n attempt to list all the shows ever performed at our Hippodromes, beginning with the temporary circus buildings, which from 1884 were specially erected on Pool Meadow for each visit - then, in 1903, to the first permanent, but short-lived, 'Tin' Hippodrome on the Priory Street side of Pool Meadow facing the old Swimming Baths. The popularity of these shows created the demand for a theatre worthy of our city, and so in 1906 began the construction in Hales Street, next to Swanswell Gate, of what we now regard as the Old Hippodrome.
Again, the success of this theatre meant that barely three decades later a greater capacity was required, and so we come to our lovely art-deco New Hippodrome in Hales Street, once known as the Showplace of the Midlands. Opening on the 1st November 1937, it was renamed Coventry Theatre in 1955, then from 1979 became The Apollo, giving its final performance in June 1985. After a short spell as a bingo hall it was eventually realised that such a building could not be put to any practical use, so, sadly, it was demolished in 2002. If anyone still has any tickets or programmes and would like to see them used to illustrate a show, please contact me.
1884 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
1956 | Coventry Theatre, Hales Street | ||
| Date(s) | Show | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 1st Jan 1956 | Eric Delaney and his Band | Featuring Europe's sensational drummer, Eric Delaney. | |
| Sun 8th Jan 1956 | Ronnie Scott Orchestra | With singing stars Art Baxter, Lynda Russell and Steve Curtis. | |
| Sun 15th Jan 1956 | Johnny Dankworth and his Orchestra | With singing stars Cleo Laine, Frank Holder and Tony Mansell. | |
| Sun 22nd Jan 1956 | The Basil & Ivor Kirchin Band | Featuring Clyde Ray, and the Tommy Whittle Orchestra. | |
| Sun 29th Jan 1956 | Sid Phillips Band Show | With Rosemary Archer, and including Kenny Ball. | |
| Mon 12th Mar until Sat 24th Mar 1956 | Star Maker | Musical, with Jack Hulbert, Cicely Courtneidge and Jerry Wayne. | |
| Tue 27th Mar until Sat 21st Apr 1956 | Glamourous Night | Ivor Novello's Musical on Ice World Premiere. | |
| Mon 23rd Apr until Sat 28th Apr 1956 | The Devil's Disciple | by Bernard Shaw, starring Tyrone Power. | |
| Tue 1st May until Sat 5th May 1956 | The Vanishing Island | Musical Play, plus other plays - The Dictators Slippers, and We Are To-Morrow. | |
| Mon 7th May until Sat 19th May 1956 | Can-Can | Cole Porter's Musical, with Freddie Sales, George Gee, and others. | |
| Mon 21st May until Sat 26th May 1956 | Love Affair | Comedy, starring Dulcie Gray and Michael Denison. | |
| Mon 28th May until Sat 2nd Jun 1956 | Mrs. Willie | Farcical Comedy, starring Yvonne Arnaud. | |
| Mon 4th Jun until Sat 9th Jun 1956 | The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial | Broadway show, with Lloyd Nolan, David Knight and Nigel Stock. | |
| Mon 11th Jun until Sat 16th Jun 1956 | Billy Cotton and his Band | Variety, with Jimmy Wheeler, and many others. | |
| Mon 18th Jun until Sat 11th Aug 1956 | Summer Stars | Season long Variety, with Jimmy Young, Jon Pertwee, Stan Stennett, Joan Turner, and many others. | |
| Mon 13th Aug until Sat 18th Aug 1956 | Yana | Variety, with "TV's most exciting singing personality", plus Morecambe & Wise, and many others. | |
| Mon 20th Aug until Sat 25th Aug 1956 | David Whitfield | With Variety All-Star Bill. | |
| Mon 27th Aug until Sat 1st Sep 1956 | Towards Zero | Agatha Christie play, starring George Baker. | |
| Mon 3rd Sep until Sat 8th Sep 1956 | Dry Rot | Starring John Slater. | |
| Mon 10th Sep until Sat 15th Sep 1956 | Dickie Valentine | All-Star Variety, with the Kathryn Orly Trio, and many others. | |
| Mon 17th Sep until Sat 6th Oct 1956 | The King And I | With Eve Lister, George Pastell and Helen Landis. | |
| Sun 30th Sep 1956 | George Weldon and Halle Orchestra | One night show. | |
| Mon 8th Oct until Sat 13th Oct 1956 | The Charlie Chester Show | "Take Pot Luck" - many grand prizes. | |
| Mon 15th Oct until Sat 27th Oct 1956 | The Full Sadler's Wells Ballet | Including Symphony Orchestra and many stars. | |
| Tue 30th Oct until Sat 8th Dec 1956 | 1956 Birthday Show | Variety, with Jimmy Jewel, Tommy Cooper, Ken Dodd, Arthur Worsley, and others. | |
| Sun 2nd Dec 1956 | BBC Midland Orchestra | With Phyllis Sellick and Owen Grannigan. | |
| Mon 10th Dec until Sat 15th Dec 1956 | Oklahoma | By The Coventry Amateur Operatic Society. (Theatre closed next week for Pantomime rehearsals.) | |
| Sat 22nd Dec 1956 until Sat 30th Mar 1957 | Aladdin | With Beryl Reid, Eve Boswell, and Star-Studded Cast of 80. (14 week run, over 200,000 people watched the show.) | |
| Sun 30th Dec 1956 | Jack Parnell and his Orchestra | One night only. | |
Prev year: 1955 Next year: 1957
1884 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
Also of interest might be A short history of Coventry's Theatres and Cinemas, by Bill Birch.
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