Victoria Palace Theatre
Sections:
Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace Theatre, London
The Victoria Palace Theatre is one of the larger theatres in London, with a seating capacity of 1,517. For the last 5 years Billy Elliot has been performed at the Victoria Palace Theatre. Visit the show page to book Billy Elliot Theatre Tickets and also find out more about the venue box office, seating plan and restaurants near the Victoria Palace Theatre.
History:
The Victoria Palace Theatre as it is today was built in 1911, after the following the demolition of the tavern-turned-music hall The Royal Standard. The Royal Standard Hotel, built in 1832, came to be called Moy’s Music Hall and then The Royal Standard Concert Rooms after proprietor John Moy obtained an entertainment license for his premises in 1840. The venue was taken over in 1863 and was renamed The Royal Standard Music Hall. The audience were seated at round tables throughout the concerts.
In 1886, the Royal Standard was demolished in order to make space for the construction of Victoria Street and Victoria Station. Although the Royal Standard was rebuilt in 1896, it was once again torn down in 1910 to make way fro the Victoria Palace Theatre. No expense was spared, and the construction cost £12,000. The new theatre featured gleaming marble throughout the foyer, electric lights, a sliding roof (a forerunner to air conditioning) and even central heating, and despite a few enhancements, the original features of the theatre remain intact. A small gold-leafed statue of Anna Pavlova crowned the cupola on the theatre’s roof. This was removed for safety reasons in 1939 and has been missing ever since, only being replaced by a replica in 2006.
Notable productions have included Me And My Girl (1937-1939, 1944-1945), The Crazy Gang (1947-1962) and of course The Black & White Minstrel Show which also made the Victoria Palace Theatre a regular fixture on British television from 1962 to 1972.
Hauntings:
There have been numerous reported sightings of flying wigs backstage at the Victoria Palace Theatre, and the wig room door has a frequent habit of opening and closing, locking and unlocking itself of its own accord.
Previously called:
The current building has been known as the Victoria Palace Theatre since it was built, but previous theatres on the site have gone by the names of Moy’s Music Hall (1840-1854), the Royal Standard Concert Rooms(1854-1863) and the Royal Standard Music Hall (1863-1911).
Previously showing:
Tonight’s The Night (2003-2004)
Grease (2002-2003)
Close to:
Victoria Station
Westminster Abbey
Houses of Parliament
Contact Details
Victoria Palace Theatre
Victoria Street
SW1E 5EA
For all ticket enquiries, call:
0871 789 1004
Map
Facilities
Theatre capacity:
1,517
Stage door location:
The stage door is a few yards down form the main entrance on Wilton Road.
Theatre layout:
The seating in the Victoria Palace auditorium is traditional, with the Stalls, Dress Circle and then Grand Circle at the top. Because the seats bottleneck towards the front of the stalls (row E forwards), the only slightly sidelined views are in the last three seats at each end of rows E to C. Because of the generous height of the two circles, there are no restricted view seats at the back of the Stalls or Dress Circle either.
There are, however, some sidelined views in the Dress Circle, in the six very end seats of the first three rows, and also the slip seats. Slip seats simply require a bit of leaning and since they are essentially front row, they offer tremendous value for money.
Because of the curvature in the Grand Circle, there are a number of restricted view seats towards the sides, but this is always reflected in the price. The very back row (row K) offers clear views and the only thing reflected in the price difference is the distance; they’re a real bargain.
There are also six boxes on sale. Despite being restricted view (in any theatre, boxes do not face the stage), they are rarely priced as such and are always subject to availability. Remember, if you go for a box, you are paying to be seen rather than to see the show.
Air conditioned:
Air cooled
