Astoria (London)

• Theatre ID
  2107
• Built / Converted
  1927
• Dates of use
  • 1940 - 1976: and 1977-84
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Music venue
• Address
  157 Charing Cross Road, Westminster, London, WC2H 0EL, England

Details

The Astoria was a conversion of a Crosse and Blackwell pickle factory. It was the first Astoria designed by Edward A. Stone who went on to design the Astorias at Brixton, Old Kent Road, Finsbury Park and Streatham for Arthur Segal. The exterior is four storeys high with an enriched frieze and cornice under a plain attic balustrade. The corner entrance, in Charing Cross Road, is rounded and marked by a short domed tower. The windows of the building have either bracketed hood moulds or shallow ornamental balconies. There are shops at the right of the corner entrance at street level. The auditorium originally had a heavily panelled barrel-vault ceiling, and a balcony curving to side slips and false arched boxes which concealed the organ pipes. The square proscenium carried a sunburst cartouche in a heavy ornamental band, and was emphasised by engaged Ionic columns at either side, meeting a wide ornamental cornice which carried on over the proscenium. There was an orchestra pit, with the organ at centre, and a deep stage with dressing rooms and full facilities. In 1968, the interior was redesigned in more modern style, with plainer lines. Conversion to full use as a theatre was in 1977, when the auditorium was completely redesigned in very plain, sweeping style. There was no proscenium, but a wide end stage to accommodate spectacular productions. Unusual was the passage from rear stage to front-of-house. Discotheque space was accommodated in the basement where, in 1928, there had been a ballroom dancing salon. In 1984, the theatre closed and became a live music venue, narrowly escaping demolition as part of an enlargement of Tottenham Court Road Underground Station. Return to theatre use would be possible, but the interior might need redesign to hold its own against other theatres.

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• Events
  • 1940 - 1976 Use: and 1977-84
  • Design/Construction: as pickle factory (date and architect unknown).
  • 1927 - 0 Design/Construction: conversion to cinema.
    • Edward A Stone - Architect
  • 1968 - 0 Alteration: interior redesigned (architect unknown).
  • 1977 - 0 Design/Construction: converted to theatre.
    • Ian Albery - Theatre
    • Dowton & Hurst - Architect
  • Owner/Management: E E Lyons, H T Underwood, Arthur Segal
  • 1928 - 0 Owner/Management: General Theatres Corporation; later Gaumont, then Rank
• Capacities
  • Original: 1650
  • Later: 1977: 1180
• Listings
  • Grade Not listed
• Stage type
  • Proscenium raked 1:30
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions: 1977 Depth: 11.3m (37ft) Width: 16.8m (55ft)
  • Height to grid: 1977: 14.5m (47ft)
• Unreliable anecdotes
  In Sightline, Spring 1978, it states the architect for 1927 conversion was Frank Verity