Dame Judi Dench is set to have a West End theatre renamed after her, making her only the second non-royal woman to be honoured in this way. The Shaftesbury Theatre will be known as the Judi Dench Theatre from February 2027, celebrating the actor's "unparalleled contribution to British theatre and the performing arts."
A Lasting Legacy
The theatre described Dench as "one of the greatest actors of our time" and stated that the name change will "ensure Dame Judi's legacy continues to inspire future generations of performers and audiences alike." Dench has a long association with the Shaftesbury, one of the largest independent theatres in London and the only West End venue with a dome that opens.
Historical Connections
Dench was part of Ray Cooney's Theatre of Comedy Company, which held part-shares in the Shaftesbury. Don Taffner of DLT Entertainment, which produced the sitcom As Time Goes By starring Dench, also bought shares in the theatre. Dench expressed her gratitude, saying, "The Shaftesbury Theatre has always held a special place in my heart. My relationship to the Theatre of Comedy and to the Taffner family goes back many years, and to have this beautiful theatre renamed after me is truly overwhelming."
Theatre Renovation
The renaming will follow a renovation that includes restoration of the building's dome and backstage area. The Shaftesbury Theatre was originally called the New Princes Theatre, but its name was changed in 1962 to honour the original Shaftesbury Theatre, which was destroyed during the Blitz.
Rare Honour for a Living Person
It is unusual for a theatre to be named after a living person. Most West End theatres are named posthumously to honour men, such as John Gielgud, Harold Pinter, and Noël Coward. The first West End theatre to honour a woman was Andrew Lloyd Webber's New London Theatre, renamed after choreographer Gillian Lynne in 2018 when she was 92.
Other Tributes
This is not the only tribute to Dench recently. A street in Swindon was named "Dench Close" as part of a scheme on a new estate that used names of actors associated with James Bond films. The Shaftesbury renaming is more directly tied to Dench's career. Eleanor Lang, the theatre's chief executive, said, "We don't celebrate brilliant women enough in our West End theatre names, so we are delighted that her name will be forever in lights above our doorway."
Dench on Ageing
Dench, now 91, has been vocal about ageing. In December last year, she remarked that she can still recite Shakespeare but "can't remember what I'm doing tomorrow." She has also discussed how macular degeneration, diagnosed in 2012, affects her vision on film sets.
