London Palladium Theatre
Address:
London Palladium
Argyll Street
London
W1V 1AD
Directions:
Take the Victoria, Jubilee or Central line to Oxford Circus station and exit onto Argyll street. The theatre is a 2 minute walk.
Access:
Infra Red
Wheelchair access
Disabled Toilets
Parking:
MasterPark at Poland Street.
NCP at Kingly Street.
2 blue badge parking bays in Ramillies Place,
2 on Great Marlborough Street (8.30am–6.30pm, 4 hours max.).
Nearest Tube:
Oxford Circus (130m)
Buses:
3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 23, 25, 39, 55, 73, 88, 94, 98, 113, 137, 139, 159
London Palladium History
Architect : Frank Matcham
Opened : 26 December 1910
Seats : 2,298 on 3 levels
Owned by : Really Useful Theatres
The London Palladium is one of the most famous of London’s West End theatres. Built by Frank Matcham, a famous theatrical architect who designed two famous London theatres: the London Palladium and the London Coliseum. If you top the bill at the Palladium, you’re a star. The annual Royal Variety Performance, the most prestigious Variety event of all, is staged at the Palladium. It is also one of London’s largest theatres, boasting 2,286 seats.
The theatre started out as The Palladium, a premier venue for variety performances. From 1928 it was managed by George Black and was even a cinema for three months. During the 1930s became the regular home for The Crazy Gang. The ‘London’ part of the name was added in 1934. Black controlled the large Moss Empires group of theatres. Responsible for bookings at the London Palladium was Val Parnell.
Val Parnell took over as Managing Director in 1945. He adopted a controversial, but very successful, policy of presenting high-priced big-name acts, including Petula Clark, Judy Garland, Sophie Tucker, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Frankie Laine, Johnnie Ray, and Norman Vaughan.
From 1955-1967 the theatre was the setting for the top-rated ITV variety show Sunday Night at the London Palladium hosted first by Tommy Trinder, then by Bruce Forsyth. The programme was broadcast live every week by ATV, which was owned by the famous theatrical impresario Lew Grade. Production was by Val Parnell.
Val Parnell became associated with a property development company and began to sell Moss Empires’ theatres for redevelopment. When it became known in 1966 that this fate awaited the London Palladium, The Victoria Palace and even the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Prince Littler organised a take-over to save the theatres and Val Parnell retired to live in France.
In 1968, Sammy Davis, Jr. starred in Golden Boy, the first book musical to be produced in the venue.
In January 1973, glam rock band Slade played a gig in the theatre which resulted in the venue’s balcony nearly collapsing. In 1976, and released in 1977 Marvin Gaye recorded his live concert on a Double LP Entitled Live at the London Palladium. This album is considered to portray Gaye at his finest while recording a live album, it also included his number one hit “Got to Give It Up”.
In the late 1980s the venue was once again the setting for the popular ITV1 variety show, Live From the Palladium, compered by Jimmy Tarbuck.
During this time, the theatre was under the ownership of the Stoll Moss Theatres Group.
In 2000, ownership of the theatre changed once again when it was acquired by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group, and in 2002, the famous (but outdated) revolving stage was removed to make way for more modern technology.
From April 2002 to 4 September 2005, the Palladium played host to a theatrical version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with songscore by the Sherman Brothers. Throughout its three and a half year run at the venue, the production starred many celebrities (see below). This show proved to be the most successful show to date, in the theatre’s long history and reunited, 50 years later, the show’s choreographer Gillian Lynne with the theatre in which she appeared as the Palladium’s Star Dancer during the early 50’s.
For Christmas 2005-6, the venue staged Bill Kenwright’s production of Scrooge – The Musical which closed on 14 January 2006. The show starred Tommy Steele, making a return to the Palladium. Since February 2006, the theatre has played host to a new musical production entitled Sinatra At The London Palladium, which features a live band, large screen projections and dancers performing Frank Sinatra’s greatest hits.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian’s new production of The Sound of Music opened at the Palladium in November 2006.
On 20 May 2007, the London Palladium was also the setting for the 2007 BAFTA awards, which were broadcast on BBC television.
From May 2008 The London Palladium is to be the setting for the stage production of the musical “Sister Act” and will be produced by Whoopi Goldberg, who was originally cast as the star of the film version.
Please note: The term The London Palladium as well as all associated graphics, logos, and/or other tradermarks, tradenames or copyrights are the property of the The London Palladium and are used herein for factual descriptive purposes only. We are in no way associated with or authorized by the The London Palladium and neither that entity nor any of its affiliates have licensed or endorsed us to sell tickets, goods and or services in conjunction with their events.
Disclaimer:
Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information on these pages is correct, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.
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