Below is a list of all the theatres and music halls in london which have either been demolished or are no longer in theatrical use, and which have pages on this site detailing thier history. Since the 1660s covent garden has never missed a chance to put on a performance. The theatre was designed by the well known theatre architect frank t. Every so often, someone takes a brilliant book and turns it into theatre magic.
The theatre was built on curtain road in shoreditch, which is now part of the borough of hackney. Robert louis stevensons classic adventure of mutiny, money and murder, brought to life on stage and filmed live at london s national theatre. From the savoy theatre s spectacularly restored art deco auditorium to the donmar warehouses whimsical conversion of a beer and bananas warehouse, london s rich cultural heritage is revealed. Between the wars, dramas played at the theatre for ten months each year, followed by christmas pantomimes, including queen of hearts in 1938. The first record of covent garden street entertainment came in 1662, when samuel pepys diary notes that a marionette show featuring a character named punch took place on the piazza. Jun 07, 2019 going behind the curtain can be an eyeopening experience. Teatro alla scala by alejandro, licensed under cc by 2. Frank baums tale, the wonderful wizard of oz, bringing their unlikely friendship alive with jawdropping technical wizardry and unforgettable songs. Regency theatre, west london theatre, queens theatre, fitzroy theatre, and was refurbished in 1865 as the prince of wales theatre. Building history built to the design of h courtney constantine, the kings cross cinema scala, was nearing completion when the first world war to began. Were completely addicted to theatre at a younger theatre and when it comes to getting our hands on the latest plays and theatre related books in london we suggest the following. Welcome to the website of the teatro alla scala in milan, where you can book tickets online, view the season programme opera, ballet, concert and discover the theatre through videos and images. All of the scala team wish you well and we look forward to opening our doors and welcoming you back soon.
This is recognized as the most beautiful theatre in england, and at the time of its erection was probably the finest theatre of its kind in the world. As the local studies and archives centre for the borough, city of westminster archives centre is committed to documenting the history of west end theatre. The theatre was built as one of a pair with the aldwych theatre on either side of the waldorf hilton, london, both being designed by w. The scala was originally built as a cinema to the designs of h courtney constantine, but construction was interrupted by the first world war and it spent some time being used to manufacture aircraft parts, and as a labour exchange for demobilised.
These london buildings all used to be cinemas londonist. London s west end theatres london s theatres above london s shaftesbury avenue in 1949 chalmers butterfield below is a list of all the theatres and music halls in london which have either been demolished or are no longer in theatrical use, and which have pages on this site detailing their history. It stocks a comprehensive range of plays in all editions in the english language currently in print. The scala theatre was a theatre in charlotte street, london, off tottenham court road. Scala is a former cinema turned nightclub and live music venue in pentonville road, london, england, near kings cross railway station history. The theatre was opened by the shubert organization as the waldorf theatre on 22 may 1905, and was renamed the strand theatre, in 1909. This shop specialises in travel, natural history, english literature and continental books. The beatles filming a hard days night at the scala. With the recent influx of alist stars like nicole kidman, kevin spacey, and matt damon vying to perform on the london stage. Known as the bible of theatre history, brockett and hildys history of the theatre is the most comprehensive and widely used survey of theatre history in the market. We take a look back through the programmes and cast lists of the national theatre s history. Brixton local history with photos, features and articles.
The arts theatre is a 350 seat theatre in the heart of londons west end theatre land, adjacent to leicester square. Its considered to be the first permanent theatre to be built in london purely for theatrical productions. London theatre historical timeline london theatres. This bighearted musical tells the story of the two polaropposite witches of l. The show is a sequel to the seventh harry potter book, and the first official harry potter story to be presented on stage. Margaret lockwood playing peter pan at scala theater in. Home browse music and performing arts theater american theater history. As well as this, visitors will also find numerous books on all aspects of theatre and theatre magazines, speech cds, plays and theatre performances on dvd and vhs. The first theatre on the site opened in 1772, and the theatre was demolished in 1969, after being destroyed by fire. She was a model who had recently gained notoriety for appearing in a smiths crisps advertisement. The store also does valuations if you have books to sell. Scala cinema 19781993 jane giles, stephen woolley on. The scala theatre, 58 charlotte street and tottenham street. Discover librarianselected research resources on american theater history from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more.
