One of the oldest theatres in London, the Royal Haymarket, in its various incarnations, has stood on the same site since 1720. It was the first theatre in London to boast electric lights, and it hosted the world premieres of two of Oscar Wilde's plays. The fictional Royal Theatre in my book, including many of the backstage scenes, is closely modeled on the Haymarket.

"The cracked yellow walls were lined with electric lights in wire cages, posters for old shows, and photographs of actors who had appeared in the theatre over the years...at the top of the stairs, they continued through another door, turned a corner, and found themselves backstage...miles of rope crisscrossed the space, running up toward the ceiling, turning on pulleys, and coming down the walls, where weights and other mechanisms held the rigging in place. It was like being aboard a ship, thought Joseph."

Visit the THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET at
18 Suffolk Street, London, SW1Y 4HT
http://www.trh.co.uk