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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2018 18:44:27 GMT
The Stoll Theatre on Kingsway, where Kismet was playing at the time of this photograph.... Inside it looked rather grand apparently... And now we've got this (so we can imagine what that looks like on the inside even if we haven't been in and had the misfortune of sitting through The Snowman... ) Is there anything else I can do for you, my old china, TallPaul ? The mention of the Barbican Theatre (not my idea of "cosy" to be honest) made me think of two things I love about that place- the long, long rows of seats, each with its own door, all closing as if by magic just before the performance starts! And yes, I agree, I feel that certain magic when I first walk into an auditorium. There's a smell too... I always have to look around before I sit down, and then once I've sat down, and if there's no-one to disturb, I might have to get up and walk to the front, look back, look up, look into the orchestra pit. Drink it all in... Mmmmmmmmm, yes. (As Kate Bush once said.) When I go to the theatre I want the experience to begin outside- the building should make me want to go in. Then the foyer's got to welcome me. I want to feel excited on my journey, walking up, down, along to the auditorium. Touring Radio City Music Hall in NY some years back, we were told that the architect wanted patrons to feel that they were boarding a magnificent cruise ship, at a time when cruises were only for the rich and famous. There's a vast sloping foyer you take in before you discover the beauty inside.
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on May 3, 2018 6:52:03 GMT
I love the idea that lots of you have mentioned about the "magic" and "smells" when you enter an auditorium. I can also "feel" the energy of performances past in these spaces.
I have to disagree about the Barbican...yuck! Whilst we are on the topic of most hated theatres, Victoria Palace I detest...knock it down for all I care!!!
The Stoll Theatre on Kingsway looks beautiful, I wonder if there are any more photos about?
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on May 5, 2018 14:10:13 GMT
Here is another of the Stoll Theatre I found: It was originally built as The London Opera House. Looks rather posh. I've never seen a theatre like that before with the boxes going all the way around under the dress circle...quirky!
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on May 5, 2018 16:01:27 GMT
In many older West End theatres, the "dress circle" was once divided into boxes. They removed the walls when they realised how many extra seats could be squeezed in. Nothing much changes... Wouldn't it have been wonderful indeed to have sat in that auditorium, though. Indeed it would have. Soo many boxes! I did not know that about many west end venues though, know of any examples?
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Post by poster J on May 5, 2018 17:26:21 GMT
Whilst we are on the topic of most hated theatres, Victoria Palace I detest...knock it down for all I care!!! The Stoll Theatre on Kingsway looks beautiful, I wonder if there are any more photos about? The Victoria Palace is lovely post-refurb, even if the legroom is non-existent (that's a debate for another thread...).
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Post by d'James on May 5, 2018 17:55:12 GMT
Here is another of the Stoll Theatre I found: It was originally built as The London Opera House. Looks rather posh. I've never seen a theatre like that before with the boxes going all the way around under the dress circle...quirky! In a way it reminds me of the corporate boxes that run around the whole of the O2.
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on May 6, 2018 12:21:01 GMT
Yes...I agree...much like the O2.
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Post by tonyloco on May 6, 2018 15:29:45 GMT
In many older West End theatres, the "dress circle" was once divided into boxes. They removed the walls when they realised how many extra seats could be squeezed in. Nothing much changes... I don't wish to cast aspersions on the wisdom handed out by the theatremonkey but I doubt that many, indeed any, of the older London theatres originally has boxes all the way around the dress circle. Is there any evidence of this? It is correct that Hammerstein built his grand theatre in London as an opera house to compete with Covent Garden so the idea of having boxes all the way around the dress circle level would probably be to harmonise with the usual design of European opera houses, such as La Scala in Milan and Covent Garden in its earlier days, where most of the levels above the stalls had boxes all the way around until the gallery at the top. But Stoll's theatre also had substantial open seating in the upper levels the same as the old Metropolitan Opera House in New York. The Met also had two rings of semi-open boxes above the stalls that were known as the Golden Horseshoe where the great and the good (and wealthy) of New York held court! Whatever, the Stoll certainly looks like a grand and glorious theatre and it is a tragedy that it was demolished for motives of financial greed!
