Stephen Spurrier RA, ROI, RBA (1878-1961) was one of the most accomplished illustrators of the 20th century whose drawings recorded the fashions, celebrities and events of the 1920s to 1950s. Like his friend and artist Laura Knight, Spurrier was fascinated by the theatre and frequently used it as his subject, on both sides of the curtain.
The Century Theatre in Archer Street, Notting Hill, was a small theatre originally called the Bijou, but renamed the Century by the actress Lena Ashwell (1872-1957) when she took it over in 1924. It became the home for her company, the Lena Ashwell Players, and she produced plays there and appeared in them herself. She ran it until 1929, making a reputation for the Century as the home for good repertory theatre with West End quality but moderate prices.
