ST. JAMES'S THEATRE
The indefatigable Mr. Tom O'Brien urges that the St. James's Theatre should be preserved 'from the clutches of the vulgar' as a memorial to the late Queen Mary; the trade unions' voice is thus added to the protests of many theatre lovers against the proposal to demolish it, to make way for offices. A correspon- dent in The Times has suggested that the protest campaign ignores the interest of theatre shareholders. True; but there are over-riding arguments for a reprieve; of which the most com- monly heard—that the St. J ames's is one of the oldest and most sympathetic of London theatres and therefore worth preserving as an ancient monument—is by no means the strongest. London owes some ot her prestige, some of her prosperity, to the reputation of her theatres. Tens of thousands of people in London. in the provinces, and abroad follow what is happening in them with keen interest, and take every opportunity that they can get—or afford—of 'going to a show.' In present circumstances their occasional visits help to keep theatres alive; but they can only do so while the theatres are there to keep alive. New buildings of the St. James's type require a greater capital outlay than the returns would justify; it is unlikely, therefore, that there will be any replacement. The authorities, thinking in terms of the higher rents they will get from offices, are not worried. But London should be. The capital will be the poorer not only by the absence of the plays and players, but in numerous little ways—by the fall in the-number of tube tickets bought, of taxis hired, and of restaurants patronised. These losses may be too small to be noticed by individuals; added together, they will represent a substantial bill. If a theatre is threatened with destruction, therefore, the authorities should issue an injunction similar to that seen in some hotels, urging visitors to leave the bathroom as they found it. Let the destruc- tion be authorized only on condition that another theatre, at least as good, is erected in its place!
Previous page
