Hippodrome (Dudley)

• Theatre ID
  621
• Built / Converted
  1938
• Dates of use
  • 1938 - 1964
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Bingo
• Address
  Castle Hill, Dudley, West Midlands, DY1 4QF, England

Details

The Hippodrome, built as a ‘twice nightly’ theatre in 1938 next door to the Plaza and opposite the Odeon Cinema, replaced the Opera House, destroyed by fire in 1936, on the same site. Externally like a super cinema of the time, in buff brick. At the centre, above the canopy, there were originally glazed, now blind, panels between the brick end bays, divided by two tall brick mullions. Above this a deep brick attic is divided by five horizontal bands. The name HIPPODROME in a central panel has been removed. Plain flank. Fly tower. Small foyer. The fan-shaped auditorium has not been destructively altered for bingo use. Stalls rake rises to a rear terrace. Single, steeply raked, deep balcony. Square proscenium with moulded architrave. Ceiling and walls with simple moulded ornament. Major adaptations have been made within the stage house. The building is well maintained and the interior still has a theatrical ‘feel’. It would be possible to return it to live use, but it would be necessary to remove the structural steelwork inserted in the fly tower. The stage is quite shallow, but there is open land at the rear.

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• Events
  • 1938 - 1964 Use:
  • 1938 Design/Construction:
    • A Hurley Robinson - Architect
  • 1938 - 1946 Owner/Management: Kennedy's Theatres Ltd
  • 1958 - 1972 Owner/Management: Ladbroke Entertainments, owners; Scala Ballroom Ltd (Wolverhampton), lessee
  • 1967 Owner/Management: Midland Entertainment Agency, lessee
  • 1973 Alteration: stage removed and new circle erected in its place to form an amphitheatre (architect unknown).
  • 1992 Owner/Management: Gala Clubs
• Capacities
  • Original: 1750
  • Later: 1952: 1512 1967: 1507
• Listings
  • Grade Not listed
• Stage type
  • Proscenium, slightly raked
• Dimensions
  • Building dimensions: 27m x 40m (88ft x 132ft)
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 11m (36ft)
  • Proscenium width: 12m (39ft 7in)
  • Height to grid: 19.6m (64ft 3in)
  • Inside proscenium: 36ft
  • Orchestra pit: Original (21)