The West London Theatre, which people may still remember today, was situated on Church Street, just off the Edgware Road, between what was then Carlisle Street (now Penfold Street) and Salisbury Street. When the first Theatre on this site opened as the Royal Sussex Theatre in 1831 the address was given as Great Carlisle Street, Portman Market. The Market itself opened in 1830 and was originally a Haymarket but diversified to vegetables and general products the following year. Although the Theatre is now long gone there is still a market held in the area to this day. There is more information on the West London Theatre below, but there now follows a history of all the Theatres on this site since 1831.
The first Theatre to be constructed on the site however, was Messrs Ward, Eggerton, and Abbott's Royal Sussex Theatre which had its foundation stone laid on the 17th of May 1831. The Theatre is stated by the press of the time to have cost around £9,000 to construct, and appears to have been opened later that year, but the following year a renewal of a licence to operate it as a legitimate Theatre was refused because it was stated as being still 'unfinished'. Undeterred the Theatre reopened as the unlicensed 'Pavilion Theatre' and was used for staging so called 'crude melodrama and comic songs'.
By 1833 the Theatre had been renamed the Portman Theatre but even then it was still unfinished, and in July the same year it was put up for sale, by auction, due to its owner's Bankruptcy. The Morning Post carried a notice on this in their July 4th 1833 edition saying:- 'The Portman Theatre - To Capitalists, Builders, Lovers of the Drama, and others - Important Property, comprising the Portman Theatre, in Great Carlisle-street, Portman-market, near Edgware-road. Mr. Mills has the pleasure to announce to the Public he has received directions from the signees of John Lancaster, under a Fiat of Bankruptcy, Sell by Auction, at the Mart, To-morrow, at twelve, this important property, which extends in front about 61 feet , and in depth 113 feet, comprising that noble Edifice intended when finished for the Portman Theatre, and has been erected in the most substantial manner of the best materials, without regard to expense, under the immediate inspection of an eminent Architect. The Building is a substantial brick edifice, with external walls, joists, and roof finished, and when completed, capable of accommodating an audience of about 2,000 persons, and from its highly respectable and populous neighbourhood is certain of success. There are several well-built carcasses contiguous. The whole is held under lease from E. B. Portman, Esq., for ninety-nine years, at a low ground rent. To be viewed till the sale...' - The Morning Post, July 4th 1833.
The Portman Theatre was altered and improved in 1837 and reopened as the Marylebone Theatre on the 13th of November the same year, however it continued with the same kind of productions that the Portman had been staging before. This was not to last long however as it was rebuilt in 1842 and opened as the Theatre Royal, Marylebone on Monday the 12th of December 1842 with a production of the drama 'The Saxon Maid; or The Days of William the Conqueror', followed by the farce 'Tea With My Aunt', and ending with 'Passion And Repentance'. The Theatre, which was now run by John Douglass, was said to be able to hold around 2,500 people and prices for the opening week were Boxes, 2s; Pit 1s; and Gallery, 6d.
The Standard reported on the Theatre's opening night in their 13th of December 1842 edition saying:- 'This theatre, which is situated in the somewhat remote locality of Church-street, Lisson Grove, last night opened its doors to the public for the first time, under the lesseeship of Mr. John Douglas. Long before the curtain was raised every seat was occupied in boxes, pit, and gallery, and great numbers of persons continued to pour in, notwithstanding the inconvenience to which they were necessarily subjected, of being compelled to stand without the performances. The theatre is commodiously arranged, and tastefully, if not elegantly, fitted up. The gallery and pit are extremely spacious, and ample accommodation is provided both in public and private boxes. The entrance to the house is handsome, and the stage affords ample means to present performances of a superior order. The fittings and decorations of the house are of an expensive character; and in the very important particular of scenery, the best taste has been displayed, and provision has been made upon a scale of great liberality...' - The Standard, 13th of December 1842.
The Theatre Royal, Marylebone, under John Douglas was quite a success, he put on melodrama and pantomime there for 5 years until he retired in 1847. After this the Drury Lane actress Mrs. Warner took over the Theatre. Mrs. Warner was also famed for acting beside Phelps at Sadler's Wells, and she altered the old Theatre Royal, redecorated it, and reopened it with its earlier name of the Marylebone Theatre on Monday the 31st of August 1847, with a production of Shakespeare's 'A Winter's Tale' with Warner herself playing Hermione.
