London Pavilion
Encyclopedia
The London Pavilion is a building located on the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue
and Coventry Street on the north-east side of, and facing, Piccadilly Circus
in London
. It is currently a shopping arcade
, and part of the Trocadero Centre
.
formed from roofing the yard of the Black Horse Inn. A gallery was constructed, but it could not utilise the full width, as one part of the premises was used by Dr Kahn’s Delectable Museum of Anatomy.
In 1885, Shaftesbury Avenue was built through part of the site and a new London Pavilion Theatre was constructed, opening on 30 November 1885, with a popular review. The new theatre was the first music hall deluxe with marble
-topped tables (for dining in the auditorium). According to Charles Stuart and A.J. Park in The Variety Stage (1895) the rebuilding signalled a new era of variety theatre:
The success of the venture, lead its owner, Villiers, to form a limited company, this became the first combine of music halls, Syndicate Halls Ltd. Lupino Lane
made his London début here in 1903, as Nipper Lane.
Between 1912 and 1936, the theatre presented a regular programme of musicals, these included Noel Coward
's first success, On With the Dance in April 1925. There were appearances by Sir Harry Lauder
, and, in October 1921, the American actor and vocalist Clifton Webb
appeared here in The Fun of the Fair and again in October the following year as Phidas in Phi-Phi. In 1923, electric billboards were erected for the first time on the side of the building.
In 1934, the building underwent significant structural alteration, and was converted into a cinema
, at a cost of £70,000 by F. G. M. Chancellor, of Frank Matcham
and Co. It was the venue for the première of many films including The Curse of Frankenstein in May 1957 for which the foyer was done up to look like Frankenstein's laboratory, complete with the Monster in a tank. In July 1964, it was the venue for the premier of "A Hard Day's Night
". In 1986, the Pavilion closed its doors forever as a theatre. The interior of the building was gutted, and converted into a shopping arcade, preserving only the 1885 façade
and the outer walls and roof. A wax figure exhibition opened in the building that same year, run by the Madame Tussauds
Group, called Rock Circus
. The exhibition consisted of waxworks of famous rock and pop
musician
s. The Rock Circus
exhibition closed in September 2001.
In 2000, the building became part of the Trocadero Centre
, and signage on the building was altered in 2003 to read London Trocadero.
The basement of the building connects with Piccadilly Circus tube station
and the rest of the Trocadero Centre.
The London Pavilion now houses Ripley's Believe It or Not!
, a visitor attraction dedicated to the weird, the unusual and the unbelievable, which opened in August 2008.
Shaftesbury Avenue
Shaftesbury Avenue is a major street in central London, England, named after Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, that runs in a north-easterly direction from Piccadilly Circus to New Oxford Street, crossing Charing Cross Road at Cambridge Circus....
and Coventry Street on the north-east side of, and facing, Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus is a road junction and public space of London's West End in the City of Westminster, built in 1819 to connect Regent Street with the major shopping street of Piccadilly...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It is currently a shopping arcade
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
, and part of the Trocadero Centre
Trocadero (London)
The London Trocadero is an entertainment complex in Shaftesbury Avenue, London originally built as a restaurant but most recently used as an exhibition and entertainment space....
.
History
The first building bearing the name was built in 1859 for Loibl and Sonnhammer, and was a music hallMusic hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
formed from roofing the yard of the Black Horse Inn. A gallery was constructed, but it could not utilise the full width, as one part of the premises was used by Dr Kahn’s Delectable Museum of Anatomy.
