In the early Middle Ages, religious plays were conducted on stages built in fields. Some of the first theatres, such as the Blackfriars Playhouse, were erected in the 1550s. The Theatre, constructed in 1576 in Shoreditch, was later occupied by Shakespearean actor Richard Burbage, who launched the Globe Theatres in 1597. A Drury Lane theatre was opened in 1663, and was the springboard for the popular actors Nell Gwyn and Charles Hart. Renowned architect Christopher Wren designed the Theatre Royal of Drury Lane to replace the old venue, which was destroyed by fire in 1672.
In their book, "A History of London," Stephen Inwood and Roy Porter describe the evolution of English drama at the onset of the burgeoning of London theatres as a "transition from the sacred to the profane." As theatres proliferated, audiences grew and actors and playwrights gained cultural momentum, subject matter shifted. No longer looking heavenward, it drifted down to earth. Shakespeare wrote about matters concerning governing classes as well as those concerning lovers.
Theatre continued to expand and playhouses to be constructed after the death of Shakespeare; however, many of the current West End Theatres were constructed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They are privately owned and generally set apart from what are known as the fringe theatres---that is, those that are either non-commercial or not located within the West End district, such as the Globe Theatre.
The Apollo Theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, opened its doors in February 1901 with the production "The Belle of Bohemia." Shaftesbury Avenue was finished in 1887, and the first theatre to be completed was the 1888 Shaftesbury Theatre, which was demolished in 1941. The second to go up was the Lyric Theatre in December 1888. The Royal English Opera House opened in 1891, later called The Palace Theatre. Shaftesbury boasts other playhouses, such as The Gielgud Theatre.
The Strand, the historic divider between London and Westminster, has played host to theatres past and present. Some of them are Lyceum, Aldwych, The Adelphi, Royal Globe, Royal Strand, Olympic Theatre, Waldorf, The Vaudeville, Savoy Theatre, Opera Comique and more. One of these, The Adelphi, went through numerous renovations, but had its origins in the 1806 Sans Pareil. Incidentally, it was also the site of a famous murder, that of William Terriss.
The Criterion Theatre of Piccadilly Circus was constructed in 1871, designed by Thomas Verity. The majority of the accessible building is underground and its excellent condition renders it a hallmark example of Verity's design. The present-day Theatre Royal of Drury Lane, constructed in 1812, is the fourth incarnation of the building, which has a history of being demolished by fire and of providing stage for famous actors such as Dan Leno and Henry Irving.