Scala is a nightclub and live music venue on pentonville road, london, england, near kings cross railway station. It was variously known as the kings concert rooms, cognoscenti theatre, new theatre, regency theatre, tottenham street theatre, west london theatre, queens theatre, fitzroy theatre, and finally the prince of wales royal theatre before it was demolished to make way for the building of the scala theatre in 1904. Replete with history, each theater in london s theatre district the west end has a special story to tell. Margaret lockwood playing peter pan at scala theater in london, 1957. That urban myth came from curtains one of many mistakes in that publication.
This slipcased special edition of the scala cinema book will never be reissued and is a collectors item superior to the basic book. Samuel french has a more extensive collection of plays than almost any bookshop in london but the national theatre and royal court bookshops are also worth a punt. Brixton local history with photos, features and articles about the history of brixton, london, sw9 and sw2. The current theatre is not to be confused with the scala theatre, which used the name prince of wales royal theatre from 1865 until 1903. From 1865 to 1882, the theatre was known as the prince of waless theatre not to be confused with the prince of wales theatre. Whats your favourite place to read plays in london. Apr 29, 2014 scala theatre, london, united kingdom. Help us to publish an incredible art book featuring every scala cinema programme. It continues to play to packed houses at the lyric theatre, where it is about to enter its fifth successful year. The theatre has a capacity of 1,160 and is a grade ii listed building. Another report on the scala theatre appeared in the book modern theatre. The lyceum was the last london theatre to continue the early practice of concluding pantomimes with a harlequinade, a free standing entertainment of slapstick clowning, juggling and tumbling.
Students receive a 10% discount with a valid student card. The london theatres are closed for fear of the plague during 1592 and 1593 apart from brief midwinter seasons, but in 1594 things return to normal and shakespeares career accelerates. It is also an indepth and often outrageous timetraveling history uncovering its. It closed as a cinema in 1957, and was converted into a dance hall. Produced at the new theatre, london, 9 august 1906. Towards a poor theatre by jerzy grotowski, history of the theatre by oscar gross brockett, the year of lear. Congratulations on beginning your learning experience with the 40 th anniversary edition of this bestselling theatre history textbook written by two of the most highly respected theatre historians in the field. On december 7, teatro alla scala in milan one of italys most historical theaters held the opening night with tosca, an opera in three acts by giacomo puccini. The thing about the scala is that it was before its time, uk producer stephen woolley says of the event cinemastyle movie theatre he founded in the late 1970s in fitzrovia, london. The scala theatre, pattie, jenny and paula boyd, harry. Top 10 theatre books of 2016 christmas theatre gifts.
The most infamous and influential of all british cinemas, the scala. The scala theatre was a theatre in london, sited on charlotte street, off tottenham. Jewish john judy juliet king lindsay duncan lives london look lyric married medea mel. The sheer scale of west end theatres such as drury lane, the national or the royal opera house is hugely impressive and a backstage tour is a great opportunity to see the hidden world of costume departments, scenebuilding and technical magic. Scala theatre london, united kingdom movie theater. An interactive historical timeline showing major events in london theatre history. Those golden ages are not relegated to the distant past, and the odds. May 05, 2017 andrew garfield and nathan lane headline a return to the national theatre for angels in america, tony kushners landmark opus set in new york at the height of the aids crisis. With a play in the post subscription you get a brand new play every month, delivered to your door, hand giftwrapped, and chosen by people who love theatre as much as you do. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. The partially completed cinema was first used to manufacture airplane parts, and after 1918 as a local labour exchange for demobilized soldiers returning from the war. T he scala theatre was situated on charlotte street and tottenham street, london, and was opened by lady bancroft on the 19th of december 1904. Jun 28, 2001 the oxford illustrated history of theatre, an authoritative and lavishly illustrated new history, celebrates the stages greatest achievements over 4,500 years, from festival performances in ancient egypt to international, multicultural drama in the late twentieth century, and from sophocles and aristophanes to george gershwin and harold pinter.
