That’s Entertainment
Festive shows and Croydon venues past and present
The Greyhound Theatre
1926 - 1940
19 & 21 George Street
The Greyhound Theatre opened in 1926 and is remembered as the smallest theatre in Croydon at that time. Part of the Greyhound Pub and Hotel, it used the ballroom and stage at the venue and ran a repertory season of mainly comedies from April to October. An inn of the same name had stood on the site as early as 1493.
The theatre boasted weekly quality performances, usually already West End successes, at reasonable prices ranging from 1s 2d (7p) to 3s 6d (17 1/2p) Many of the Greyhound Theatre Players went on to become famous performers of their day. In July 1928 the Croydon Repertory Association was created to ‘secure the permanence of the venture’. Beginning with only a handful of members it numbered 3171 at the start of the 1930 season.
In 1932, the theatre moved to 23 Wellesley Road at the junction with Poplar walk and opened as Croydon Repertory Theatre on September 13th. It closed in 1940 and was badly damaged by enemy bombs while being used for furniture storage. It never reopened. The Hotel was demolished in 1963 and St George’s Walk shopping precinct was built on the site.
Davis Theatre
1928-1959
Croydon High Street
The Davis Theatre opened on 18 December 1928 in the High Street. It was designed by the well-known cinema and theatre Architect Robert Cromie in the Renaissance style and built by Messrs. Grace and Marsh Ltd of Waddon. With a seating capacity of 3750 it was one of the largest cinemas of the day. Although primarily a cinema it also had a large stage, orchestra pit and changing rooms, cafe, restaurant and dance floor. It boasted a Compton Organ.
Before the Second World War, the Davis showed popular films. The two that had the most outstanding success were ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ and ‘Wicked Lady’. A record attendance of 11,000 in one day and 54,000 was achieved in one week.
It was also home to many noteworthy stage productions: the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham gave its inaugural performance in 1946 and the theatre hosted performances by the famous Bolshoi Ballet in 1956.
On the evening of 14 January 1944 a bomb fell through the roof of the Davis into the stalls, although it did not explode, six people were killed. Very little structural damage was done and the theatre was soon repaired and open again.
In the ten years following the end of the war many star personalities appeared at the Davis; Liberace, Paul Robeson, Maurice Chevalier, Gracie Fields, ballerinas such as Dame Margot Fonteyn, Beryl Grey, Moira Shearer, from the world of Jazz, Louis Armstrong, Count Bassie, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald.
In 1951 the Davis began booking films through the Odeon Circuit. Two years later a large TV screen was installed to broadcast the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
During the 1950s the Davis struggled with the rising costs of keeping the theatre open and in December 1958 it was announced that the theatre was to close. In the thirty years since it opened it was estimated to have entertained some twenty five million people. It was hoped that the Council would purchase the building keeping it open as a concert hall but, with plans in place for the building of Fairfield Halls, this was never realised.
The final live performance was ‘Jazz at the Philharmonic’ with the late Ella Fitzgerald on 10 May 1959 and one of the last films shown was ‘Tom Thumb’ on 23 May 1959. The contents of the Davis were auctioned and the building demolished in late 1959. An office block named Davis House now stands on part of the site.
On 17 February 2005, commissioned by the Cinema Theatre Association (CTA), a commemorative plaque was placed on a building of the same era immediately adjacent to the site of the Davis Theatre. The plaque was mounted about 7ft from the ground on the building at the junction of the HighStreet with Robert Street.
Pembroke Theatre
1959-1962
Wellesley Road
Croydon in the 1950s had seen the loss of the Hippodrome, the Grand and the Davis Theatre. The opening of the Pembroke Theatre in a little hall in Wellesley Road on 5 October 1959 came as a welcome arrival. Although small, seating only 450, it was one of the first ‘Theatres in the Round’ in Britain. The stage was centre, surrounded by seats from the recently closed Davis Theatre, arranged in tiers as in a boxing arena. The opening performance of ‘Thieves Carnival’ was played to a packed house. It went on to attract such star names as Faye Compton, Margaret Rutherford and Andrew Cruikshank.
Amid early great reviews the Pembroke seemed set for every success. However, within two weeks the local press were reporting that box office takings were down and without public support the theatre was in danger of failing. The following months were a struggle until February of the following year when ‘Inherit the Wind’ was performed. So great was its success that by the end of the month it had transferred to St Martin’s Theatre in the West End. Thereafter, the Pembroke featured on a BBC programme and, with the royalties from the West End transfer, the future seemed brighter.
