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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

1933

Old Hippodrome, Hales Street

Date(s)ShowNotesImages
Mon 2nd Jan until Sat 7th Jan 1933Hold My HandMusical comedy, with Phil Phillips and Billy Tasker.
Mon 9th Jan until Sat 14th Jan 1933Restez La NuitFrench revue starring Tom Gamble.
Mon 16th Jan until Sat 21st Jan 1933CinderellaChristmas pantomime starring Randolph Sutton as 'Dandini'.
Mon 23rd Jan until Sat 28th Jan 1933Don Rico and his Gipsy Girls BandPlus Dorrie Dene, Charles Hayes, and many more.
Mon 30th Jan until Sat 4th Feb 1933The ArcadiansBy the Coventry Amateur Operatic Society.
Mon 6th Feb until Sat 11th Feb 1933Happy DaysFeaturing Lucille Benstead. Plus, Tex McLeod, the Three Rascals, Terry Wilson, and many others.
Mon 13th Feb until Sat 18th Feb 1933Will Hay & Co.In an episode of St. Michael's. Plus, Lalla Dodd, Manny and Roberts, and more.
Mon 20th Feb until Sat 25th Feb 1933Les Folies de ParisFrench revue, plus variety with Leslie & Cohan, Eddie Windsor, and many more.
Mon 27th Feb until Sat 4th Mar 1933More Happy DaysVariety, with Edwin Lawrence, Jean Kennedy, Fred Lindsay & Co., and many others.
Mon 6th Mar until Sat 11th Mar 1933The Revue of the MomentFeaturing Sid Field, 3 Australian Boys, Jan and Marice, and more.
Mon 13th Mar until Sat 18th Mar 1933By GeorgeStarring George Clarke and a large cast.
Mon 20th Mar until Sat 25th Mar 1933Coventry 2519 Calling!Colossal array of Radio talent, plus Jack Stocks, Haig and Escoe, and many others.
Mon 27th Mar until Sat 1st Apr 1933The Maid of the MountainsMusical comedy, as played at Daly's Theatre, London.
Mon 3rd Apr until Sat 8th Apr 1933Mirth & MusicFeaturing Syd Seymour and his band of Mad Hatters.
Mon 10th Apr until Sat 15th Apr 1933All For PleasureStarring Jimmy James, Karina the Wonder Dancer, and many more.
Mon 17th Apr until Sat 22nd Apr 1933Younkman and his famous Czardas BandPlus, Anna Rogers, Olive Gilbert, Red Fred, The Two Joys, and more.
Mon 24th Apr until Sat 29th Apr 1933Birds of the NightSecond edition of the show, featuring Janice Hart and her Cuban Knights of Music.
Mon 1st May until Sat 6th May 1933Big Variety & Big Revue6 Star Acts, plus 'Sitting In The Sun' revue.
Mon 8th May until Sat 13th May 1933Sugar and SpiceHuge cast, starring Jack Clifford and many more.
Mon 15th May until Sat 20th May 1933Real LifeWith Jennie Howard, Joey Porter.
Mon 22nd May until Sat 27th May 1933Two Hours With YouFeaturing Dick Tubb, direct from the Lyceum, London.
Mon 29th May until Sat 3rd Jun 1933Back To NatureComedy and colour, featuring Johnnie McGregor, Eric Randolph, and many others.
Mon 5th Jun until Sat 10th Jun 1933Chuckles of 1933Revue, starring Tommy Lorne, and many other artistes.
Mon 12th Jun until Sat 17th Jun 1933This Is The LifeRevusical musical comedy, with Billy Kray and an all-star cast.
Mon 19th Jun until Sat 24th Jun 1933Paris By NightComedy revue, starring Phil Strickland.
Mon 26th Jun until Sat 1st Jul 1933London Palladium Crazy ShowWith a crazy gang, presented in real London Palladium settings.
Mon 3rd Jul until Sat 8th Jul 1933Count Berni Vici and his Royal Embassy BandPlus, Ford & Aldous, the Smeddle Bros., Bobby (Uke) Henshaw, Fred Sanborn, and more.
