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
Old Hippodrome, Hales Street | |||
| Date(s) | Show | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 1st Dec until Sat 6th Dec 1919 | Wit and Wisdom | Musical burlesque starring Percy Johnson. Plus, the 2 Cures, Miss Josephine La Barte, Jaffa, and more. | |
| Mon 11th Jul until Sat 16th Jul 1927 | Funstrokes | A nonsense, wisdom and wit show, includes magician, Selbit, and many more. | |
New Hippodrome, Hales Street | |||
| Date(s) | Show | Notes | Images |
| Tue 23rd Dec 1952 until Sat 28th Mar 1953 | Jack And The Beanstalk | Starring Norman Wisdom and Julie Andrews. Norman told the audience "You are very lucky to have such a lovely theatre in Coventry." (All records broken, with a run of 14 weeks and over 250,000 people attending.) | |
Coventry Theatre, Hales Street | |||
| Date(s) | Show | Notes | Images |
| Mon 1st Jun until Sat 6th Jun 1959 | The Norman Wisdom Show | Assisted by Eddie Leslie, Lorne Lesley, Tony Fayne, and others. | |
| Thu 23rd Mar until Sat 13th May 1972 | 1972 Spring Show | For the season, starring Norman Wisdom, Freddie Starr, Mrs. Mills, Keith Harris, and many others. | |
| Mon 4th Jun until Sat 9th Jun 1979 | A World of Wisdom | Starring Norman Wisdom, with Tony Fayne. | |
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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