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on May 8, 2018 6:19:28 GMT
Has anyone seen any of these? greatwestendtheatres.co.ukThe 16 minute trailer is worth a look, plus so lovely to see the great and late Sir Donald Sinden presenting the episodes with such passion. Any thoughts from those who have seen the episodes let me know
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Post by stefy69 on May 9, 2018 8:44:37 GMT
I don't wish to cast aspersions on the wisdom handed out by the theatremonkey but I doubt that many, indeed any, of the older London theatres originally has boxes all the way around the dress circle. Is there any evidence of this? Going back to my seating plans archive from 1888, The Alhambra Leicester Square and Empire did, with Drury Lane partially splitting with three rows of seats with the boxes behind. By the 1910s, the Adelphi, Covent Garden, Hippodrome, Little and (out of town) Cardiff Empire still had the same configuration. Pre-cantilever, it rather suited venues anyway, as the pillars caused sightline issues in what should have been the best seats, so far better to make a virtue of a necessity, I'd guess. So do you still have your seating opinions from 1888 monkey ? * I'll get my coat *
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Post by tonyloco on May 9, 2018 9:17:29 GMT
I don't wish to cast aspersions on the wisdom handed out by the theatremonkey but I doubt that many, indeed any, of the older London theatres originally has boxes all the way around the dress circle. Is there any evidence of this? Going back to my seating plans archive from 1888, The Alhambra Leicester Square and Empire did, with Drury Lane partially splitting with three rows of seats with the boxes behind. By the 1910s, the Adelphi, Covent Garden, Hippodrome, Little and (out of town) Cardiff Empire still had the same configuration. Pre-cantilever, it rather suited venues anyway, as the pillars caused sightline issues in what should have been the best seats, so far better to make a virtue of a necessity, I'd guess. Many thanks, Monkey, for that brilliant information. It's a pity that there are not more images of the interior of theatres from that period. The one that I am particularly familiar with (I have copy framed on my wall) is the picture (drawing) from the Illustrated London News of the interior of the Savoy Theatre in 1881 when it first opened with Gilbert and Sullivan's 'Patience' and that has no boxes across the front of the Dress Circle. This picture can be seen on the internet if you Google 'Savoy Theatre'.
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Post by tonyloco on May 9, 2018 13:43:21 GMT
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Post by tonyloco on May 9, 2018 13:50:48 GMT
Well, I have just had a partial victory over technology by posting my very first image from the internet on Theatre Board but I wasn't able to add any text to it. Maybe next time?
Anyway, this is the interior of the Savoy Theatre in 1881 when it first opened with 'Patience'. It was the first theatre in the world to be entirely lit by electricity and there were no EU laws insisting on LED globes! As you can see, the boxes were in the traditional place alongside the proscenium and there were no boxes across the centre of the Dress Circle. Those drawings from the Illustrated London News are so evocative. The version I have framed on my wall has been skilfully hand-coloured which makes it even more exciting.
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Post by TallPaul on May 9, 2018 14:01:39 GMT
I'm afraid, @caiaphas , that I've rather taken my eye off the ball over the last week. So, to my shame, I owe you a belated thank you for all your hard work on my behalf. My gran will be spinning in her grave. "Manners cost nothing Paul," she used to say. To try and make amends, I have popped a Gamages gift voucher into the post for you. Five whole shillings to spoil yourself with. I don't wear them myself, but that should be more than enough for a new pair of slacks.
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on May 16, 2018 17:44:48 GMT
What's interesting from what we've discussed already are there are 3 types of west end theatres: - Musical houses
- Play houses
- Interchangeable
I was at Chicago earlier this week and whilst The Phoenix has been playing musicals for a long time I remembered this was the venue where Private Lives had its premiere in the 40s starring Noel Coward, Gertrude Lawrence and a young Laurence Olivier.
One of the factors for this is undoubtedly the house size (I mean who would attempt to host a play in the Palladium for example), but i'm sure there are others factors which might be interesting to explore.
For example, do people think Avenue Q worked in the Noel Coward Theatre - a venue that mostly hosts plays, but hosted the premier of Oliver! in the 60s?
For example, do you miss The Queen's Theatre as a venue for plays since les mis moved into there?
Or...what did you think when Little Shop of Horrors played at the Ambassadors?
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Post by Jon on May 17, 2018 2:41:24 GMT
What's interesting from what we've discussed already are there are 3 types of west end theatres: - Musical houses
- Play houses
- Interchangeable
I was at Chicago earlier this week and whilst The Phoenix has been playing musicals for a long time I remembered this was the venue where Private Lives had its premiere in the 40s starring Noel Coward, Gertrude Lawrence and a young Laurence Olivier.
One of the factors for this is undoubtedly the house size (I mean who would attempt to host a play in the Palladium for example), but i'm sure there are others factors which might be interesting to explore.
