Empress Theatre of Varieties

The Empress Theatre was a large entertainment venue on the corner of Bernay's Grove and Brighton Terrace in Brixton, south London. It opened on Boxing Day in 1898 as a variety theatre and operated for almost a century under several related names and formats, including the Empress Theatre of Varieties, Empress Music Hall, Granada Cinema, a bingo hall, and eventually a furniture warehouse. The building was demolished in 1992 and the site was subsequently redeveloped for housing. The theatre was commissioned for W. H. Burney and W. J. Grimes. Architects Wylson & Long designed the building, while T. L. Green served as contractor. Its original auditorium was arranged over three levels, comprising stalls and pit, dress circle, and gallery, with seating for approximately 1,260 people. The stage measured about 60 feet wide by 40 feet deep, with a proscenium opening approximately 30 feet wide. Electric lighting and heating were installed by Strode and Co. The interior was designed as a substantial late-Victorian entertainment space. The box-office hall featured marble mosaic work by Diespeker and Co. and Japanese leather decoration. The auditorium followed a French Renaissance decorative scheme, including ornamental panels, heraldic griffin motifs, a large saucer-shaped dome, and sculptural figures representing Euterpe and Terpsichore above the proscenium. These details positioned the Empress as both a neighborhood entertainment venue and an architecturally ambitious public building. Its opening programme demonstrated the mixture of live and emerging visual entertainment associated with late-nineteenth-century variety theatres. Brixton performer Kate Carney appeared on the opening bill alongside a display of Thomas Edison moving pictures. Contemporary reporting stated that hundreds of potential patrons were turned away on opening night. Arthur Lloyd performed at the venue in 1900, 1901, and 1902, and other performers associated with the theatre over the years included Joe Elvin, Vera Lynn, Tommy Fields, Wilson, Keppel and Betty, Marie Lloyd, Harry Lauder, Tony Hancock, Dorothy Squires, Alma Cogan, Joe Brown, Shirley Abicair, Hughie Green, Charlie Chester, Max Miller, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, and Bruce Forsyth. In 1930, Variety Theatre Consolidated took over the venue and remodelled its auditorium in the Art Deco style, increasing its stated capacity to approximately 2,000. From 1957 the building operated as the Granada Cinema, reflecting the continuing shift from variety theatre toward film exhibition. During the 1970s it was repurposed as a bingo hall. Later, the building became a furniture warehouse before being demolished in 1992. The Empress therefore represents several successive phases of British popular entertainment: variety and music hall, cinema, bingo, and commercial reuse.

The Empress Theatre was built in Brixton, south London, for W. H. Burney and W. J. Grimes and opened on Boxing Day 1898. Wylson & Long designed the building, and T. L. Green was the contractor. The theatre was conceived as a substantial late-Victorian variety venue, with three seating levels: stalls and pit, dress circle, and gallery. Its original capacity was approximately 1,260. The stage was around 60 feet wide and 40 feet deep, with a proscenium opening of roughly 30 feet. The building's technical and decorative specification reflected the growing importance of purpose-built popular entertainment venues. Strode and Co. installed electric lighting and heating. The box-office hall contained marble mosaic work by Diespeker and Co. and Japanese leather decoration. Inside, the auditorium was decorated in the French Renaissance style. It included ornamental panels, heraldic griffin imagery, a high saucer-shaped dome, and representations of the classical figures Euterpe and Terpsichore above the proscenium. The design gave the theatre an elaborate architectural identity in addition to its function as a local performance venue. The opening programme combined live variety entertainment with the new medium of moving pictures. Kate Carney, a performer associated with Brixton, appeared on the bill, while Thomas Edison moving pictures were also shown. Reports of the opening stated that hundreds of people were unable to obtain admission, suggesting a strong initial public response. The venue subsequently hosted a broad range of performers. Arthur Lloyd appeared in 1900, 1901, and 1902. Other entertainers associated with the theatre included Joe Elvin, Vera Lynn, Tommy Fields, Wilson, Keppel and Betty, Marie Lloyd, and Harry Lauder. The range of performers reflects the mixed bills typical of British variety and music-hall culture. The venue was known under several names. It was referred to as the Empress Theatre, the Empress Theatre of Varieties, and the Empress Music Hall. In 1930, Variety Theatre Consolidated took control and remodelled the auditorium in the Art Deco style. The stated seating capacity was increased to approximately 2,000, indicating an attempt to modernize and enlarge the venue for changing audience expectations and commercial conditions. The theatre continued to host prominent entertainers during the 1950s and 1960s, including Tony Hancock, Dorothy Squires, Alma Cogan, Joe Brown, Shirley Abicair, Hughie Green, Charlie Chester, Max Miller, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, and Bruce Forsyth. These appearances connected the venue with British comedy, popular music, variety, and stage entertainment during a period when traditional theatre venues were adapting to competition from television and other forms of leisure. From 1957 the building operated as the Granada Cinema. This phase lasted until the 1970s, when the venue was repurposed as a bingo hall. The change illustrates the wider transformation of large British entertainment buildings from live variety spaces into cinemas and then into other forms of mass entertainment. After its bingo use, the property became a furniture warehouse. The former theatre was ultimately demolished in 1992, and the site was redeveloped for housing. The Empress survives primarily through historical records of its architecture, changing uses, and association with performers from several generations of British popular entertainment.

