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.
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1923 | Old Hippodrome, Hales Street | ||
| Date(s) | Show | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 1st Jan until Sat 6th Jan 1923 | The Garden of Harmony | Presented by The Elliott Savonas. Plus, Frank Powell, Alphonso, Laune and Louise, and many more. | |
| Mon 8th Jan until Sat 13th Jan 1923 | J. W. Rickaby | Burlesque character comedian. Plus, Miss Ellis Drake & Co., Denise & Jan, Rorke & Bray, and others. | |
| Mon 15th Jan until Sat 20th Jan 1923 | Wild Oats | Revue, drama, opera and variety show starring Gus Chevalier and T. Elder Hearn. | |
| Mon 22nd Jan until Sat 27th Jan 1923 | Ten Loonies | Musical comedians in 'Liberty Hall'. Plus, Les Bastiens, The Brothers Wright, and many others. | |
| Mon 29th Jan until Sat 3rd Feb 1923 | Dick Whittington and his Cat | Pantomime presented by Alfred Ray. | |
| Mon 5th Feb until Sat 10th Feb 1923 | Miss Ella Shields | The ideal of ideals. Plus, the Royal Gotham Quartette, Fred Keeton, Anita Hayes, and more. | |
| Mon 12th Feb until Sat 17th Feb 1923 | Ernie Mayne | The simple one. Plus, Stewart Morton, Lawson Fraser, Alva and Young, and many more. | |
| Mon 19th Feb until Sat 24th Feb 1923 | Dixie Minstrels | Mirth, melody and harmony. Plus, Rich and Galvin, Will Tyler, Tom Rees, and others. | |
| Mon 26th Feb until Sat 3rd Mar 1923 | The Mirthful Jovers | Comedy act. Plus, the Bale Troupe, Matthew Newton, Kismet, and more. | |
| Mon 5th Mar until Sat 10th Mar 1923 | Joe Bogany | And comedians. Plus, the Victoria Troupe, Fred Fitzroy, Jack Edrick, and others. | |
| Mon 12th Mar until Sat 17th Mar 1923 | The Round Up | Comedy musical with Harry and Burton Lester, 12 Arizona Girls, 8 Texas Tommy Dancers, and many others. | |
| Mon 19th Mar until Sat 24th Mar 1923 | Happy-Go-Lucky | Comedy show starring May Erne, Erne Chester, George Perry, and many others. | |
| Mon 26th Mar until Sat 31st Mar 1923 | The Formanew Players | In a 'grand vocal episode'. Plus, the Megan Bros., the Glaser Sisters, the Enardo Brothers, and many more. | |
| Mon 2nd Apr until Sat 7th Apr 1923 | The Hawaiian Sextette | Plus, Geo. and Volo, the Mullaney Bros., the Adam Sisters, and more. | |
| Mon 9th Apr until Sat 14th Apr 1923 | George Picket & Co. | Variety with Jack Morrell and Lady, Charles Stevens, Cooke, Mortimer & Harvey, and more. | |
| Mon 16th Apr until Sat 21st Apr 1923 | Frivolities | Revue with all-star cast including Fred Morgan, Matt Morley, and many others. | |
| Mon 23rd Apr until Sat 28th Apr 1923 | Joe Cohan & Anna Dorothy | In 'something new and original'. Plus, Miss Rosie Lloyd, the Armento Brothers, Bruce Macloud, and more. | |
| Mon 30th Apr until Sat 5th May 1923 | There You Are Then! | Featuring Teddy Morris, Lily Hartley, Doris Crawford, and many others. | |
| Mon 7th May until Sat 12th May 1923 | The Fun Shop | New burlesque, featuring Fred Miller, Millie Dean, Freda Francis, and many more. | |
| Mon 14th May until Sat 19th May 1923 | Stolen Moments | New revue starring Jimmy Pullin, Joyce Neville, Roy Jeffries, and more. | |
| Mon 21st May until Sat 26th May 1923 | Carlton | And his Satellites. Plus, Julot and Piero, Arthur Astill, and many more. | |
| Mon 28th May until Sat 2nd Jun 1923 | A Trip to Paris | Comedy musical with Con Ingham, E. B. Seener, and many others. | |
| Mon 4th Jun until Sat 9th Jun 1923 | Hot Lips | New revue starring Joe Boganny, Little Monty, and many more. | |
| Mon 11th Jun until Sat 16th Jun 1923 | Bubble & Squeak | Comedy revue starring Charlie Rich, Elsie Roby, and many others. | |
| Mon 18th Jun until Sat 23rd Jun 1923 | Haley's Juveniles | Plus, Varney and Butt, Mart & Pep, the Famous Scott Three, and more. | |
| Mon 25th Jun until Sat 30th Jun 1923 | Smilin' Through | Musical comedy featuring the Palmyra Goss Trio, Bobby and Beatie, The Two Nevilles, and more. | |
