The Novello Theatre was designed by W.G.R. Sprague and opened in 1905 as the Waldorf Theatre. In 1909 it was renamed as the Strand Theatre, and in 1911 it became the Witney Theatre, then reverted to the Strand Theatre in 1913. The theatre’s name changed to the Novello Theatre in 2005 in honour of the man who dwelt in the apartment above it between 1913 and 1951, Ivor Novello.
During the 1940s, the dark comedy Arsenic and Old Lace was performed 1337 times at the Novello Theatre, and Sailor Beware was performed 1231 times from 1955. On the day Kennedy was assassinated, the Stephen Sondheim musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum opened at the theatre, and ran for almost two years. Then the comedy No Sex Please, We're British opened there in 1971 and ran for more than 10 years.
The theatre was refurbished extensively in the 1930s and 1970s, and then again on its centenary in 2005. It has been a Grade II listed edifice since 1971, and seats 1,105. The Novello Theatre is at 5 Aldwych, Holborn, WC2B 4LD, City Westminster, London. The closest public transport is the London Underground at Covent Garden.
