Designed by John Wilmott, the theatre was constructed in 1785, with two semi-circular galleries said to hold a total of 1,640 people with an additional 900 in the pit and side and front boxes. Although the exterior was plain, no expense was spared for the interior which had lavish Doric columns and a painted panel ceiling.
By 1817, it would be known for a short time as the East London Theatre (The Royalty Theatre, Wellclose Square, Whitechapel, London) before returning to its original name.
In 1816, it opened to much fanfare as the first playhouse to have gaslights (200th anniversary of Whitechapel’s old Royalty Theatre first in world with gaslight on stage | East London Advertiser), beating the King’s Theatre by two years. The gaslight also was the reason it burned to the ground in 1826, being the first to be a victim to gas light. Apparently, the stage lights were not fully turned off after the last performance and the scenery caught alight at one in the morning (200th anniversary of Whitechapel’s old Royalty Theatre first in world with gaslight on stage | East London Advertiser).
During the Regency era, its advertisements proclaimed new, grand spectacles with ballets, comic pantomimes, (Sun (London) – Saturday 13 February 1802), rope dancing, stage fighting, and other acrobatics as well as singing (Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser – Tuesday 28 April 1807).
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