Apollo Victoria
Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1LL

Nearest underground:
Victoria (Victoria Line, District Line, Circle Line)

Nearest rail:
Victoria

Unusually, the Apollo Victoria went against the trend of theatres being lost to become cinemas by doing the reverse. When it opened as the New Victoria Cinema in 1930, its stunning art deco design caused it to be said that it was Britain’s most architecturally important cinema building. Its interior was graced by design inspired by an ocean liner, with fish, shell and mermaid decorations, the overall effect summoning up a nautical world.

In 1981 it became a theatre, its inaugural show being a Shirley Bassey concert. Noteworthy productions were the Sound of Music starring Petula Clarke (1981) and Fiddler on the Roof (1983). However it was Andrew Lloyd Webber’s massive hit Starlight Express that really stamped the Apollo’s mark on London’s theatre scene. 1,262 of the 2,500 seats were removed to create ramps for the roller skaters to race along and elaborate technical effects allowed for the stage to lift and revolve whilst model trains ran around the auditorium. Starlight Express finally closed in January 2002 after showing an extraordinary 7,406 times; a considerable figure for future productions to match.

What's on at Apollo Theatre

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