Apollo Theatre
The theatre showing David Mamet's A Life in the Theatre in 2005
|
|
| Address |
Shaftesbury Avenue London, W1 United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°30′41″N 0°08′00″W / 51.511472°N 0.133417°WCoordinates: 51°30′41″N 0°08′00″W / 51.511472°N 0.133417°W |
| Public transit |
 Piccadilly Circus
|
| Owner | Nimax Theatres |
| Designation | Grade II |
| Type | West End theatre |
| Capacity | 775, on 4 levels |
| Production | Travesties |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 21 February 1901 |
| Architect | Lewin Sharp |
| Website | |
| nimaxtheatres |
|
The Apollo Theatre is a Grade II listed West End theatre, on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster, in central London. Designed by the architect Lewin Sharp for owner Henry Lowenfeld, it became the fourth legitimate theatre to be constructed on the street when it opened its doors on 21 February 1901, with the American musical comedy The Belle of Bohemia.
Henry Lowenfeld had bought land on the newly created Shaftesbury Avenue at the turn of the 20th century—next door to the Lyric Theatre, which opened in 1888—and as a consequence the Apollo is one of the few theatres in London to be freehold.
The only complete theatre design of architect Lewin Sharp, the Apollo was specifically designed for musical theatre and named after the Greek god of the arts and leader of the muses. It was constructed by builder Walter Wallis of plain in keeping with the neighbouring streets; the front piece is in the Renaissance style with a sculpted stone fascia by T. Simpson. The structure encloses a four-level auditorium, with three cantilevered balconies and a first-floor central loggia, decorated in the Louis XIV Style by Hubert van Hooydonk. In keeping with then European style, each level has its own foyer and promenade.
Owing to the death of Queen Victoria the previous month, it became the first London theatre to be completed in the Edwardian period. The capacity on the opening night, 21 February 1901, was 893, with a proscenium of 9.14 metres (30.0 ft) wide and 8.89 metres (29.2 ft) deep.
...
Wikipedia