Jack Strachey’s Shaftsbury Avenue

In 1948, London’s Shaftesbury Avenue, was three years into peace. The war may have ended, but its legacy lingered in the soot-streaked façades and the gaps where buildings once stood. The Lyric and Apollo remained steadfast, their marquees glowing once more, drawing postwar crowds eager for distraction in revue, drama, and the occasional American import.

The Monico Restaurant still serves its loyal clientele in Piccadilly, though the menus are modest and the ration books not yet retired. The Trocadero, with its faded grandeur, offers a glimpse of pre-war civility, now tinged with nostalgia. Pedestrians navigate a city in transition - between posters for Craven A and appeals for reconstruction, past demobbed servicemen and women in utility clothes, all moving with the quiet determination of a population finally enjoying peacetime.

Shaftesbury Avenue remained the West End’s spine, its theatres flickering back to life, its spirit unbroken. 

Jack Strachey (1894–1972) was a versatile English composer and songwriter best known for his contributions to popular song and light orchestral music. Born in London, he began his career in the 1920s writing for musical revues, achieving early success with Lady Luck in 1927. His most enduring hit, These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You), co-written with Eric Maschwitz and Harry Link in 1935, became a jazz standard recorded by artists from Billie Holiday to Bryan Ferry and Rod Stewart.

In the 1940s, he turned to light music, producing many charming orchestral pieces like Theatreland (1940) and In Party Mood (1944), the latter becoming the theme for BBC’s Housewives’ Choice.

Strachey’s Shaftesbury Avenue (1948) is a vigorous orchestral miniature that depicts the bustling charm of London’s famed theatre district. Scored for light orchestra, the piece evokes the glamour and energy of West End nightlife with brisk rhythms, sparkling melodies, and a touch of urbane wit. Like many of Strachey’s light music compositions it blends sophistication with approachability, conjuring vivid imagery without the need for words.

The music opens with a typically jaunty motif that suggests bustling traffic and marquee lights, then unfolding into a series of playful episodes that mirror the theatrical flair of Shaftesbury Avenue itself. Though less widely known than In Party Mood, this piece exemplifies Strachey’s gift for musical storytelling and his affection for London’s cultural heartbeat. Even at 77 years remove it is easy to imagine the post-war panache of the theatregoers.

Jack Strachey’s Shaftsbury Avenue was released on a Bosworth Recording (BC1213) in 1948. It was coupled with George Crow’s Wild Goose Chase. Both works were performed by the Louis Voss Orchestra. Shaftsbury Avenue can be heard on YouTube, here.