Riding on success the Pembroke embarked on redecoration reopening in the late spring of 1960. Despite the possibility of the site being claimed for Croydon’s new ring road the theatre continued to produce admirable repertory. A production of The Rivals in November 1961 saw its longest run. Sir Laurence Olivier came to see it.
By early 1962 the low box office returns and the redevelopment of Wellesley Road heralded its demise. The last performance at the Pembroke Theatre was ‘The Summer People’. It closed on 12 May 1962.
The New Pembroke Company continued after the closure of their theatre and featured in the early programming of the Ashcroft Theatre following its opening in November 1962.
Warehouse Theatre
1977 - 2012
Dingwall Road
The Warehouse Theatre opened in 1977 in a converted Victorian building in Dingwall Road which was once used as a cement warehouse. Founded by Sam Kelly, Richard Ireson and Adrian Shergold with the aim of presenting a variety of high quality new plays. Its lunchtime programme soon became very popular. The building was shared with a Caribbean nightclub who had the use for the evenings.
A grant from the Arts Council in 1978 allowed the theatre to expand, doubling its seating from 50 to 100. Evening performances were introduced when the nightclub closed the following year. Cabaret evenings brought performances from many now famous names including Lenny Henry, Rick Mayall and Julian Clary.
Many people will remember the Warehouse Christmas shows featuring the daring adventures of Dick Barton, This image is from the 2009 production, Dick Barton: Quantum of Porridge.
In 1984 the Arts Council withdrew its grant and it seemed likely that the theatre would close. However, the London Borough of Croydon and the GLC agreed to replace the grant. There followed a brief closure for major refurbishment, reopening the following year under the directorship of Ted Craig. The theatre now concentrated on providing a platform for both new and established writers. Youth theatre was also an important feature.
On 4 May 2012, with debts of £100,000 and no grant funding, the Warehouse Theatre went into administration. The last performance was on 20 May. The building was demolished in October 2013. The site on which the theatre once stood now forms part of the Boxpark development which stretches from Dingwall Road to East Croydon Station.
Fairfield Halls and Ashcroft Theatre
1962 - Present
Park Lane
With an architectural style described as Modernist the Fairfield Halls designed by Robert Atkinson and Partners was opened by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on 2 November 1962. The building is a complex of entertainment and conference spaces. It comprises of a Concert Hall with 1801 seats, the Arnhem Gallery which accommodates 400 standing and the Ashcroft Theatre with 755 seats, so named after Dame Peggy Ashcroft who was born in Croydon. The building claims its name from the plot of land on which its stands known historically as ‘Fair Field’. The site was host to fairs until 1866. Most especially the annual three day October fair when it became a place of much entertainment and trading.
The land was taken over in 1866 by the Brighton Railway Company to provide a link to the Croydon Central station which was at one time in the Queens Gardens. It ceased to be a railway yard in the 1930s and the land was cleared. During WW2 the land was used for air aid shelters and later as a car park.
The year 2012 marked the 50th anniversary of the venue and the launch of its website both to document its history and its future. Celebrations included a concert was given by the London Mozart Players, the Halls Resident Orchestra, attended by the Earl of Essex.
Over the years Croydon Council, who has held the freehold on the land since 1934, had various plans to regenerate the Fairfield Halls. However, excepting some refurbishment in 2012 of the Arnhem Gallery, Green Room and the installation of a new sound system in the Concert Hall, few came to fruition. However, in the spring of 2015 Croydon Council embarked upon a programme of redevelopment and modernisation of the Fairfield Halls. Closing in July 2016, the work was planned to take two years and experienced some delays, opening in September 2019. BH Live, who run venues in Bournemouth were appointed to run the venues.
The Fairfield Halls have hosted many festive shows included pantomime, Ice shows and the Salvation Army Carol Concerts. Early pantomimes such as Cinderella in 1967 starred Cyril Fletcher and his Wife Betty Astell who wrote the scripts as well as starring in the shows. In later years, pantomimes have starred actors from TV soaps or children’s programmes such as this version of Jack and the Beanstalk in 2012.
Over the years Fairfield Halls has seen many famous and illustrious performers among which are David Bowie, Elton John and Morecambe and Wise. It has also featured as a location in several films, TV productions and commercials. Although it has been the venue for many professional performances it continues to give much of its programme to community events including local schools and music and drama societies and cultural events. It is now home to Talawa, a black led theatre company, Savvy inclusive theatre and SLIDE accessible dance alongside the London Mozart Players.