Ten London music halls
1 Wilton’s Music Hall Giant pub-style music hall off Cable Street in Stepney. It stood derelict for years, following use as a rag warehouse, but is now putting on theatre again and saving for more renovations.www.wiltons.org.uk
2 The Hackney Empire Turn-of-the-century, grand Moorish-style venue from when music hall smartened up and turned into ‘musical theatre’. Music, panto and theatre are all still served up there.
3 The Coal Hole, The Strand One of the hundreds of pub venues that kicked off the first wave of ‘song and supper’ music hall in the 1830s and ’40s. No trick cyclists, but still good for a pint if you’re waiting for a train from Charing Cross.
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4 The Grand, Clapham Built in 1900 as the Grand Palace of Varieties, and a live music/dance venue once more after periods as cinemaand bingo hall; but, alas, no more ‘saucy’ Marie Lloyd.
5 Greenwich Theatre Originally opened in 1855 as the Rose and Crown Music Hall, later becoming Crowder’s Music Hall and Temple of Varieties – though it’s been extensively rebuilt since those days.
6 Shepherd’s Bush Empire Opened in 1903 with Fred Karno’s Company of Clowns, featuring Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel, as the resident act. Later sold to the BBC, where it hosted ‘Crackerjack’, ‘Basil Brush’ and ‘The Old Grey Whistle Test’, and now once more a music venue.
7 Hoxton Hall Grand saloon-style music hall of 1863, now a theatre space-community centre combo for E2. All together now: ‘You puts yer left leg in…’ 8 Collins Music Hall Closed down in the ’60s, but can still be seen on the north side of Islington Green, partly recycled as a bookshop.
9 The Palladium Respectable Edwardian addition to the ‘theatre of varieties’ scene. No drinking in the auditorium here, madam! 10 The Alhambra A vast Moorish palace with dome and minarets that dominated the east side of Leicester Square until its demolition in 1936.