Pubs and gig venues with a movie theatre background. She merely wrote the introduction but the real meat of the book are undoubtedly mike kilburns witty and informative histories of each theatre in london, the distillation of very many years of research and study by an acknowledged expert who served london s heritage for. There had been a victorian theatre nearby, but thats another story, and it wasnt even on the same road. June whitfield juno king lady lear lighting lives london look lyric lyttelton mance. The charlotte street facade of the 1904 scala theatre. Looking at the scalas history is more than a nostalgia trip, it helps us understand the.
Visit mayfair and find shapero rare books, one of london s leading antiquarian bookshops. A history i sa na t t e mptt os ide s t e pt h i st re ndt. For the london theatre demolished in 1969, see scala theatre. The beatles filming a hard days night at the scala theatre, london, march 1964. Scala reopened in march 1999 after a radical transformation which included an additional 2 floors. The last ticket stub at london s legendary picture house was torn 18 years ago, but like the zombies that often haunted its screen, its influence on. A small fire in the lyttelton lighting rig delayed the first night of alan bennetts new play by an hour.
Oct 01, 2002 in 180 cameos, london s theatres captures over 50 of the bestknown theatres in central london as they are at the beginning of the 21st century. The history boys, national theatre, london stage the guardian. The theatre retains many of its original features including being built behind an original 1767 house front, at the rear to great windmill street, the former house and museum of sir william hunter and the theatre was grade ii listed by english heritage in september 1960. Tony paley remembers the sleazy heyday of londons scala cinema.
The book of mormon tickets prince of wales theatre. Our book subscriptions are your gateway to a whole year of the very best new titles in plays, fiction and childrens books. Frenchs theatre bookshop, fitzroy street, london shopping. Brixton rink brixton scala cinema theatre empress theatre park for brixton brixton fridge 1983 reference materialsources recommended reference material and books about brixton. The most infamous and influential of all british cinemas, the scalas iconic programs tell their own unique story about culture and. T he following books and magazines are highly recommended for anyone interested in theatre architecture and the history of theatres and music halls, past and present. It was converted into the tottenham theatre in 1810, and had several names over the years. Beat a retreat from the digital world and discover the joy of the best bookshops in london. Patronage at court gives them at first the title of the. It was operated by the cheshire county cinemas chain. Curiously this excellent book is publicised as though it was by zoe wanamaker whose name on the cover is in the largest font.
During my london visits and my long stay in london, i spent a lot of time in scala and probably saw 200 films in a year. The beatles played here on 16th october 1962 and again on 12th november 1962. Chronology of london shows the guide to musical theatre. Hes already written an authoritative book on camden towns own large goods yard, and this month his latest opus, about the. A famous west end theatre in piccadilly, the prince of wales theatre, like most of the theatres in london, boasts a history that spans back many centuries. In the late seventies, the eighties and the early nineties, the scala cinema in london was a bit of a specialty venue. Book your seat for the spectacular wicked the musical london production at the apollo victoria theatre. It has its roots in the manor of tottenham court, and was urbanised during the 18th century, with the informal term fitzrovia only applied in late 1930s. The beatles bible is run for the love of anything and everything to do with the beatles. The lyric theatre still uses water to operate its iron curtain. In the late1920s, it was renamed scala cinema, and boasted a cafe for the convenience of its patrons. Laura reynolds these london buildings all used to be cinemas. It provides valuable and entertaining info over the history of the cinema.
