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 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
1966 | Coventry Theatre, Hales Street | ||
| Date(s) | Show | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 23rd Jan 1966 | Gilbert & Sullivan For All | One night only. | |
| Mon 14th Mar until Sat 19th Mar 1966 | The Ovaltine Show | Variety, starring Tommy Trinder. | |
| Tue 22nd Mar until Sat 26th Mar 1966 | Scout Gang Show | Cast of over 250 Boy Scouts & Leaders. | |
| Fri 1st Apr until Sat 28th May 1966 | 1966 Spring Show | Variety, starring Harry Worth, Billy Dainty, and huge cast. | |
| Sun 24th Apr 1966 | Mantovani and his Orchestra | One night only. | |
| Sun 1st May 1966 | Roy Orbison | One night only. | |
| Mon 30th May until Sat 4th Jun 1966 | Morecambe & Wise | In "Two of a Kind", with Teddy Johnson & Pearl Carr, Eddie Calvert, Arthur Worsley, and many others. | |
| Wed 15th Jun until Sat 30th Jul 1966 | Oliver! | The longest running musical in history, with Richard Easton, Marti Webb, and cast of over 40. | |
| Mon 22nd Aug until Sat 27th Aug 1966 | Big Bad Mouse | Starring Eric Sykes and Jimmy Edwards. | |
| Mon 29th Aug until Sat 3rd Sep 1966 | Sadler's Wells Opera | Different Opera each night. (Theatre closed until 20th August for Summer Vacation.) | |
| Wed 7th Sep until Sat 24th Sep 1966 | My Fair Lady | Starring Tony Britton, Wendy Bowman and Bert Brownbill. | |
| Mon 26th Sep until Sat 1st Oct 1966 | Royal Ballet | Different Ballet each night. | |
| Mon 3rd Oct until Sat 8th Oct 1966 | Old Time Music Hall | Featuring Sandy Powell, Netty King, Randolph Sutton, Adelaide Hall, and many others. | |
| Thu 13th Oct 1966 | 1966 Birthday Show - Special Performance | Entire proceeds to the Police Dependants' Fund. | |
| Fri 14th Oct until Sat 3rd Dec 1966 | 1966 Birthday Show | Full Season of Variety, starring Mike & Bernie Winters, Adele Leigh, Bert Weedon, and many others. | |
| Sun 16th Oct 1966 | The Walker Brothers | With Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, and The Troggs, plus others. | |
| Sun 23rd Oct 1966 | Gilbert & Sullivan For All | One night only. | |
| Sun 30th Oct 1966 | The Hollies & The Small Faces | Plus Cleo Laine & Johnny Dankworth, and Paul Jones. One night only. | |
| Mon 5th Dec until Sat 10th Dec 1966 | Glamorous Night | Ivor Novello's Musical Play, by the Coventry Amateur Operatic Society. (Theatre closed next week for Pantomime rehearsals.) | |
| Wed 21st Dec 1966 until Sat 11th Mar 1967 | The Pied Piper of Hamelin | Pantomime, starring Frankie Vaughan, with Norman Vaughan, Freddy Davies, Sonny Jenks, and a cast of 70. | |
Prev year: 1965Showing 1966Next year: 1967
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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