For example, do people think Avenue Q worked in the Noel Coward Theatre - a venue that mostly hosts plays, but hosted the premier of Oliver! in the 60s?
For example, do you miss The Queen's Theatre as a venue for plays since les mis moved into there?
Or...what did you think when Little Shop of Horrors played at the Ambassadors?
I saw Goodnight Mr Tom at the Phoenix and it worked really well as a playhouse. War Horse ran for seven years at the Gillian Lynne/New London but that theatre has had a mix of shows rather than solely musicals. I saw One Man Two Guvnors at the Adelphi and considering it's a 1500 seat theatre, it worked well as a playhouse but I think you need the right play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child really suits the Palace but it's on the same scale as a musical. The Noel Coward I have seen both musicals and plays and find it works for both whereas the Garrick for example is much more suited to plays.
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on May 17, 2018 17:02:59 GMT
It's funny about the Garrick as it is pretty much the same as The Queens, yet musicals don't sit too well there.
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on Feb 18, 2019 8:30:19 GMT
I'm just resurrecting my poor little topic which was been neglected since May last year...let's hear some more of your stories
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2019 21:10:18 GMT
I like the Apollo Victoria. I feel like it’s Art Deco look with the fountains, green LEDs (not specific for Wicked - they are part of the building design) and even the ceiling fit Wicked really well with all of its gears and cogs in the set design.
Despite being old, (well admittedly it is one of the younger West End houses) it still looks fairly modern which fits the aesthetic of the show.
Nothing to do with the architecture but I like the location too. Only 2 theatres in Victoria, which means that public transport afterwards is usually more bearable. Compare that to Shaftesbury Avenue/Haymarket, where 6 or so venues will be emptying at the same time and all heading for Piccadilly Circus Station. Nightmare!
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on Feb 19, 2019 11:42:28 GMT
I like the Apollo Victoria. I feel like it’s Art Deco look with the fountains, green LEDs (not specific for Wicked - they are part of the building design) and even the ceiling fit Wicked really well with all of its gears and cogs in the set design. I'm sure you know this venue was originally built as a cinema which explains the large auditorium and unrestricted sightlines in all seats (i believe). If you take a walk around the building you can see it betrays it's previous use from some of the plasterwork depicting cinema scenes. Any ideas what this rather graphic one relates to?
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on Feb 19, 2019 14:31:41 GMT
If you mean the one in the middle with the dagger, I think it records a rather unpleasant incident in the "day seat" line on the Kerry Ellis changeover Saturday. Blimey and nudity...what happens in the day queue for Wicked?!
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Post by daisy24601 on Feb 19, 2019 17:29:51 GMT
I believe it is some kind of strip game scenario, where any time someone says the word "riff" or asks who your favourite Elphaba is, they have to remove an item of clothing. I remember waiting at stage door once at the Adelphi and reading an interesting plaque, see below.
I was intrigued and looked up the story.
"On 16 December 1897, as he was entering the Adelphi Theatre through the stage door in Maiden Lane to prepare for the evening's performance of Secret Service, Terriss was stabbed to death by a deranged and disgruntled actor, Richard Archer Prince. Terriss had helped the struggling younger actor to find work in various productions that he had a hand in. However, Prince had, over the years, increasingly abused alcohol and become mentally unstable During the run of The Harbour Lights, in which Prince had a minor role, Terriss took offence to something that Prince said about him and had Prince dismissed. Terriss, however, sent small sums of money to Prince via the Actors' Benevolent Fund, and continued to try to find him acting work. By the end of 1897, Prince was destitute and desperate for work, but he had become unemployable.
On 13 December 1897 Prince was forcibly ejected from the foyer of the Vaudeville Theatre, and he and Terriss were seen to argue the next night in Terriss's dressing room in the Adelphi Theatre. On the day of the murder Prince asked for money at the Fund's office, but was told that his request could not be considered that day. He then apparently crossed the street and waited for Terriss concealed in a doorway near the Adelphi's stage door."
While reading this I realised I was probably standing in that exact doorway!
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Post by Baemax on Feb 19, 2019 18:37:01 GMT
Apparently he's a reasonably commonly seen theatre ghost too...
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Post by Dawnstar on Feb 19, 2019 18:58:44 GMT
Nothing to do with the architecture but I like the location too. Only 2 theatres in Victoria, which means that public transport afterwards is usually more bearable. Compare that to Shaftesbury Avenue/Haymarket, where 6 or so venues will be emptying at the same time and all heading for Piccadilly Circus Station. Nightmare! Three. Don't forget The Other Palace.
