Theatre Royal Haymarket

Today I made an extra trip to the Theatre Royal Haymarket! 

The Theatre Royal Haymarket, formerly known as the Little Theatre in the Hay, was built in 1720. Unlike Covent Gardens or Drury Lane, the Haymarket Theatre was known for producing satires and mock-operas. Following the Licensing Act of 1737, the Haymarket Theatre closed until Samuel Foote acquired the lease in 1754. According to the Licensing Act, a royal patent was required to perform spoken drama. In 1766, Foote received this license -- making the Haymaket Theatre London's third patent theatre -- as an apology after a riding accident resulted in the loss of his leg. Now a one-legged comedian named Foote, Samuel established the Haymarket as a regular theatre and produced plays every night for four months each year, from May to September. Shortly before his death in 1777, Foote leased the theatre and its patent to George Colman. Although the royal patent was technically attached to Foote's name alone, Colman continued to use the license. Today, the Theatre Royal Haymarket is the third-oldest London playhouse still in use, and it still bears Foote's royal patent in its name. 

For more information about the Theatre Royal Haymarket, see the full website at  http://www.trh.co.uk/about-us/http://www.trh.co.uk/about-us/