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 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 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
1917 | Old Hippodrome, Hales Street | ||
| Date(s) | Show | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 1st Jan until Sat 6th Jan 1917 | The Red Heads | Burlesque musical featuring Henry Adnes and Rosie Coyne. Plus, Frances Kinders, Alberta Flahey, Frank Maura, and others. | |
| Mon 8th Jan until Sat 13th Jan 1917 | 3 Weeks and a Bit | Musical play starring Dick Tubb and Vera Hind. Plus, the Monzo Trio, Dalkeith, and more. | |
| Mon 15th Jan until Sat 20th Jan 1917 | Tucker | The singing violinist. Plus, Hill, Cherry & Hill, Gillin, Miller Sutcliffes, Jim Nolan, and others. | |
| Mon 22nd Jan until Sat 27th Jan 1917 | High Life In Jail | American burlesque. Plus, Sam Springson & Co., Claude Lester, Jennie Johns, Fred Keeton, Mike Cray, and more. | |
| Mon 29th Jan until Sat 3rd Feb 1917 | Swanstone & Hammond | Plus, Garadini, The Tom Wong Troupe, Talbot O'Farrell, Tom Burton, and others. | |
| Mon 5th Feb until Sat 10th Feb 1917 | Sinbad the Sailor | Comic Christmas pantomime starring Prue Purl as Sinbad. | |
| Mon 12th Feb until Sat 17th Feb 1917 | Aladdin | Christmas pantomime featuring Bob Stevens, Ally Benson, The Seven Nobodies, and many more. | |
| Mon 19th Feb until Sat 24th Feb 1917 | Vasco, the Mad Musician | Plus, vocalist F. V. St. Clair, Goodfellow and Greggson, Murphy and Mack, Mabel Costello, and more. | |
| Mon 26th Feb until Sat 3rd Mar 1917 | Parker's Wedding | Farce starring Chas. Austin. Plus, Marcelle & Partner, Arthur Slater, Tom E. Hughes, John C. Glass, and more. | |
| Mon 5th Mar until Sat 10th Mar 1917 | I'm Sorry | Musical comedy starring Mabel Hind and Harry Sullo. Plus, Nelson Jackson, Darty and Partner, and others. | |
| Mon 12th Mar until Sat 17th Mar 1917 | They Didn't Want To Do It | Musical extravaganza starring Elsie Roby and many others. Plus, Paul Freeman, and Tom E. Dean. | |
| Mon 19th Mar until Sat 24th Mar 1917 | Nellie Wallace | Plus, Jean Schwiller, The Bam Bam Boys, Harry Leslie, Leo Bliss, and more. | |
| Mon 26th Mar until Sat 31st Mar 1917 | Sarah Sleeps Out | Comedy by Charles Windermere and Company. Plus, Fred Barnes, the Flying Banvards, Dolly Ross, and many more. | |
| Mon 2nd Apr until Sat 7th Apr 1917 | Odds On | Revue starring Jack Shires and Gwen Clifford. Plus, Jackley & Le Sine, and Rhode and Roche. | |
| Mon 9th Apr until Sat 14th Apr 1917 | Bubble & Squeak | Musical farce with George Carney and many others. Plus, Roselle and Clifford, and The Westbrooks. | |
| Mon 16th Apr until Sat 21st Apr 1917 | The Dream Girl | Comedy revue starring Daisy Squelch and Lillie Soutter. Plus, Cornalla and Eddie, Carter Livesey, and more. | |
| Mon 23rd Apr until Sat 28th Apr 1917 | Sam Mayo | Vocalist. Plus, Jessica Black & Co., Flora Cromer, Les Bastiens, Elsie Denham, and others. | |
| Mon 30th Apr until Sat 5th May 1917 | Hunting Trouble | Burlesque starring Tom Foy and company. Plus, Hamlin and Mack, Jennions Mannikins, Edna Lyall, and many others. | |
| Mon 7th May until Sat 12th May 1917 | The Lady Barbers | Comedy starring Bob Stevens. Plus, 3 Sisters O'Hara, Johnny Dwyer, the Luhanna Sisters, and more. | |
| Mon 14th May until Sat 19th May 1917 | The Cinema Show | Comedy starring George D'Albert. Plus, The Quaint Q's, the Jenkins Brothers, The Poppescues, and others. | |
| Mon 21st May until Sat 26th May 1917 | Telling the Truth | Starring Bert Coote. Plus, Sam Stern, The Kratons, Harry Brown, the Sisters Royal, and more. | |
| Mon 28th May until Sat 2nd Jun 1917 | The Kodak Girl | Large cast including Garry lynch, Basil Grey and many others. Plus, Sam Hilton, Lilian and Gracie, and the latest War Films. | |
| Mon 4th Jun until Sat 9th Jun 1917 | Chas. R. Whittle | Comedian. Plus, The Flying Reos, Broughton & Creedon, The Sparkling Mozelles, and many others. | |
| Mon 11th Jun until Sat 16th Jun 1917 | Wait and See | Comedy revue starring Jean Robb, Molly Doon, Doddy Hurl, and many others. Plus, The Decars, and Baxter & St. Welma. | |
| Mon 18th Jun until Sat 23rd Jun 1917 | Introduce Me | Burlesque starring Scott and Whaley and many others. Plus, George Benson, Ragolio, and more. | |
| Mon 25th Jun until Sat 30th Jun 1917 | The French Woman | Play starring Dorothy Wilmer. Plus, Cullen and Carthy, Barton and Ashley, Harold Montague, and more. | |
| Mon 2nd Jul until Sat 7th Jul 1917 | Frank Van Hoven | The dippy mad magician. Plus, Harry Curwen, Bob Anderson, Pauline Travis, and many others. | |