Mon 10th Jul until Sat 15th Jul 1933Bobbie Hind and his Famous BandPlus, George Betton, Betty and Buddy, Stanford and Taylor, and many more.
Mon 17th Jul until Sat 22nd Jul 1933Miss 1933Comedy revue, including Sam Eccles, Anne Day, and many others.
Mon 24th Jul until Sat 29th Jul 1933Paris On ParadeWith all-star cast, including Joe Poynton, George Wolkowsky & Esme Grande, and more.
Mon 31st Jul until Sat 5th Aug 1933Parisian FolliesRevue, including Josie Bellis, the Capaldi Brothers, and many more.
Mon 7th Aug until Sat 12th Aug 1933Georgesco and his distinguished Hungarian OrchestraPlus, the Rego Twins, Conrad's Wonderful Pigeons, Tomio and Val, and much more.
Mon 14th Aug until Sat 19th Aug 1933Robert Naylor & Josie FearsonPlus, Short and Dalziel, Tommy Trinder, Charlie Jones, Victor Thomas, and others.
Mon 21st Aug until Sat 26th Aug 1933Albert SandlerWith his £2,500 violin. Plus, Billy Rey and Partner, Nosmo King, Leslie Strange, and more.
Mon 28th Aug until Sat 2nd Sep 1933Hello BeautifulRevue featuring Tom Moss, with over 50 artistes.
Mon 4th Sep until Sat 9th Sep 1933Alfredo and his Gypsy BandPlus, The Kirks, Billy Kray, Edwin Styles, and many others.
Mon 11th Sep until Sat 16th Sep 1933Murray the EscapologistInternational Week, also including Lee Don, Frank Randle & Bill, Omar, Sisters St. John, and many more.
Mon 18th Sep until Sat 23rd Sep 1933Variety Vanities'The greatest road show of 1933', with Arthur White, Four K Foleys, the 7 Elliotts, and more.
Mon 25th Sep until Sat 30th Sep 1933All You Wish YourselfStarring Tom Gamble and 35 others.
Mon 2nd Oct until Sat 7th Oct 1933Once in a Blue MoonStarring Jenny Howard, Scott Sanders, and many more.
Mon 9th Oct until Sat 14th Oct 1933Tommy Reilly & Billy ComfortPlus, Beryl Beresford, Ernie Leno, 16 Drury Lane Babes, The Shamvas, and many others.
Mon 16th Oct until Sat 21st Oct 1933Lilac TimeMusical play, already played over 4,000 nights in London.
Mon 23rd Oct until Sat 28th Oct 1933Herschel Henlere'The mirthful music master', plus the Southern Sisters, 6 Zio Girls, and many others.
Sun 29th Oct 1933The Famous Hippodrome (BBC) OrchestraSecond Annual Concert, in aid of the British Legion.
Mon 30th Oct until Sat 4th Nov 1933I'm Telling YouCabaret and revue, featuring Elsie Prince and George Doonan.
Mon 6th Nov until Sat 11th Nov 1933The DubarryThe actual London production of the musical play.
Mon 13th Nov until Sat 18th Nov 19331,001 MarvelsJack Taylor's French revue, with 60 artistes.
Mon 20th Nov until Sat 25th Nov 1933Bitter SweetAn operetta in 3 acts by Noel Coward.
Mon 27th Nov until Sat 2nd Dec 1933En Voila Du JoliWilliam Henshall comedy play.
Mon 4th Dec until Sat 9th Dec 1933Jack Hilton with his BoysLast appearance in England before a long continental tour.
Mon 11th Dec until Sat 16th Dec 1933The New ShowAll-star company, including Wilkie Bard, Florence Smithson, Harry Champion, Fred Barnes, and more.
Mon 18th Dec until Sat 23rd Dec 1933Pages From LifeComedy revue, with Gus Elton, Ray Zack and Terry Kendall.
Tue 26th Dec 1933 until Sat 6th Jan 1934Robinson CrusoeChristmas pantomime, with Milly Jillson, Billy Matchett, Reg Dingle, and many more.

Prev year: 1932Showing 1933Next year: 1934

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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