In 1885, Shaftesbury Avenue was built through part of the site and a new London Pavilion Theatre was constructed, opening on 30 November 1885, with a popular review. The new theatre was the first music hall deluxe with marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
-topped tables (for dining in the auditorium). According to Charles Stuart and A.J. Park in The Variety Stage (1895) the rebuilding signalled a new era of variety theatre:
Hitherto the halls had borne unmistakable evidence of their origins, but the last vestiges of their old connections were now thrown aside, and they emerged in all the splendour of their new-born glory. The highest efforts of the architect, the designer and the decorator were enlisted in their service, and the gaudy and tawdry music hall of the past gave way to the resplendent 'theatre of varieties' of the present day, with its classic exterior of marble and freestone, its lavishly appointed auditorium and its elegant and luxurious foyers and promenades brilliantly illuminated by myriad electric lights
The success of the venture, lead its owner, Villiers, to form a limited company, this became the first combine of music halls, Syndicate Halls Ltd. Lupino Lane
Lupino Lane
Lupino Lane was an English actor and theatre manager, and a member of the famous Lupino family. Lane started out as a child performer, known as 'Little Nipper', and went on to appear in a wide range of theatrical, music hall and film performances...
made his London début here in 1903, as Nipper Lane.
Between 1912 and 1936, the theatre presented a regular programme of musicals, these included Noel Coward
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy...
's first success, On With the Dance in April 1925. There were appearances by Sir Harry Lauder
Harry Lauder
Sir Henry Lauder , known professionally as Harry Lauder, was an international Scottish entertainer, described by Sir Winston Churchill as "Scotland's greatest ever ambassador!"-Early life:...
, and, in October 1921, the American actor and vocalist Clifton Webb
Clifton Webb
Clifton Webb was an American actor, dancer, and singer known for his Oscar-nominated roles in such films as Laura, The Razor's Edge, and Sitting Pretty...
appeared here in The Fun of the Fair and again in October the following year as Phidas in Phi-Phi. In 1923, electric billboards were erected for the first time on the side of the building.
In 1934, the building underwent significant structural alteration, and was converted into a cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
, at a cost of £70,000 by F. G. M. Chancellor, of Frank Matcham
Frank Matcham
Frank Matcham was a famous English theatrical architect. He is buried in Highgate Cemetery.-Early career:...
and Co. It was the venue for the première of many films including The Curse of Frankenstein in May 1957 for which the foyer was done up to look like Frankenstein's laboratory, complete with the Monster in a tank. In July 1964, it was the venue for the premier of "A Hard Day's Night
A Hard Day's Night (film)
A Hard Day's Night is a 1964 British black-and-white comedy film directed by Richard Lester and starring The Beatles—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr—during the height of Beatlemania. It was written by Alun Owen and originally released by United Artists...
". In 1986, the Pavilion closed its doors forever as a theatre. The interior of the building was gutted, and converted into a shopping arcade, preserving only the 1885 façade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
and the outer walls and roof. A wax figure exhibition opened in the building that same year, run by the Madame Tussauds
Madame Tussauds
Madame Tussauds is a wax museum in London with branches in a number of major cities. It was founded by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud and was formerly known as "Madame Tussaud's", but the apostrophe is no longer used...
Group, called Rock Circus
Rock Circus
Madame Tussaud's Rock Circus was a walkthrough exhibition celebrating the history of British rock & pop music.The attraction was operated by Tussaud's Group and took up the top four floors of the newly refurbished London Pavilion building at Piccadilly Circus, London.The exhibition was opened in...
. The exhibition consisted of waxworks of famous rock and pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s. The Rock Circus
Rock Circus
Madame Tussaud's Rock Circus was a walkthrough exhibition celebrating the history of British rock & pop music.The attraction was operated by Tussaud's Group and took up the top four floors of the newly refurbished London Pavilion building at Piccadilly Circus, London.The exhibition was opened in...
exhibition closed in September 2001.
In 2000, the building became part of the Trocadero Centre
Trocadero (London)
The London Trocadero is an entertainment complex in Shaftesbury Avenue, London originally built as a restaurant but most recently used as an exhibition and entertainment space....
, and signage on the building was altered in 2003 to read London Trocadero.
The basement of the building connects with Piccadilly Circus tube station
Piccadilly Circus tube station
Piccadilly Circus tube station is the London Underground station located directly beneath Piccadilly Circus itself, with entrances at every corner...
and the rest of the Trocadero Centre.
The London Pavilion now houses Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Ripley's Believe It or Not! is a franchise, founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims...
, a visitor attraction dedicated to the weird, the unusual and the unbelievable, which opened in August 2008.