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Golders Green Hippodrome, North End Road, Barnet, London
Above - The Golders Green Hippodrome from an early postcard. |
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Right - Programme for 'Variation on a Theme' by Terence Rattigan with Margaret Leighton and directed by John Gielgud at the Golders Green Hippodrome.
Left - Margaret Leighton - picture from the programme. " Having watched her closely in this play," he said, " I began to think that I must write something for her. It is a wonderful inspiration having a personality in view as you write. So I worked and worked and promised Margaret a new play as a Christmas present." By sending her a very roughly typed copy of Variation on a Theme he just managed to get it to her by Christmas Eve. " You can play it anywhere in the world-even Tokio if you can learn Japanese," he told her.) Above text in brackets is from the 'Variation on a Theme' Programme shown above right.
Above - Bertie Crewe's original design drawing of the West Elevation of the Golders Green Hippodrome. The Theatre's original designs made little provision for Front of House facilities and there were no bars at all. Later designs did incorporate bars but even so FOH areas were very cramped for such a large Theatre and there was no room to extend these once the Theatre was built.
Above - Bertie Crewe's original design drawing of the South Elevation of the Golders Green Hippodrome. The Theatre closed in 1968 and the Theatre was converted for use as a TV studio and later to a Radio Studio and Concert Hall by the BBC. It's seating capacity was reduced at this time to a more modest 700.
Above - Bertie Crewe's original design drawing of a section through the centre line of the Golders Green Hippodrome. The alterations did obscure parts of the auditorium but not irreversibly so. The stalls floor was leveled for orchestral use but the original rake was preserved below it, and the rear of the stalls was converted for Control rooms. The audience were now accommodated in part of the orchestra floor and the first balcony. The second balcony was unused and hidden but apparently still retains its original seats. The upper section of the fly tower and wings of the stage were converted to a rehearsal room, band room, offices and plant.
Bertie Crewe's original design drawing of a section through the Foyers of the Golders Green Hippodrome. The BBC in 2003 announced that they were to leave the Hippodrome and the Theatre was put up for sale. Subsequent site visits in 2004 by the Save London's Theatres Campaign found the Theatre to be in 'generally quite good condition' despite the fact that there had been some damage to the plasterwork in the auditorium and an earlier collapse of part of the ceiling had been repaired by the BBC at considerable cost.
Above Left - Bertie Crewe's original Stalls Plan
of the Golders Green Hippodrome.
Above Left - Bertie Crewe's original Front Circle
Plan of the Golders Green Hippodrome. In 2007, despite being Grade II Listed, the Theatre's status hangs in the balance, it has been put on English Heritage's buildings at risk and currently looks like it will be converted into a church. Bertie Crew's Original Design Drawings are Courtesy Jean Holden of Michael Holden Associates and kindly loaned to this site by the Save London's Theatres Campaign. |
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The
Golders Green Hippodrome was built by 
(For
the last three years, the tall, willowy Margaret Leighton has been starring
in London and New York in a dual role in Terence Rattigan's " Separate
Tables." Author and star first met when she appeared in the film
of " The Winslow Boy " some time ago, but they did not really
become friends until he noticed her performance in Separate Tables."
