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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1983 | Apollo Theatre, Hales Street | ||
Date(s) | Show | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|
Tue 1st Feb until Sat 5th Feb 1983 | Paddington Bear's Magical Musical | A £100,000 spectacular. | |
Mon 7th Feb until Sat 12th Feb 1983 | Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat | Directed by Bill Kenwright. | |
Sat 19th Feb 1983 | Thin Lizzy | Part of their "Thunder and Lightning" tour. Supported by Mama's Boys. | |
Sat 19th Mar 1983 | Cannon and Ball | Part of their Spring Tour. One night only. | |
Fri 25th Mar 1983 | Bucks Fizz | One night only. | |
Sat 26th Mar 1983 | Kevin Turvey | One night only. | |
Tue 29th Mar 1983 | London City Ballet | Performing Swan Lake. One night only. | |
Fri 1st Apr until Fri 8th Apr 1983 | Sally Chipperfield's Circus | Full scale traditional circus for the Easter period. | |
Sat 9th Apr 1983 | Spandau Ballet | One night only. | |
Thu 21st Apr 1983 | Freddie Starr | Plus Lennie Bennett. One night only. | |
Sat 23rd Apr 1983 | Leo Sayer | One night only. | |
Tue 26th Apr until Sat 30th Apr 1983 | Coventry Scout's Gang Show | With a huge cast of Scouts and Leaders. | |
Thu 12th May 1983 | Dionne Warwick | One night only. | |
Tue 17th May until Sat 21st May 1983 | Danny's Dazzling Roadshow | Starring Danny La Rue, with Wayne King, David Ellen, Shades, and others. | |
Fri 27th May until Sat 4th Jun 1983 | Fiddler On The Roof | Starring Topol. | |
Mon 6th Jun until Sat 11th Jun 1983 | Let's Spend The Night Together | Rolling Stones latest film on the big screen. | |
Mon 25th Jul until Sat 30th Jul 1983 | The Mikado | Gilbert & Sullivan opera. | |
Thu 15th Sep 1983 | Depeche Mode | One night only. | |
Tue 20th Sep 1983 | Charity Fashion Spectacular | Organised by Marks & Spencer. Raised just over £3,000 for charity. | |
Wed 28th Sep and Thu 29th Sep 1983 | The Mike Harding Show | Two nights. | |
Mon 3rd Oct 1983 | Kid Creole and the Coconuts | One night only. | |
Wed 5th Oct 1983 | Gary Numan | One night only. | |
Tue 18th Oct 1983 | CANCELLED. | ||
Mon 24th Oct until Fri 28th Oct 1983 | Dash | Dance show, starring Wayne Sleep. | |
Sat 5th Nov 1983 | The Shadows | One night only. | |
Thu 10th Nov 1983 | Billy Connolly | His Jock's Rap tour. One night only. | |
Sat 12th Nov 1983 | Hot Chocolate | One night only. | |
Thu 17th Nov 1983 | Russ Abbot's Madhouse Show | With Dustin Gee, Les Dennis and Bella Emberg. One night only. | |
Sun 20th Nov 1983 | Val Doonican | One night only. | |
Thu 24th Nov 1983 | Imagination | Featuring their hit single New Dimension. One night only. | |
Sat 26th Nov 1983 | Showtime Spectacular | Super show for children, including Batman, Daleks, Worzel, Orville, Kermit, Miss Piggy, Smurfs, ET, plus Disco, Magic and Punch & Judy. | |
Mon 19th Dec 1983 until Mon 2nd Jan 1984 | Jim Davidson's Christmas Magic | With Bobby Davro and Roy Walker. On Christmas Day, Jim dropped a paving slab on his foot, requiring 44 stitches and nearly losing a toe. The following week's performances were cancelled, but the show resumed on Monday 2nd January. However, after that performance it became clear that he was in too much pain, so the show was cancelled, with Jim promising to return. |
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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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