The teatro alla scala was founded, under the auspices of the empress maria theresa of austria, to replace the royal ducal theatre, which was destroyed by fire on 26 february 1776 and had until then been the home of opera in milan. List of books and articles about american theater history. The scala theatre was situated on charlotte street and tottenham street, london, and was. The theatre which opened in great newport street, off st martins lane, in 1927 was intended for the production of new. This new production of tosca by roger parker and the musical director riccardo. Following their fourday easter break, the beatles returned to london s scala theatre to film the concert performance sequence which marked the climax of the a hard days night film. Now, just like anywhere else, there are branches of boots, mcdonalds, gap. London theatre tickets from official show and venue sites. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. The third will be a brief description of the interior of an existing but rarely used theatre, the scala of london this is recognized as the most beautiful theatre in england, and at the time of its erection was probably the finest theatre of its kind in the world. The effect a tony award has on a broadway production is similar to what an oscar can do for a hollywood film. Frenchs theatre bookshop is a shop dedicated to the world of theatre.
It was enlarged in 1780 and renamed kings concert rooms. A new book celebrates the late, lamented london cinema beloved by a. The first theatre on the site opened in 1772, and the theatre was. T he kings road looks not unlike most other high streets these days, albeit a bit posher. It is believed this book will fill a gap in the history of london musicals. Verity and had a capacity on opening of 1,9, with a stage 30 6 wide by 54 deep. Theres a more indepth account of the cinemas history on derelict london. A history of the national theatre theatre time out london. A million people visited londons scala cinema between 19781993.
But, exasperating as the holdup was, nothing could diminish the. The disappearing history of london s queer spaces at whitechapel gallery. The collectors edition of the book, gold embossed on a black cloth cover in a stunningly designed heavy duty protective slipcase. This shop republishes outofprint books by feminist authors in beautifully bound. Another source not repeated here claims that there was a theatre 1897 on the site. National theatre bookshop london london, greater london. Each of these are perfect gifts for the theatre lover in your life, so if youre still looking for the ideal christmas present or secret santa item, we recommend our favourite theatre books of the year that are bound to put a smile on everyones face this christmas morning. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Four tickets to the scala book launch at the scala, kings cross london on 23. The first permanent public playhouse in london, called the theatre, was built in shoreditch by james burbage. The book of mormon tickets prince of wales theatre, london venue info running time. He is now a leading member of london s most successful company, run by the burbage family at the theatre.
The show was successful around the uk and finally settled into its new london home in 2009. Opened at the comedy theatre, london in february 1904 after a tour of the provinces. When it began it was very much subservient to the london play, but after more than a century it has now finally taken over as the dominant partner in the west end. The scala, 275277 pentonville road, kings cross, london gaumont odeon kings cross cinema scala nightclub above the scala, kings cross in july 2004 the scala in kings cross, london which most people know today as a nightclub originally opened as the scala cinema on the 26th of april 1920 with a capacity of 1,300 people. Kings cross once again plays host to a vibrant and important cultural meeting place, embodied in which is the long and colorful history of both the scala cinema club and the kings cross cinema.
The original opening date is the official frst night, not. London theatre history and facts many london theatres have existed for over a century, while some of them were even established before this. This michael jackson tribute show originally opened at the dominion theatre, conceived by adrian grant and the jackson family. Whether youre looking for rare editions, antique maps or vintage photographs, youll find it here. This 40 th anniversary edition retains all of the traditional features that have made history of the theatre the most successful text of its kind, including worldwide coverage, more than 530 photos and illustrations, useful. As a precautionary measure and with a direct response to the governments advice, scala has made the decision to temporarily close. Read on and enjoy the unfolding story of the london musical. The best places to buy theatre books in london a younger. Music by gaston serpette, book by barton white and lyrics by e. The scala theatre, london the third will be a brief description of the interior of an existing but rarely used theatre, the scala of london. Search the worlds most comprehensive index of fulltext books. A film exhibitor and distributor, jane is the author of books the cinema of jean. Recommend something for us in the comments and well go and check it out. The scala theatre, however, was famous because it was the main location for the beatles film a hard days night.
Londons lost theatres and music halls arthur lloyd. They spent a week there filming at the end of march 1964 and it was during this part of the filming that george met pattie boyd. Looking at the scalas history is more than a nostalgia trip, it helps us. Its main aim is to paint a broad canvas from the victorian times to the late20th century but concentrating unashamedly on the older rather than the newer.