Drury Lane
Drury Lane is a
London street, originally named after the Drury family, owners of a large house there during the
Tudor period. A
cockpit in that location was converted into a
theatre during the reign of King
James I of England. In
1662, King
Charles II granted permission for a new theatre there (all theatres having been closed during
Cromwell's protectorate). The great English actor
David Garrick managed the theatre during the mid-eighteenth century, during which time he produced many plays, including most of
Shakespeare's work. After the
Great Fire of London, the theatre was rebuilt by
Christopher Wren, but the present building, the Theatre Royal, designed by Benjamin Wyatt, dates from
1812. It is one of the
West End's largest, seating an audience of well over two thousand, and has been the setting for appearances by
Edmund Kean and
Sarah Siddons, among others. It is now used for major productions such as
Miss Saigon and
My Fair Lady.