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The Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London

Above - The Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue during the run of 'Summer and Smoke' in October 2006

The Apollo Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue, London opened on the 21st of February 1901 with a production by George Lederer of 'The Belle of Bohemia', an American comedy with music, from a book by Harry B. Smith, and music by Ludwig Englander. This was not a great success however and was soon taken off.

Right - A Programme for 'The Belle Of Bohemia' The opening production at the Apollo Theatre on the 21st of February 1901 - See cast details below.

The Theatre was originally intended to be called the Mascot Theatre but this never came to fruition. The Apollo was designed by the architect Lewin Sharp and was his only complete Theatre design, although he was also the architect for major alterations to the Camberwell Palace in 1908. The Theatre was built for the owner Henry Lowenfield and constructed by Walter Wallis with an exterior designed in the Renaissance style, and an auditorium constructed on four levels with three cantilevered balconies, decorated in the Louis XIV style, although this was altered by Ernest Shaufelberg in 1932.

The original capacity of the Theatre was 893 although today the capacity is a more modest 775. The stage has a proscenium width of 9.14m (30 foot) and a depth of 8.89m (29 foot).

The Apollo was the fourth Theatre to be built on the newly constructed Shaftesbury Avenue which was completed in 1887. The first was the original Shaftesbury Theatre, which opened in 1888 and was destroyed during the second world war on the 17th of April 1941. Next to be built was the Lyric Theatre which opened in December of the same year, 1888. Next was the Royal English Opera House, later to become The Palace Theatre, this opened in 1891, and next was the Apollo in 1901.

Left - A Programme for 'What Would A Gentleman Do?' at the Apollo Theatre circa 1918 - See cast details below.

Right - An Apollo Theatre Seating Plan - Pre 1907 - Click to Enlarge

The opening night souvenir programme stated:- 'In the dress circle can be seen the mascot of the theatre, the original badge of the German tribe of gipsies who are connected with Mr Lowenfeld's family estate in Poland. It is a silver chain and buckle, on the buckle being a flying lizard supported dexter and sinister by lions rampant. This device is supposed to bring good luck and is reproduced in the scheme of decoration.'

The Romance of London Theatres
By Ronald Mayes

No. 30. The Apollo - 1929

Above - The Apollo Theatre during the run of the Revue 'For Amusement Only' - in 1958 - Courtesy Gerry Atkins

'THE Apollo Theatre situated in Shaftesbury Avenue was opened in February, 1901, and has been almost consistently devoted to musical pieces. The house opened with an American musical comedy, called "The Belle of Bohemia," which however proved a fiasco. Then came the main exception to the rule of musical pieces, with Martin-Harvey's season, in which was included "The Cigarette Maker's Romance" and "The Only Way."

The first real success was made in 1901 with a musical version of "Kitty Grey," which had been previously produced at the Vaudeville as a comedy. The theatre was crowded for hundreds of nights and George Huntley's "Johnnie" was one of the most strikingly original performances ever given on the London stage.

Right - An early postcard showing the Lyric and Apollo Theatres side by side in Shaftesbury Avenue.

The Apollo is one of the very few freehold theatres in London, and not so long ago changed hands for one hundred and fifty thousand pounds.

In 1903, the theatre was under the directorship of the ubiquitous George Edwardes, in which year "The Girl from Kay's" was one of the great successes.

Other earlier pieces included "Veronique" in 1904, a welcome return to comic opera, and "Tom Jones" in 1907.

"Glamour" by Peter Garland was also given in 1922, and was afterwards transferred to the Ambassadors. This was followed by "A Roof and Four Walls" with Phyllis Neilson Terry and Nicholas Hannen in the cast. This play ran for one hundred and thirty-two performances.

1924 saw produced at the Apollo one of the greatest successes of the year "The Fake" in which Godfrey Tearle appeared. Another theatrical success was "Is Zat So," which started in 1926 and ran for two hundred and thirty-four performances.

At the present moment a comedy in three acts by Barry Conners, entitled "The Patsy," is running at this theatre. The story is based on similar lines to that of "Peg o' My Heart" and deals with a Cinderella-like girl who is oppressed by her overbearing sister and harsh mother. The dialogue and acting are of the highest quality. The cast includes Helen Ford, who is a very big star on Broadway.

Left - A Programme for 'Idiot's Delight' at the Apollo Theatre 1938.

In 1913 and 1924, Charles Hawtrey produced a number of plays, which were acted by his companies. One of the first was "General John Regan" -a George A. Birmingham play. It was a delightful piece, full of humour. Cathleen Nesbit acted a leading part for the first time and gave a very good interpretation of the character of "Mary Ellen," the Irish slavey. Vane Tempest was also extremely good as Lord Alfred Blakeney. Other pieces produced included "A Little Fowl Play" in 1913, "NeverSay Die," - and "Things we'd Like to Know" in 1914, in which Dorothy Minto acted with Charles Hawtrey.

Right - A Programme for 'Escape Me Never' at the Apollo Theatre 1933.

1920 saw George Grossmith's and Edward Laurillard's production of "Such a Nice Young Man," - a comedy in three acts by H. F. Maltby. In the following year Irene Hentschel and Monica Ewer gave a series of special matinees, including such plays as "The Best Policy " and "Galley Slaves. In 1922, "The Wheel" by J. B. Fagan was produced, in which Edith Evans appeared.'

The above text in quotes is from 'The Romance of London Theatres' By Ronald Mayes and was printed in a Strand Theatre Programme dated January 21st 1929.

London's West End Theatres

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