Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, was an avid theatregoer, and the West End will pay its respects to her memory by holding a minute's silence and/or playing the National Anthem at every performance between now and her funeral on April 9.

Queen Elizabeth was a theatre enthusiast who celebrated her birthday with a visit to the theatre or, occasionally, (as on her 100th) to the Royal Ballet.

She was a great supporter of the arts who numbered several prominent members of the theatre world among her friends, particularly Sir Noël Coward.

Coward's friend and first biographer, Sheridan Morley, regularly organized theatrical evenings at Clarence House, the Queen Mother's London residence. Appropriately, he announced her death on March 30 to the audience before the evening performance of The Lodger, which is running at the Jermyn Street Theatre — the closest one to Clarence House — and features music by Ivor Novello, whose shows she used to enjoy, first as Duchess of York and then as Queen.

—By Paul Webb Theatrenow