The Palace Theatre is one of London’s most striking West End landmarks. It was commissioned by impresario Richard D’Oyly Carte as a home for English grand opera and designed by architect Thomas Edward Collcutt. It opened in January 1891 as the Royal English Opera House, with Arthur Sullivan’s Ivanhoe as its first production.

The building became the Palace Theatre of Varieties in 1892 and took its current name in 1911. In 1912 it hosted Britain’s first Royal Variety Performance. In the decades since, it has staged landmark productions including The Sound of Music, Jesus Christ Superstar and Les Misérables. Since 2016 it has been home to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Now 135 years old, the theatre has been Grade II* listed since 1960. That places it among the most important historic buildings in the country, of more than special interest.

Our work

SJM was proud to carry out conservation and restoration works on the theatre’s front entrance doors, bringing them back to their original heritage condition. The doors were restored by hand using traditional techniques and finishes, including hand French polishing. This respected the craftsmanship of the original joinery and the building’s listed status. The result is a finish that is faithful to the theatre’s Victorian character and built to stand up to the daily life of one of London’s busiest theatres.

It’s a privilege to help preserve buildings like the Palace Theatre