| Mon 2nd Jul until Sat 7th Jul 1923 | Smile Awhile | Musical, featuring Webb and Page, the Athene Trio, and many more. | |
| Mon 9th Jul until Sat 14th Jul 1923 | Let's Go | Musical revue, featuring John Rorke, Sydney Bray, Charles Emerald, and others. | |
| Mon 16th Jul until Sat 21st Jul 1923 | Would You Believe It ? | Musical, starring Winifred Ward, Teddy Williams, Fisher and Lea, and others. | |
| Mon 23rd Jul until Sat 28th Jul 1923 | The Lads of the Village | Musical comedy, including Harold Wellesley, Lester Stanley, and many more. | |
| Mon 30th Jul until Sat 4th Aug 1923 | Forbidden Fruit | Musical comedy starring Edgar Cooke, Virginia Davis, Ernie Bee, Mabelle Thorne, and more. | |
| Mon 6th Aug until Sat 11th Aug 1923 | Joy-Bells | Revue featuring Johnson and Rickard, Peggy Andrews, and many others. | |
| Mon 13th Aug until Sat 18th Aug 1923 | Lily Morris | Comedienne. Plus, the Lancashire Players, Eric Peacock and Lady, and many more. | |
| Mon 20th Aug until Sat 25th Aug 1923 | May Sherrard | New style comedienne. Plus, Tom Gott, Lilian Fitzroy, the Hengler Bros., and others. | |
| Mon 27th Aug until Sat 1st Sep 1923 | Foster & Ninon | Comedy with a piano. Plus, Edna Maude, Vincent Lawson & Grace Russell, and much more. | |
| Mon 3rd Sep until Sat 8th Sep 1923 | Kick-Off | New revue starring Dick Ray, Florence Thurston, John Cullen, and more. | |
| Mon 10th Sep until Sat 15th Sep 1923 | Herman Darewski | And his all British band. Plus, Jimmy Jewel and Company, Allison & Dennis, and many others. | |
| Mon 17th Sep until Sat 22nd Sep 1923 | G. H. Elliott | The original chocolate coloured c**n. Plus, Miss Emillie Hayes, Wal Lesby, and much more. | |
| Mon 24th Sep until Sat 29th Sep 1923 | Victoria Carmen | And her Shadow. Plus, the Osborne Trio,Tom Fox, and many others. | |
| Mon 1st Oct until Sat 6th Oct 1923 | Royal Italian Circus | 'The most wonderful, unique, and refined show in the world'. | |
| Mon 8th Oct until Sat 13th Oct 1923 | Power & Bendon | 'Mendin' a door'. Plus, Le Mounier, Beryl Harmer, Verme, and many more. | |
| Mon 15th Oct until Sat 20th Oct 1923 | Dick Henderson | The Yorkshire comedian. Plus, The Imperial Trio, Bessie Clifford, Norman Carrol, and others. | |
| Mon 22nd Oct until Sat 27th Oct 1923 | Scandals of 1923 | Burlesque comedy featuring Claude Lester, The Dainty Danes, and many others. | |
| Mon 29th Oct until Sat 3rd Nov 1923 | Willie Comes Home | With Willie Lancet & Co. Plus, Videau and Kirby, the Flying Banvards, and more. | |
| Mon 5th Nov until Sat 10th Nov 1923 | Wild Oats | Revue, starring Bert Maddison and Gaby Revette. | |
| Mon 12th Nov until Sat 17th Nov 1923 | The Sunbathers | Comedy musical featuring Nat Ramsey, William Vasey, and many others. | |
| Mon 19th Nov until Sat 24th Nov 1923 | Broadcasting | Comedy 'in twelve radios', featuring M'Lita Dolores, Albert Bruno, and many others. | |
| Mon 26th Nov until Sat 1st Dec 1923 | Patches | Revue, starring Gus Oxley and a large cast. | |
| Mon 3rd Dec until Sat 8th Dec 1923 | Spare Parts | Musical mix-up with all-star cast, including Randolph Sutton, Frank Leigh, and many more. | |
| Mon 10th Dec until Sat 15th Dec 1923 | The Joy Riders | Star cast including S. W. Wyndham, Will Collinson, and others. Plus Wal Langtry. | |
| Mon 17th Dec until Sat 22nd Dec 1923 | Stunners | Entertainment featuring The Bernard Ash Quartettem The Five Jocks, and large cast. | |
| Mon 24th Dec until Sat 29th Dec 1923 | The Annual Album | All-star cast including Tubby Turner, Nora Dale, and many others. | |
| Mon 31st Dec 1923 until Sat 5th Jan 1924 | The Listener-In | By Frank Dix and Chas. Buckmaster. Plus, Scot Gibson, Clarke and Ritchie, The Flying Winskills, and many others. | |
Prev year: 1922Showing 1923Next year: 1924
1884 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 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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