• 1992

  Demolition of the building

  [1]Empress Theatre (Brixton)en.wikipedia.org

  The former theatre, cinema, bingo hall, and warehouse was demolished; housing was later built on the site.

• 1970

  Conversion to bingo use

  [1]Empress Theatre (Brixton)en.wikipedia.org

  During the 1970s, the former cinema was repurposed as a bingo hall.

• 1957

  Conversion to Granada Cinema

  [1]Empress Theatre (Brixton)en.wikipedia.org

  The building began operating as the Granada Cinema, changing from a variety theatre to a cinema venue.

• 1930

  Takeover and Art Deco remodelling

  [1]Empress Theatre (Brixton)en.wikipedia.org

  Variety Theatre Consolidated took over the venue and remodelled its auditorium in the Art Deco style, increasing the reported capacity to about 2,000.

• 1900

  Arthur Lloyd appears at the theatre

  [1]Empress Theatre (Brixton)en.wikipedia.org

  Arthur Lloyd performed at the Empress, with further appearances recorded in 1901 and 1902.

• 1898

  Opening of the Empress Theatre

  [1]Empress Theatre (Brixton)en.wikipedia.org

  The venue opened on Boxing Day in Brixton with a variety programme featuring Kate Carney and Thomas Edison moving pictures.

A large, community-oriented Brixton entertainment venue whose identity evolved with changing British leisure habits, moving from Victorian variety and music hall to cinema, bingo, and later non-entertainment commercial use.

• Live entertainment venue · 1898

  Empress Theatre of Varieties

  The venue's principal early identity was as a variety theatre and music hall. Its programmes combined comedy, singing, popular stage acts, and other forms of live entertainment. The theatre also incorporated moving-picture presentations from its opening, reflecting the mixed entertainment model of the late nineteenth century.

• Music hall

  Empress Music Hall

  Empress Music Hall was one of the names used for the Brixton venue during its variety-entertainment period. Its offering centered on public performances by singers, comedians, novelty acts, and touring entertainers rather than on a packaged consumer product.

• Cinema · 1957

  Granada Cinema

  From 1957, the building operated as the Granada Cinema. This represented a shift toward film exhibition while retaining the site's role as a large public entertainment destination in Brixton.

• Bingo entertainment · 1970

  Bingo hall

  In the 1970s the former cinema was adapted for bingo. The conversion was part of the venue's later commercial life after its variety-theatre and cinema phases.

• 1992

  Demolition and site redevelopmentOther

  Background

  Following its entertainment uses and a later period as a furniture warehouse, the building no longer operated as a theatre or cinema.

  Action taken

  The Empress building was demolished in 1992.

  Aftermath

  A small housing development was subsequently built on the site.

  Source

• 1970

  Repurposing as a bingo hallStrategy

  Background

  After its cinema period, the building was adapted for another form of organized mass entertainment.

  Action taken

  The former Granada Cinema was converted into a bingo hall during the 1970s.

  Aftermath

  The property later became a furniture warehouse before the building was demolished.

  Source

• 1957

  Conversion to Granada CinemaStrategy

  Background

  The venue's identity changed as cinema became a major form of mass entertainment in Britain.

  Action taken

  The building was operated as the Granada Cinema from 1957.

  Aftermath

  It remained a cinema until the 1970s, when it was converted into a bingo hall.

  Source

• 1930

  Variety Theatre Consolidated takeoverM&A

  Background

  The Brixton venue was taken over by Variety Theatre Consolidated during its variety-theatre period.

  Action taken

  The new operator remodelled the auditorium in the Art Deco style and increased the reported seating capacity to approximately 2,000.

  Aftermath

  The building continued as a large-scale variety venue before later transitioning to cinema and other uses.

  Source

1. 1Empress Theatre (Brixton)en.wikipedia.org