tradition inspired by the original key gifted to Gillie by Andrew Lloyd Webber at the theatre renaming.