Victoria Palace Theatre, 126 Victoria Street, London.

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_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Victoria Palace Theatre, 126 Victoria Street, London. Formerly The Royal Standard Hotel / Moy's Music Hall / Royal Standard Concert Rooms / Royal Standard Music Hall. Above - The Victoria Palace Theatre during the run of the hit stage musical 'Billy Elliot' in 2006 - Photo M.L.
The Victoria Palace Theatre was designed by the renowned Theatre Architect Frank Matcham, and built by Henry Lovatt Ltd on the site of the former Royal Standard Music Hall at a cost of £12,000. The Theatre opened on the 6th November 1911 and was the last great variety house to be built in the West End. Still standing nearly a hundred years later the Victoria Palace Theatre continues to be a successful home to large scale musicals and is still one of Matcham's great surviving Theatres. Information on the earlier building on the site, The Royal Standard Music Hall, follows, and then the Victoria Palace itself is detailed further down on this page.
The Royal Standard Music Hall Formerly The Royal Standard Hotel / Moy's Music Hall / Royal Standard Concert Rooms Above - The Royal Standard Music Hall which originally stood on the site of the Victoria Palace Theatre. - Courtesy John Culme of Footlight Notes Originally there was a small hotel / tavern in Stockdale Terrace, Victoria called the Royal Standard Hotel which was built in 1832. Left - Programme for the Royal Standard Music Hall May 2nd 1904 - Click to see the entire programme. Here 'Harmonic Meetings' were held in a room above the stables, but by 1840 the proprietor, John Moy, had obtained a new Licence which allowed for singing and dancing in the premises. Right - Another early Programme for the Royal Standard Music Hall - Courtesy Peter Charlton. Following the success of this entertainment Moy enlarged the building and began putting on Music Hall Bills. The building soon became known as Moy's Music Hall, but in 1854 it was renamed The Royal Standard Concert Rooms. Alfred Brown, who took over the premises in 1863, refurbished it and opened the, now renamed, Royal Standard Music Hall on December 26th of that year. The audience were seated at tables and the stage was actually part of an adjoining room.
This new Music Hall soon became very popular, so popular in fact that in 1886 Richard Wake completely demolished it and then rebuilt a new enlarged Royal Standard in its place to cash in on its popularity. (This Hall can be seen in the image Right.) Right - The Royal Standard Music Hall, from an early programme - Courtesy Peter Charlton The ERA reviewed this new building in 1891 saying: 'Entirely Re-built, Enlarged, and Re-decorated, being at the present time the most comfortable Hall of entertainment in London. No expense has been spared both on the Stage and in the Auditorium, to study the comfort of the Public. Left - The Grill Room of the Royal Standard Music Hall - From a programme dated May 2nd 1904. The lighting of the Hall by electricity has now been completed, and by the brilliance of light and coolness throughout, testifying to its complete success. Right - The Auditorium of the Royal Standard Music Hall - From a programme dated May 2nd 1904. The Refreshment department has always been the careful study of the Proprietor. There is a large and Handsome Grill Room, open from 12 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Billiard Room, with two tables by Burroughes Watts; large Public Bars on the ground floor; and the continued and increased popularity of this Establishment sufficiently attests the estimation in which it is held.' Above text in quotes from the ERA in 1891. Arthur Lloyd is known to have performed at the Royal Standard Music Hall 1890, 1892.
Above - Two Posters for the Royal Standard Music Hall during the last few months of its operation in 1910, and whilst still in the ownership of Thomas S. Dickie. The building was sold to Alfred Butt later that year and was subsequently demolished to make way for the building of the Victoria Palace Theatre in 1911. The last owner of the Royal Standard Music Hall was Thomas S. Dickie who bought it in 1896, but he was to sell it again in 1910 to Alfred Butt. It was the year that the Royal Standard, with the longest record of uninterrupted Music Hall and Variety performances in London, was demolished to make way for a brand new building called the Victoria Palace Theatre.
