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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1984 | Apollo Theatre, Hales Street | ||
Date(s) | Show | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|
Mon 23rd Jan until Sat 28th Jan 1984 | Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat | "A dazzling rainbow mix of music, song and action." (Note: the spelling in the title is the American way, and should be "Technicolour"!) | |
Thu 2nd Feb 1984 | Butlins Variety Show | Starring Craig Douglas plus full support. | |
Wed 14th Mar 1984 | Charity Fashion Spectacular | Organised by Marks & Spencer. Once again they raised about £3,000 for charity. | |
Thu 15th Mar 1984 | Cannon and Ball | Part of their Spring Tour. One night only. | |
Sun 18th Mar 1984 | Charley Pride | Plus support. One night only. | |
Wed 21st Mar until Sat 24th Mar 1984 | Look No Hans | Comedy starring David Jason and Paul Rogers. | |
Tue 27th Mar until Sat 31st Mar 1984 | Coventry Scouts' 1984 Gang Show | As always, produced by Peter Mansley-Dawson. | |
Mon 2nd Apr until Sat 7th Apr 1984 | Somerset Maugham play starring Suzanne Danielle and William Lucas. CANCELLED DUE TO EXTREMELY LOW TICKET SALES. | ||
Tue 10th Apr until Sat 14th Apr 1984 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Starring Jim Bowen. | |
Mon 23rd Apr until Sat 28th Apr 1984 | Dear Ivor | Ivor Novello story and music presented by the Welsh Opera and the Nottingham Playhouse. | |
Sun 29th Apr 1984 | Doris Stokes | World famous Medium, with audience participation. One night only. | |
Tue 8th May 1984 | Freddie Starr | One night only. Warm-up act was magician/comedian Wayne Dobson. | |
Sat 12th May 1984 | Alexei Sayle | One night only. | |
Fri 18th May 1984 | Little and Large | With guests including Stu Francis. One night only. | |
Thu 24th May 1984 | Leo Sayer | One night only. | |
Fri 25th May 1984 | Bucks Fizz | One night only. | |
Sat 26th May 1984 | The Style Council | One night only. In support of CND. | |
Tue 29th May until Sat 2nd Jun 1984 | Wind In The Willows | Family musical. | |
Sat 22nd Sep 1984 | Cliff Richard | Part of his "Gospel" tour. | |
Fri 5th Oct 1984 | Foster & Allen | One night only. | |
Sat 13th Oct 1984 | The Grumbleweeds | One night only. | |
Fri 19th Oct 1984 | Elkie Brooks | One night only. | |
Tue 30th Oct until Sun 4th Nov 1984 | Educating Rita | Willy Russell comedy, starring Bill Simpson and Tina Marian. | |
Wed 7th Nov until Sat 10th Nov 1984 | The Nutcracker | Tchaikovsky ballet, presented by the Ballet Classique de Paris. | |
Sat 1st Dec 1984 | UB40 | One night only. With guests Echo Base. | |
Mon 3rd Dec 1984 | Brendan Shine | With special guest star Niall Toibin. | |
Fri 7th Dec 1984 | David Essex | One night only. | |
Sat 15th Dec 1984 | Dick Whittington Premier | One off charity performance in aid of the Royal Variety Club's Sunshine Coach appeal. | |
Thu 20th Dec 1984 until Sat 26th Jan 1985 | Dick Whittington | Pantomime, starring Michael Barrymore, with Linda Nolan, the Roly Polys, Terry Hall & Lenny the Lion, and many more. (The final pantomime ever to be performed at Coventry Theatre.) |
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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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