Apollo Victoria Theatre London
Designed by architect Ernest Wamsley Lewis and William Edward Trent, the Apollo Victoria began life in 1930 as part of the Gaumont British Cinema chain called the New Victoria Cinema.
However the auditorium was too large to compete with other smaller cinemas containing seating for 2,500 people. It survived as a cinema for a total of 46 years before it closed its doors in 1976. The cinema was Grade II listed in 1972.
The venue was then bought by the Apollo Leisure Group who renamed it the Apollo Victoria and converted the building to the theatre we know today. It became synonymous with musical theatre and hosted a string of hit shows such as The Sound of Music (1981) Camelot (1982) and Fiddler on the Roof (1983).
In 1984 Andre Lloyd Webber's hit musical Starlight Express was born and drastically reformatted the theatre to house an imaginative set that allowed skaters to circumnavigate the auditorium. The show was a huge success and ran for eighteen years encompassing 7,406 performances, transforming the fortunes of the theatre and the design of the auditorium. Over 1000 seats were removed so that the elaborate ramps could be implemented.
The theatre was once more refurbished to accommodate Bombay Dreams (2002) and Saturday Night Fever (2004), reallocating seating to accommodate up to 2,304 delighted theatre goers.
What's on at Apollo Victoria Theatre
Based on the best-selling book by Gregory Maguire and winner of 90 international awards, Wicked is the extraordinary musical performed at the Apollo Victoria Theatre that focuses on the plight of one blond, popular girl and a green-faced brunette who are feted to become two of the most celebrated witches in history.
Wicked is the story of how the Good witch Glinda and her eventual nemesis Elphaba first meet at Shiz University and how the love tryst and political machinations of Oz turn all that was beautiful into a world of deceit and corruption.
Find out how the Wicked Witch of the West came to be so green, plus the original story of the Wizard, flying monkeys, ruby slippers and the Munchkins. The audience will love the illuminating back story of Oz, the Tin Man, the Straw Man and the Lion.
Moreover this is a remarkable tale of friendships and Wicked shines a welcome spotlight on lives that were hitherto unknown. Only then will audiences appreciate that the original Wizard of Oz was merely the tip of the iceberg, the significance of what lies beneath and why we should never judge a book by its cover.
In this world of wizards and witches you will be spell-bound by this unique insight. The two magical heroines will make choices that will see them fulfil separate futures. Only then will you realise that you know only a part of the story of Oz. Get your Wicked tickets with Theatre Bookings and enjoy the show!