| Mon 9th Jul until Sat 14th Jul 1917 | Some Treasure | With the Six Brothers Luck and large cast. Plus, Anderson and Nash, and the latest War Films. | |
| Mon 16th Jul until Sat 21st Jul 1917 | Land Girls | Musical burlesque with large cast. Plus, Mona Vivian, Gilday and Fox, Angel Blanco, and others. | |
| Mon 23rd Jul until Sat 28th Jul 1917 | It's a Bargain | Revue in an office, starring Archie Pitt and many others. Plus, The Coenens, Marie Lawton, Tina Paynola, and more. | |
| Mon 30th Jul until Sat 4th Aug 1917 | Eight Jutland Boys | Comedy play. Plus, Alf P. James & Co., The Slaters, Miss Helen Charles, The Biff Girls, and more. | |
| Mon 6th Aug until Sat 11th Aug 1917 | London Life | Musical production starring Ernest C. Rolls. Plus, Ford and Lewis, Celest, latest War Films, and more. | |
| Mon 13th Aug until Sat 18th Aug 1917 | Stolen Fruit | Comedy starring Syd Walker and Fred Lincoln. Plus, Florence Yaymen, Madame Sarah Rees, and much more. | |
| Mon 20th Aug until Sat 25th Aug 1917 | G. H. Elliott | Coventry favourite, the original chocolate coloured c**n. Plus, miss Emilie Hayes, Rovilli, Ernie Whitmee, and more. | |
| Mon 27th Aug until Sat 1st Sep 1917 | Carry On | Musical comedy starring Harry Angers and Renee Reel. Plus, the 4 Hesseys, Little Dolly Varden, and more. | |
| Mon 3rd Sep until Sat 8th Sep 1917 | Ernie Mayne | 'The simple one'. Plus, Ray Wallace, The Khaki Boys, Maidie and Gent, Dare Ring, and much more. | |
| Mon 10th Sep until Sat 15th Sep 1917 | The Ten Loonies | Burlesque musicians. Plus, Tom D. Newell, Money and Misery, Fisher and Lea, the Gotham Girls, and others. | |
| Mon 17th Sep until Sat 22nd Sep 1917 | Olga, Elgar and Eli Hudson | In their musical melange. Plus, the Two Anartos, The Q's, the Makido Family, and many more. | |
| Mon 24th Sep until Sat 29th Sep 1917 | Heave-O! | Musical comedy starring Miss Maie Ash. Plus, the Brooklyn Comedy 4, the 3 Dancing Viviennes, and more. | |
| Mon 1st Oct until Sat 6th Oct 1917 | Father | Burlesque comedy starring 'Pimple'. Plus, Revueland, Doraswami, George Hyam, and much more. | |
| Mon 8th Oct until Sat 13th Oct 1917 | An Evening At Home | Musical comedy interlude with George Carvey and Miss Nan Stuart & Co. Plus, Harry W. Shiels, Haley's Juveniles, and many more. | |
| Mon 15th Oct until Sat 20th Oct 1917 | My Son, Sammy | Musical absurdity with Arthur White and Miss Dot Temple. Plus, the Academy Trio, and much more. | |
| Mon 22nd Oct until Sat 27th Oct 1917 | Three Bites | Farce starring Jack Gallagher and Beatrice Allen. Plus, Shirley & Ransom, The Daisy Stars, Gordon and Seal, and others. | |
| Mon 29th Oct until Sat 3rd Nov 1917 | Behind The Scenes | Revue starring Happy Attwood and Jack Cromo. Plus, Piccadillians, Seltini & Charles, and latest War Films. | |
| Mon 5th Nov until Sat 10th Nov 1917 | Mumming Birds | Starring Jimmy Russell and Billy De Voy. Plus, Ben Albert, The Joannys, The Mullaney Brothers, and more. | |
| Mon 12th Nov until Sat 17th Nov 1917 | Under Suspicion | With Horace Hunter, Lily Hammersley, and others. Plus, the 4 Clovelly Girls, Wal Langtry, George Prince, and more. | |
| Mon 19th Nov until Sat 24th Nov 1917 | Joyland | Revue starring Stephen Adeson, Charles Jerome, May Morton, Isobel Scott, and huge cast. | |
| Mon 26th Nov until Sat 1st Dec 1917 | A Busy Day | Musical comedy with Miss Maie Ash and Fred Allandale. Plus, The Mongadors, Dan Whitley, and many more. | |
| Mon 3rd Dec until Sat 8th Dec 1917 | Buttercups | Musical burlesque featuring Horace Jones and Queenie Essex. Plus, Mareski, Selwyn, the Sisters Gaye, and more. | |
| Mon 10th Dec until Sat 15th Dec 1917 | T. E. Dunville | Legendary Coventry comedian. Plus, the Royal Tokiwa Family, Fred Kerr & Co., Robert Reilly, and much more. | |
| Mon 17th Dec until Sat 22nd Dec 1917 | In The Trenches | Comedy featuring Harry Buss as 'Joe Higgins'. Plus, the Five of Clubs, Charles Mildare, Nixon Grey, and others. | |
| Mon 24th Dec until Sat 29th Dec 1917 | Mdlle. Irma Lorraine | Classical danseuse. Plus, May Henderson, Sammy Shields, John McNally & Co., The Famous Gothams, and others. | |
| Mon 31st Dec 1917 until Sat 5th Jan 1918 | Over The Top | Melodramatic musical comedy with Fred Hastings, Billy Amstell, Minnie Myrle, George Leyton, and others. | |
Prev year: 1916 Next year: 1918
1884 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 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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