Hippodrome / Coventry Theatre / Apollo show archive

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 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

Date(s)	Show	Notes
1985	Apollo Theatre, Hales Street
Fri 8th Feb 1985	The Song Remains The Same	Led Zeppelin movie on the big screen.
Sat 2nd Mar 1985	King	Coventry band, supported by Person to Person.
Sun 10th Mar 1985	St. Patrick's Irish Variety Concert	One night only.
Mon 11th Mar 1985	John McEvoy	Irish singer.
Mon 11th Mar 1985	St Patrick's Irish Variety Concert	Featuring top recording artist Johnny McEvoy plus many others.
Fri 22nd Mar 1985	The Boomtown Rats	Plus The Faith Brothers. One night only.
Tue 26th Mar until Sat 30th Mar 1985	Coventry Scout's Gang Show	Huge cast of Cubs, Scouts and Leaders - to be their very last Gang Show at the Coventry Theatre.
Wed 3rd Apr 1985	Jimmy Tarbuck and Kenny Lynch	Also featuring Aiden J. Harvey.
Thu 4th Apr 1985	Jimmy Tarbuck	One night only.
Sat 6th Apr 1985	King	One night only.
Thu 11th Apr and Fri 12th Apr 1985	Mike Harding	Comedian. Two nights.
Fri 26th Apr 1985	Freddie Starr	One night only.
Mon 29th Apr until Sat 4th May 1985	The Rocky Horror Show	Raunchy adult "pantomime".
Fri 10th May and Sat 11th May 1985	The Lightbearers	Gospel concert.
Mon 13th May until Sat 18th May 1985	Jasper Carrott	"The Nerd".
Sun 19th May 1985	Take a Break	Afternoon performance by 900 children of the Pattison Dancing Academy and College. Repeated next Monday evening.
Tue 21st May until Sat 25th May 1985	Pinocchio	Children's show.
Tue 28th May 1985	Cannon and Ball	One night only.
Sat 1st Jun 1985	~~Rod Hull and Emu~~	CANCELLED BY THE PROMOTERS DUE TO SLOW TICKET SALES.
Wed 5th Jun 1985	Sixties Night	Featuring The Troggs, Billy J. Kramer, Dave Berry, Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders.
Thu 6th Jun 1985	Barbara Dickson	The very final show ever at the theatre.

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Also of interest might be A short history of Coventry's Theatres and Cinemas, by Bill Birch.

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Hippodrome / Coventry Theatre / Apollo show archive

1985

Apollo Theatre, Hales Street