Odeon West End

• Theatre ID
  122
• Built / Converted
  1930
• Dates of use
  • 1930 - 1937
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Cinema (currently a twin screen cinema) <br> (opened Dec 1930 with film and stage; variety house from 1932; films and stage shows from 1933; exclusively cinema from 1937)
• Address
  40 Leicester Square, Westminster, London, WC2H 7LP, England

Details

Opened 1930 as Leicester Square Theatre. Essentially a cinema, but with some recognisable theatrical attributes surviving from the original design. Good front and flank elevations in faience, the front now obscured in part by signage which cuts across the classical detail. The fly tower is externally complete with haystack lantern and an original temporary enclosure on the east side where an extension over the adjoining, still vacant, site was never built. Internally the architectural treatment is minimal. Two nearly identical & featureless cinemas (what ever happened to cinema style?) one above the other, occupy the original volume of Mather’s auditorium. There are some ‘archaeological’ remains of his designs. Above the false ceiling of the upper screen, for example, fairly extensive areas of boldly modelled plasterwork can be found. The grid is still in situ but there is no stage. The dressing rooms have been converted to offices.

---

Hide further details

• Other names
  Leicester Square Theatre, RKO Theatre Leicester Square, Olympic, Leicester Square Theatre (again)
• Events
  • 1930 - 1937 Use:
  • 1930 Design/Construction:
    • Andrew Mather - Architect
  • 1931 Alteration: interior redesigned; revolving stage installed
    • Edward Carrick - Architect
  • 1932 Alteration: entrance redesigned
    • Alister MacDonald - Architect
  • 1955 - 0 Alteration: new canopy erected; entrance remodelled (architect unknown).
  • 1968 Alteration: major refurbishment, new auditorium, gallery closed, façade altered
    • Arnold Dick Assocs with Cassidy Farrington & Dennys - Architect
  • 1991 Alteration: twinned
    • Northern Architects - Architect
• Capacities
  • Original: 1760
  • Later: 1968: 1407
• Listings
  • Grade Unknown
• Stage type
  • None now
• Dimensions
  • Orchestra pit: None now