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Hippodrome / Coventry Theatre / Apollo show archive

An 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

1977

Coventry Theatre, Hales Street

Date(s)ShowNotesImages
Sun 16th Jan 1977The Black WatchRoyal Highland Regiment. One night only.
Sun 13th Feb 1977Gene PitneyOne night only.
Mon 28th Feb until Sat 5th Mar 1977Ballet InternationalPerforming Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty.
Tue 8th Mar until Sat 12th Mar 1977Coventry Scouts' 1977 Gang ShowSilver Jubilee special, with huge cast of Scouts and Leaders (and me this year!).
Sun 13th Mar 1977Jasper CarrottOne night only.
Mon 14th Mar until Sat 19th Mar 1977Big Bad MouseStarring Eric Sykes and Jimmy Edwards.
Sun 20th Mar 1977Hot ChocolateOne night only.
Mon 21st Mar until Sat 26th Mar 1977The Student PrinceStarring John Hanson.
Sun 27th Mar 1977George Hamilton IVOne night only.
Mon 28th Mar until Sat 2nd Apr 1977Salad DaysThe longest running musical in history.
Mon 4th Apr until Sat 9th Apr 1977Ye Goode Olde DaysPerformed by the "Fol De Rols" in the evenings, plus matinees, The Land of the Dinosaurs.
Mon 11th Apr 1977Bernard ManningOne night only.
Sat 16th Apr 1977Pam Ayres and FriendsComical poet. One night only.
Tue 19th Apr until Sun 1st May 1977The Dukes & Lee ShowWith Janet Brown, Teddy Johnson & Pearl Carr.
Sun 24th Apr 1977Billie Jo SpearsWith Carl Perkins and The Dillards.
Mon 25th Apr until Sat 30th Apr 1977Alice in WonderlandMatinees only - The Dukes & Lee Show in the evenings.
Mon 2nd May until Sat 7th May 1977Ipi-TombiAward winning African musical.
Sun 8th May 1977Bruce ForsytheOne night only.
Tue 17th May 1977The ShadowsOne night only.
Sun 22nd May 1977Dr. FeelgoodOne night only.
Sun 29th May 1977Doc Carroll All StarsOne night only.
Sat 17th Sep 1977Don WilliamsOne night only. With special guests, Barbara Fairchild and Lynch & Lawson.
Mon 10th Oct 1977The Brotherhood of ManOne night only.
Sat 15th Oct 1977Slim WhitmanOne night only.
Tue 18th Oct 1977Joan ArmatradingOne night only.
Fri 21st Oct 1977SupertrampOne night only. With special guest Chris de Burgh.
Sat 22nd Oct 1977ShowaddywaddyOne night only.
Tue 25th Oct 1977Wishbone AshSupported by The Motors.
Fri 28th Oct 1977Mohammed RafiOne night only.
Tue 1st Nov 1977SmokieOne night only.
Thu 3rd Nov 1977Rod McKuenOne night only.
Fri 4th Nov 1977The Four TopsOne night only.
Sat 5th Nov 1977Bruce ForsytheOne night only. One man show.
Fri 11th Nov 1977Elkie BrooksOne night only.
Tue 15th Nov 1977The ChieftainsOne night only.
Thu 17th Nov 1977Stephane GrappelliOne night only.
Thu 24th Nov 1977Syd Lawrence OrchestraOne night only.
Sat 3rd Dec 1977NazarethOne night only.
Tue 6th Dec until Sun 11th Dec 1977The Great WaltzBy the Coventry Amateur Operatic Society.
Sun 11th Dec 1977Festival of CarolsFree admission. One night only.
Mon 26th Dec 1977 until Sat 18th Feb 1978Emu in PantolandChristmas Pantomime, starring Rod Hull & Emu, with Billy Dainty, Carl Wayne (of The Move), Barbara New, and full supporting company.

Prev year: 1976Showing 1977Next year: 1978

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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