Queen's Theatre in a modern style. The reconstructed theatre opened 8 July 1959 with John Gielgud's solo performance in "Shakespeare speeches and sonnets, Ages of Man". Since April 2004, the theatre has played host to Cameron Mackintosh's production of "Les Misérables" which transferred after 18 years at the nearby Palace Theatre. The musical celebrated its 20th anniversary at the venue on 8 October 2005 and overtook "Cats" as the longest running musical of all time a year later on 8 October 2006. The theatre was Grade II listed by English Heritage in June 1972. An extensive refurbishment was undertaken in the latter
Palace Theatre, London Charming" ran for 362 performances beginning in 1926. The Palace Theatre was also the venue for Rodgers and Hart's "The Girl Friend" (1927) and Fred Astaire's final stage musical "Gay Divorce" (1933). In 1939–1940, Cicely Courtneidge and Jack Hulbert appeared at the theatre in "Under Your Hat", a spy story co-written by Hulbert, with music and lyrics by Vivian Ellis. Later musical theatre works that played with success at the theatre included "Song of Norway", "King's Rhapsody", "Anything Goes", "Flower Drum Song" and "Where's Charley?", among others. "The Entertainer", starring Laurence Olivier, transferred to the theatre from the Royal Court