The Stage

Stage Entertainment moves into West End

Published Wednesday 28 March 2007 at 11:15 by Alistair Smith

European theatre giant Stage Entertainment has made its long-expected move into the West End, securing a deal with the Theatre of Comedy which will see it hold a lease in excess of two years on the Shaftesbury Theatre.

The Netherlands-based organisation, which is the only theatre group to rival Live Nation in scale and scope of operations, already runs 22 venues in 12 cities in six countries across continental Europe and the US, and has long been looking for a West End base, as it attempts to expand its operations in the UK.

Stage Entertainment commercial director Chris Harper told The Stage: “The relationship is that we have signed a two-year plus lease to commit to the Shaftesbury. We’re now working on various plans for what might go in after the limited run of Fame [which runs from May 4].”

Harper added that the company’s desire to increase its presence in the UK market was underlined by last year’s appointment of former Really Useful Group chief executive Bill Taylor to head up its UK division and the subsequent recruitment of several other key figures to the team.

He also refused to rule out deals with more venues, saying that the company was “looking at all options”. Stage Entertainment’s current West End show Blue Man Group has just announced that it is to close at the New London Theatre in June after 749 performances.

The 1,400-seat Shaftesbury was built in 1911, designed by Bertie Crewe. While it has hosted shows such as Stephen Sondheim’s Follies, and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, it has recently struggled to secure long-running productions.

James Williams, executive producer of Theatre of Comedy, said the deal with Stage Entertainment, which will operate as a standard theatre rental, but over a longer and guaranteed period of time, said the agreement could be extended if it worked out for both parties. He added: “It’s something we’re excited about because it brings in a new era of stability for the Shaftesbury.”

Meanwhile, in another shake-up to the Theatreland status quo, Stephen Waley-Cohen is on the verge of finalising plans to take over the running of the New Ambassadors Theatre from the Ambassador Theatre Group.

Waley-Cohen and ATG have acknowledged that “discussions are continuing” between the pair, but sources close to the deal say that Waley-Cohen, who already operates the St Martin’s and Victoria Palace theatres, has been in to speak to staff at the New Ambassadors to let them know the takeover will be finalised shortly and the venue is to be renamed The Ambassadors.

The 420-seat theatre - one of the smallest in ATG’s portfolio - was built in 1913, designed by WGR Sprague, and intended as a companion to the neighbouring St Martin’s.

There is speculation that when he takes over the venue, Waley-Cohen may decide to transfer The Mousetrap, currently playing at the St Martin’s, back to the New Ambassador’s - its original home.