The Victoria Palace Theatre Above - The Victoria Palace Theatre during the run of The Crazy Gang's 'These Foolish Kings' in 1957 - Courtesy Gerry Atkins, who was principal dancer in the show. The Victoria Palace Theatre was designed by the renowned Theatre Architect Frank Matcham, and built by Henry Lovatt Ltd on the site of the former Royal Standard Music Hall at a cost of £12,000. The Theatre opened on the 6th November 1911. This new Theatre which, due to extra land being bought by Alfred Butt, was a lot bigger than the Royal Standard, was also the last great variety house to be built in the West End. The ERA enthused about the new Theatre on 4th November 1911 saying: 'In the scheme of internal treatment the main object has been to combine a maximum of comfort and convenience with a prevailing note of simplicity. The handsome entrance hall through which the visitor passes to the stalls, dress circle, and boxes has walls of grey marble with embellishments of old gold mosaic and pillars of white Sicilian marble. Left and right from this vestibule there are cloakrooms and an elegant boudoir devoted to the comfort of the ladies. Right - An early artist's impression of Frank Matcham's 1911 Victoria Palace Theatre. From the vestibule to the stalls, dress circle, and boxes it is but a very few steps and this ease of accessibility will be appreciated by all who, having entered the house, desire to reach their places in as little time as possible. For the further convenience of visitors to the tea room, dress circle and box levels there has been installed a lift, a feature which, doubtless, will be greatly appreciated. An elaborate heating system has been installed, which enables an even temperature to be kept throughout the winter, and in the summer the magnificent sliding roofs of the auditorium and main vestibule permit the house to be kept delightfully cool.' Above text in quotes from The ERA, 4th November 1911.
Above - The Auditorium of Frank Matcham's Victoria Palace Theatre in August 2008 - Photo M.L
This new Theatre was to have an illustrious career. It opened on the 6th November 1911 with a variety bill and over the years every famous music hall name appeared there. Left - Programme for Lupino Lane in 'Me and My Girl' at the Victoria Palace Theatre. The Theatre continued with plays, variety, repertory and revues, and in 1937 the musical 'Me and my Girl' opened, running for a record breaking 1,046 performances right up until the outbreak of war in 1939. The show was then revived again in 1944 and continued for another long run. Right - The Victoria Palace Theatre during the run of The Crazy Gang's 'These Foolish Kings' in 1957 - Courtesy Gerry Atkins, who was principal dancer in the show. The Theatre remained open during the war with, amongst others, George Black's 'Vanities,' 'La-Di-Da-Di-Da,' and Stanley Lupino in 'The Love Racket.' In 1945 the Theatre went back to its roots with various variety productions for a year but then on 17th April 1947 The Crazy Gang took over the Theatre and had incredible success there for 15 years until 1962. The Theatre then became famous for The Black And White Minstrels shows which ran until 1970 and were regular features on television too. There is more information on the Black And White Minstrels shows at the Victoria Palace Theatre here.
Above - The Auditorium of Frank Matcham's Victoria Palace Theatre in August 2008 - Photo M.L.
The Victoria Palace has rarely been dark and has put on a string of musicals and plays ever since. Recent successes were 'Annie,' 'Barnum,' 'Buddy,' which ran for six years, 'Jolson,' and the current hit 'Billy Elliot.' The Victoria Palace Theatre was one of Matcham's finest achievements and still stands today much in its original condition. The current owners have recently spent a great deal on the building, enlarging the Foyer, adding modern WC facilities, increasing the dressing rooms, adding a new bar on the ground floor where an alley originally ran along the side of the building, and in 2006 replaced the figure of Pavlova which originally crowned the dome but has been missing since being removed in the second world war. They also hope to enlarge the stage when land becomes available behind the Theatre in the future. Right - The crown of the dome of the Victoria Palace Theatre, now with the figure of Pavlova back in her rightful position. Photo M.L. 06. The Victoria Palace Theatre currently seats 1,550 and you may like to visit the Theatre's own website here... Some of the information on this page was gleaned from Diana Howard's 'London Theatres and Music Halls 1850 - 1950, and Mander and Mitchenson's 'Theatres of London.'
Above - The Victoria Palace Theatre during the run of The Crazy Gang's 'These Foolish Kings' in 1957 - Courtesy Gerry Atkins, who was principal dancer in the show.
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