Sadly Mrs. Warner's tenure of the Marylebone was not a great success, she was followed by other hopefuls including E. T. Smith and J. W. Wallack who also failed to make the Theatre a success. In 1858 the Theatre was taken over by Joseph Cave who had performed there as a boy, and he faired a little better at running the Theatre and remained for a number of years.
In 1868 the Theatre was reconstructed and enlarged and reopened as the Royal Alfred Theatre. The ERA reported on this in their 11th of October 1868 edition saying:- 'Prominent among the many improved public buildings, and especially those for amusement, is the old Marylebone Theatre. Originally opened twenty years ago by Mrs. Warner for Shakespearean representations, when Church-street, Edgware-road, was only an isolated suburb, it could, not vie with the attractions of Old Drury, and was never a place of fashionable resort. But the rapid extension of the Metropolis has altered the aspect of Marylebone, and now the whole neighbourhood, comprising Notting-hill, Bayswater, St. John's-wood, and Kilburn, are populous and well-to-do portions of the Metropolis. These circumstances, coupled with the success which is already attending similar enterprises, such as those at the New Queen's Theatre, the Royal Standard, and others, have induced Mr. Clifford Lacey to undertake to provide a Theatre at that end of the Metropolis which, in points of elegance, comfort, and talent, shall vie with some of the best-established houses.
Accordingly, the whole of the old Theatre has been nearly reconstructed. The interior has been wholly pulled down, the stage lowered, and the auditorium considerably enlarged and handsomely decorated. The designs have been projected by Mr. Samuel Simpson, builder. The proscenium and dress circle fronts, which are models of elegance, are carried out by Messrs. White and Co., Marylebone-street. The decorations, which are of a very chaste character, are by Messrs. Green and King; and the upholstery and orchestra stalls have been executed by Mr. Lyon of Southampton-street, Holborn. H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh has graciously signified his pleasure that the Theatre shall be designated the Royal Alfred. In grateful recognition of H.R.H.'s favour, among the many new and handsome scenes which have been painted by Messrs. Matthews, Henderson, and Nicholson, is a picture of the Galatea, as she dropped anchor it Port Jackson Harbour, and which is to be used as an act-drop.
The Theatre will be conducted under the able direction of Miss Amy Sedgwick. A grand spectacular drama by C. H. Stephenson, Esq.. is in course of rehearsal, and is promised for Saturday (this evening). Mr. Lacey has spared no expense in the preparation of the house, and if the same spirit and ability mark the performances, the public will have a comfortable and pleasing place of entertainment. - The ERA, 11th of October 1868.
The Royal Alfred Theatre opened in October 1868 but the name reverted once more to the Marylebone Theatre in 1870 when the Theatre began staging melodramas again. The Marylebone Theatre's reincarnation would go on to have over 20 years of productivity until it was renamed the West London Theatre of Varieties in 1892.
In 1892 the Theatre's name was changed yet again, this time to The West London Theatre of Varieties. The ERA reported on the change in their 17th of December 1892 edition saying:- 'THE West London Theatre of Varieties, the new name that has been adopted by Messrs Bailey and Oliver for their new acquisition, is, after all, but the revival of an old title for the famous Church-street house, which in its time has been known as the Portman, the Pavilion, the West London, and the Alfred. In less than a couple of weeks the Marylebone Theatre passes for ever from the Loveridge family, the remainder of the lease, thirty years, at £150 ground rent, having been acquired by Messrs W. Bailey and A. E. Oliver, as we have already announced. Mr Henry Gascoigne, who, with his talented wife, has been so popular with the local dwellers, will remain as tenant of the new proprietors until March 2d, unless a fresh arrangement be entered into. The house will then be in all probability closed until Easter for a thorough overhauling and minor structural alterations. For these Mr W. Hancock, who is the architect for the Eastern Empire, Bow, is busy preparing plans - The ERA, 17th of December 1892.
The West London Theatre would be the last name for this Theatre but it continued with variety until 1910 when it was converted for Cinema use. Sadly the Theatre was damaged during the war in 1941 and that turned out to be the end of its theatrical career. Remedial work was done on the building so that it could be used as a warehouse and store for the Church Street Market. But even this use ended in the 1970s when it was demolished so that a parade of shops with flats above could be built on the site.