Vanbrugh 300: John Vanbrugh and the Queen’s Theatre in the Haymarket

When, in the early 1700s, Vanbrugh began making plans for a new London playhouse, he was typically ambitious in his approach. ‘I have drawn a design for the whole disposition of the inside, very different from any other House in being,’ he told his friend Jacob Tonson. The resulting theatre (unveiled in 1705) sought to combine both dramatic and operatic productions in a visually dynamic setting. However, his project was in many respects a failure, and it was not until the 1720s, after numerous alterations and various attempts at management, did it begin to function effectively. This event tackles the Queen’s Theatre in the Haymarket from two related perspectives. Dr Nicholas Helm explores the question of ‘architectural essence’ in theatre design, and how Vanbrugh engaged with this in a very particular – and pioneering – way, using the Haymarket project to look for his own, Italianate formula. Dr Helm will explore Vanbrugh’s drive and natural exuberance, and assess how this led him to try to challenge architecture to celebrate a union between architecture and performance. Theatre historian Dr Annette Rubery will then take up the story from a cultural perspective, introducing some of the figures associated with the theatre. She will attempt to reconstruct the life of the building with reference to its scenery, repertoire and acoustics, and will argue that – far from being a disaster – Vanbrugh’s bold experiment was a vital political tool at a time of national turmoil.