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on Feb 20, 2019 10:26:58 GMT
I believe it is some kind of strip game scenario, where any time someone says the word "riff" or asks who your favourite Elphaba is, they have to remove an item of clothing. I remember waiting at stage door once at the Adelphi and reading an interesting plaque, see below.
I was intrigued and looked up the story.
"On 16 December 1897, as he was entering the Adelphi Theatre through the stage door in Maiden Lane to prepare for the evening's performance of Secret Service, Terriss was stabbed to death by a deranged and disgruntled actor, Richard Archer Prince. Terriss had helped the struggling younger actor to find work in various productions that he had a hand in. However, Prince had, over the years, increasingly abused alcohol and become mentally unstable During the run of The Harbour Lights, in which Prince had a minor role, Terriss took offence to something that Prince said about him and had Prince dismissed. Terriss, however, sent small sums of money to Prince via the Actors' Benevolent Fund, and continued to try to find him acting work. By the end of 1897, Prince was destitute and desperate for work, but he had become unemployable.
On 13 December 1897 Prince was forcibly ejected from the foyer of the Vaudeville Theatre, and he and Terriss were seen to argue the next night in Terriss's dressing room in the Adelphi Theatre. On the day of the murder Prince asked for money at the Fund's office, but was told that his request could not be considered that day. He then apparently crossed the street and waited for Terriss concealed in a doorway near the Adelphi's stage door."
While reading this I realised I was probably standing in that exact doorway!
Apparently William has been known to move lots of items inside the Adelphi theatre (as reported by the cleaners). If you get the chance it's worth having a look at what would have been the stage door at the time he was murdered. It's next to the one that is currently being used and is quite ornate.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2019 10:33:35 GMT
Only 2 theatres in Victoria, which means that public transport afterwards is usually more bearable. Compare that to Shaftesbury Avenue/Haymarket, where 6 or so venues will be emptying at the same time and all heading for Piccadilly Circus Station. Nightmare! Actually there can be positives to getting caught up in the commotion as all the shows kick out. I remember a few years back getting onto the tube platform at Charing Cross and just after me two women with 2 children each arrived, all around 10/11yrs old. Clutching programmes, one of the girls was singing Angel of Music and dancing around and it genuinely made me happy knowing that Phantom had bitten her and that would probably be the start of an ever increasing theater obsession. Quite heartwarming.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2019 8:50:12 GMT
In many older West End theatres, the "dress circle" was once divided into boxes. They removed the walls when they realised how many extra seats could be squeezed in. Nothing much changes... Wouldn't it have been wonderful indeed to have sat in that auditorium, though. Indeed it would have. Soo many boxes! I did not know that about many west end venues though, know of any examples? Found this, this morning. This one of the earlier revisions of The Adelphi on Strand from around 1850. You can see a taster of the boxes on the dress that curves round. May also be of interest to tonyloco And preliminary plans, showing from above the dress circle split into boxes.
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on Feb 21, 2019 10:47:39 GMT
Indeed it would have. Soo many boxes! I did not know that about many west end venues though, know of any examples? Found this, this morning. This one of the earlier revisions of The Adelphi on Strand from around 1850. You can see a taster of the boxes on the dress that curves round. May also be of interest to tonyloco And preliminary plans, showing from above the dress circle split into boxes. Amazing find my friend
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2019 13:27:29 GMT
Going back to my seating plans archive from 1888, The Alhambra Leicester Square and Empire did, with Drury Lane partially splitting with three rows of seats with the boxes behind. By the 1910s, the Adelphi, Covent Garden, Hippodrome, Little and (out of town) Cardiff Empire still had the same configuration. Pre-cantilever, it rather suited venues anyway, as the pillars caused sightline issues in what should have been the best seats, so far better to make a virtue of a necessity, I'd guess. Many thanks, Monkey, for that brilliant information. It's a pity that there are not more images of the interior of theatres from that period. The one that I am particularly familiar with (I have copy framed on my wall) is the picture (drawing) from the Illustrated London News of the interior of the Savoy Theatre in 1881 when it first opened with Gilbert and Sullivan's 'Patience' and that has no boxes across the front of the Dress Circle. This picture can be seen on the internet if you Google 'Savoy Theatre'. Here's another one for the list. Theatre Royal, Haymarket. Mid 1800's before the auditorium re-design at the turn of the century.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2019 13:28:24 GMT
I should probably credit these pictures. Sourced from the amazing archive of the RIBA.
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