 R. E. Villiers took over the management in 1876 and spent £40,000 to enlarge the theatre.He reintroduced a popular ballet item featuring the dancers Phyllis Broughton and Florence Powell.Topical ballets, such as "Plevna" and "Trafalgar" (both by the Belgian choreographer Henri Leopold De Winne), drew in the crowds, including the Prince of Wales.