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The Scala Theatre, 58 Charlotte Street and Tottenham Street W.1.

Formerly - The New Rooms in Tottenham Street / The King's Concert Rooms / The Cognoscenti Theatre / The New Theatre / The Regency Theatre / The West London Theatre / The Queen's Theatre / The Fitzroy Theatre / The Prince of Wales Royal Theatre

Above - The auditorium of the Scala Theatre, Charlotte Street, London - From 'London Theatres and Music Halls' 1850 - 1950' by Diana Howard.

The Scala Theatre in Charlotte Street, London was built in 1904 on the site of a previous Theatre which had originally opened as the New Rooms in Tottenham Street in 1772.

Right - The Facade of the Scala Theatre, Charlotte Street, London.

The New Rooms in Tottenham Street had many alterations and name changes throughout its history. It was variously known as the King's Concert Rooms, Cognoscenti Theatre, New Theatre, Regency Theatre, West London Theatre, Queen's Theatre, Fitzroy Theatre, and finally the Prince of Wales Royal Theatre. This Theatre was demolished in 1903 to make way for the building of the new Scala Theatre.

In 1904 the Scala Theatre was built on the site of the former Prince of Wales Royal Theatre by Messrs. Allen & Sons to the designs of the well known Theatre Architect Frank T. Verity. The new Theatre had a capacity of 1,139 and a stage 30' 6" wide by 54' deep.

Left - A programme for 'Judgement at Chelmsford' at the Scala Theatre on the 26th June 1947.

The London Co-operative Society’s Joint Education Committee sponsored a highly successful week-long run of Handel’s oratorio Belshazzar in an operatic staging, which commenced on the 16th of May 1938. The production was produced by John Allen and it was the first time that it had been performed in almost 200 years. Alan Bush conducted the 300-strong

massed choir and Randall Swingler adapted the original text, shortening it by some 30 minutes, thus simplifying the story and reducing the cast.

The Scala was home, in its later years, to many a famous name, the Theatre even played host to the Beatles who were there for a week filming, inside and out, for a concert for their new film 'A Hard Days Night' in March 1964.

Left - A programme for 'The Maid of the Mountains' at the Scala Theatre in April 1949.

The Scala Theatre was demolished in 1969 to make way for an office building which was named Scala House (Shown Below) in recognition of the site's former occupant.

Above - Scala House, , Charlotte Street, London, which was built on the site of the Scala Theatre - Photo M.L. 04.

The Scala Theatre by Alan Chudley

I knew the Scala theatre very well during the 1950s; it was not, by far, my favourite theatre, it was too far off the West End track to attract very many professional productions, indeed other than the annual six week run of "Peter Pan" which ran each year from the world war two until the Scala closed, for many years this was the only professional production. The rest of the year the Scala was used for a motley collection of purposes, including musical productions by amateur companies such as the London Transport Players, showcase productions, rehearsals of other professional shows, filming, television & radio recording and trade showings of films.

Right - A programme for 'Peter Pan' at the Scala Theatre in 1951 - Courtesy Alan Chudley.

The Scala lacked the atmosphere of other theatres and seemed a cold and unfriendly theatre. The Stage Door was said to have been the main entrance of the Prince of Wales Theatre which stood on the site prior to the Scala. The back stage: "Pooh-Bar" at the Scala which rejoiced in the sobriquet of "Boggie," who was more or less the resident stage manager cum electrician, was also cold, unfriendly and unhelpful. This splendid man took great delight in showing you his pride and joy; "The Short Sammy," which was a short length of compartment lighting batten which he claimed came from The Oxford Theatre.

For many years the standard lighting system in theatres was from Footlights and overhead battens.When Gaslight was replaced by electricity, colour circuits were then possible. For a long time the lamps for these were 60 watt carbon filament lamps which could be dipped in coloured lacquer. With the coming of gas filled lamps in the 1920s, this was no longer possible, and lead to the introduction of compartment battens whereby each lamp had its own compartment, Sunray reflector and gelatine colour filter. These were first made by Strand Electric at the behest of Adrian Samoiloff, a refugee from Russia, who, using complimentary colours, was able to produce such effects as changing George Robey attired in a Black Diner Jacket to a Negro in Green Striped pyjamas. This became known as "Samoiloff Lighting" and the battens as "Sammie's." Loie Fuller, a famous dancer, used Samoiloff Lighting together with Ultra Violet lighting to great effect. Her Electrician was Percy Boggis ( known in the West End theatres as; " Boggie"). This man was an expert in trick lighting in the 1920s and 1930s and at one time ran his own company. So it would appear that Percy Boggis was to Stage lighting at that date what Percy Court was to stage management.

I am sorry to see any theatre go, but the Scala always was in my time very much a White Elephant. Alan Chudley.

Above - Details from a programme for 'Peter Pan' at the Scala Theatre in 1951 - Courtesy Alan Chudley.

Jacqueline Burton in 'The Merry Widow' at the Scala Theatre in the late 1940s

Above - Jacqueline Burton in a production of 'The Merry Widow' at the Scala Theatre in the late 1940s - Courtesy Helen Burton.

A visitor to the site, Helen Burton, has kindly sent in some photographs of her mother, Jacqueline Burton, performing in 'The Merry Widow' at the Scala Theatre in the late 1940s. Helen writes: ' My mother's name was Jacqueline Burton, her maiden name was Bishop, so at the time she appeared at the Scala Theatre, she would have been Jacqueline Bishop. She was an amateur actress and I guess she must have appeared at the theatre just after the Second World War. She was born on the 11th of January 1930 and died on the 3rd of July 2007. My father recalls going to pick her up after her rehearsals. He says he didn't want to take the chance on any of the rest of the cast walking her home!

Right - Jacqueline Burton and two other members of the cast of 'The Merry Widow' at the Scala Theatre in the late 1940s - Courtesy Helen Burton.

As further background information, my mother also appeared in a film, aged 8, called 'The Londoners' (1939). It was one of the first of the documentary genre by the famous documentary maker, John Grierson, and it was shown in cinemas across the country. She played the dormouse in a scene from Alice in Wonderland in the section on children's education.

Left - Jacqueline Burton in an unknown production at the Scala Theatre in the late 1940s - Courtesy Helen Burton.

She had never seen herself in the film. She remembered filming day but she never knew what became of it. She was evacuated to Exeter and was staying with a Mrs Stone, who came back from the cinema one day and told her she had seen her in a film called the Londoners. So in 2003 I got a copy made for her as a Christmas present and she watched it for the first time.'

Above text in quotes, and photographs Courtesy Helen Burton.

Below: A Programme for a Christmas Pantomime 'Babes in the Wood' at the Scala Theatre,