The
Lyceum Theatre is a 2,100-seat
West End theatre located in the
City of Westminster, on Wellington Street, just off the
Strand. The origins of the theatre date to 1765. Managed by
Samuel Arnold, from 1794 to 1809 the building hosted a variety of entertainments including a circus produced by
Philip Astley, a chapel, and the first London
exhibition of waxworks displayed by
Madame Tussaud. From 1816 to 1830, it served as
The English Opera House. After a fire, the house was rebuilt and reopened on 14 July 1834 to a design by
Samuel Beazley. The building was unique in that it has a balcony overhanging the dress circle. It was built by the partnership of
Peto & Grissell. The theatre then played opera, adaptations of
Charles Dickens novels and
James Planché's "fairy extravaganzas", among other works.