Prince of Wales Theatre seating capacity slightly to 1,160 seats and to modernise the theatre's facilities. New bars were added, the auditorium completely rebuilt, the backstage areas refurbished and the theatre's famous tower and exterior completely gutted and refurbished with new LED lighting and a crisp modern finish. The theatre re-opened with ABBA's musical "Mamma Mia!" on 16 April 2004. On 18 August 2007, "Mamma Mia!" became the longest-running show ever at the Prince of Wales, overtaking the previous record held by "Aspects of Love" with 1,326 performances at the venue and counting. The production marked another landmark on Thursday 23 August 2007, celebrating
Prince of Wales Theatre "The Great Dictator". The film had been banned in many parts of Europe, and the theatre's owner, Alfred Esdaile, was fined for showing it. In 1943, "Strike a New Note" was notable for Sid Field's London debut, and he returned to the theatre in "Strike it Again" (1944), and yet again in "Piccadilly Hayride" (1946, a revue that ran for 778 performances). In 1949, "Harvey", Mary Coyle Chase's comedy about an imaginary rabbit, was a success, as was "Diamond Lil" in 1948 starring Mae West. In the 1950s, the theatre hosted variety and revues, starring such famous performers as Norman