London Palladium

London Palladium
Corinthian Bazaar
National Skating Palace
The Palladium
London Palladium in 2014
Map
AddressArgyll Street
London, W1
United Kingdom
Coordinates51°30′53″N 0°08′26″W / 51.5146°N 0.1405°W / 51.5146; -0.1405
Public transitLondon Underground Oxford Circus
OwnerLW Theatres
DesignationGrade II*[1]
TypeWest End theatre
Capacity2,286[2]
Construction
Opened26 December 1910; 113 years ago (1910-12-26)
17 May 2021; 3 years ago (2021-05-17)
Years active1926 – present
ArchitectFrank Matcham
Website
(Official Website)

The London Palladium (/pəˈleɪdiˌʊm/) is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many with televised performances. Between 1955 and 1969 Sunday Night at the London Palladium was staged at the venue, produced for the ITV network. The show included a performance by the Beatles on 13 October 1963; one newspaper's headlines in the following days coined the term "Beatlemania" to describe the hysterical interest in the band.[3]

While the theatre hosts resident shows, it is also able to host one-off performances, such as concerts, TV specials and Christmas pantomimes. It has hosted the Royal Variety Performance 43 times, most recently in 2019.

Architecture

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Walter Gibbons, an early moving-pictures manager, built the Palladium in 1910 to compete with Sir Edward Moss's London Hippodrome and Sir Oswald Stoll's London Coliseum. The facade (on the site of Argyll House, demolished in the 1860s,[4] from which the pub opposite took the name The Argyll Arms), dates back to the 19th century. Formerly it was a temporary wooden building called Corinthian Bazaar, which featured an aviary and aimed to attract customers from the recently closed Pantheon Bazaar (now the site of Marks & Spencers) in Oxford Street. The theatre was rebuilt a year later by Fredrick Hengler, the son of a tightrope walker, as a circus arena for entertainments that included promenade concerts, pantomimes and an aquatic display in a flooded ring. It then became the National Skating Palace – a skating rink with real ice. However, the rink failed and the Palladium was redesigned by Frank Matcham, a famous theatrical architect who also designed the Coliseum, on the site that had previously housed Hengler's Circus.

The theatre retains many of its original features and was Grade II* listed in September 1960.[5] The building now carries Heritage Foundation commemorative plaques honouring Lew Grade and Frankie Vaughan.

The Palladium had its own telephone system so the occupants of boxes could call one another. It also had a revolving stage.

History

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1910 to 1928

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The theatre started out as The Palladium, a premier venue for variety performances. Pantomimes were also featured there. In 1926, the pantomime starred Lennie Dean as Cinderella, footage of which remains to this day. The theatre is especially linked to the Royal Variety Performances, where many were, and still are, held. In 1928, for three months the Palladium also ran as a cinema. Following this 'cine-variety' episode the theatre fell dark for a short period in the autumn of 1928.

The George Black era

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From 3 September 1928, the Palladium reopened under the directorship of the impresario/producer George Black as part of the General Theatre Corporation (GTC). When Black took control the theatre was close to bankruptcy. He revived its fortunes by returning to the original ethos of the Palladium by staging large variety shows, with a capital 'V' – and as well as headlining Britain's homegrown acts he brought over big American stars such as Duke Ellington and his Orchestra (on 12 June 1933, his first ever concert hall performance),[6] Adelaide Hall, Louis Armstrong and Ethel Waters for two-week engagements.[7] Before too long, under Black's management the Palladium was soon gaining praise again as 'The World's Leading Variety Theatre'. In 1935, Black initiated the Crazy Gang revues at the Palladium (for which he is chiefly remembered) with Life Begins at Oxford Circus.[8] The revues continued at the Palladium as an annual event until they transferred to the Victoria Palace theatre in 1940. Black managed the Palladium until his death in 1945.

The climax of the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock spy thriller The 39 Steps was filmed at the Palladium.

Second World War

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The theatre was hit by an unexploded German parachute mine on 11 May 1941. The device had fallen through the roof, becoming lodged over the stage. A Royal Navy bomb disposal team was sent to deal with it. After the mine was located, the fuse locking ring had to be turned to allow access to the fuse itself. Rather disconcertingly, the fuse began ticking as soon as it was touched. This caused a rapid evacuation of the immediate area, but the mine did not detonate. The two team members cautiously returned, extracted the fuse and removed other hazardous components, rendering the mine 'safe'. It was then lowered to the stage and disposed of.[9] The George Medal for gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty was given to Sub Lieutenant Graham Maurice Wright for his action in the Palladium on that night. He was later killed, on 19 August 1941, while en route for Gibraltar on board the torpedoed troopship SS Aguila.

The Val Parnell era

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Val Parnell took over as managing director after George Black's death in 1945. He adopted a controversial, but very successful, policy of presenting high-priced, big-name American acts at the top of the bill. Among many, the list included Carmen Miranda, Judy Garland, Sophie Tucker, Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Channing Pollock, the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and his orchestra, Bob Hope, Liza Minnelli, Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Frankie Laine and Johnnie Ray, freezing out many British stars of the day, who were relegated to second-billing.

From 1955 to 1967, the theatre was the setting for the top-rated ITV Network variety show Sunday Night at the London Palladium hosted first by Tommy Trinder, followed by Bruce Forsyth, Norman Vaughan, and Jimmy Tarbuck. The programme was broadcast live every week by ATV, which was owned by the famous theatrical impresario Lew Grade. Production was by Val Parnell. Six programmes aired as special episodes in the United States between May and August 1966 on NBC.[10] British stars on the show included Cliff Richard and the Shadows, Petula Clark, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. The Beatles' publicist, Tony Barrow, said that after the band's first appearance on the show on 13 October 1963, Beatlemania took off in the UK. Their performance was watched by 15 million viewers. One national paper's headlines in the following days coined the term "Beatlemania" to describe the phenomenal and increasingly hysterical interest in the Beatles – and it stuck.[3]

Parnell became associated with a property development company and began to sell Moss Empires' theatres for redevelopment. When it became known in 1966 that this fate awaited the London Palladium, The Victoria Palace and even the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Prince Littler organised a take-over to save the theatres and Val Parnell retired to live in France. The new managing director of Stoll-Moss was Louis Benjamin, who took on the role while continuing as MD of Pye Records within the ATV Group.

By 1965, the Wine Society was operating out of a cellar under the Palladium. Additionally, it was also using one at Joiner Street under London Bridge Station and one at St James's Bond in Rotherhithe (which flooded at high tide).[11] In 1968, Sammy Davis Jr. starred in Golden Boy, the first book musical to be produced in the venue.[12] A Johnny Cash album was recorded there in 1968, but Columbia Records never released it. Bootlegs of the performance are in circulation. Jose Feliciano also recorded a hit USA gold status double LP for RCA records called "Alive Alive O!" in April 1969

Post-Parnell

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Bing Crosby at the Palladium in 1976. He released the album, Bing Crosby Live at the London Palladium, later that year.

On 6 December 1970 Dorothy Squires gave a concert at the Palladium, recorded for an LP release the following year.[13]

In January 1973, glam rock band Slade played a gig in the theatre which resulted in the venue's balcony nearly collapsing.

In July 1974, singer Cass Elliott performed for two weeks. 48 hours after her final performance she died in her sleep in her rented flat in Mayfair.[citation needed] Also in 1974, Josephine Baker performed in the Royal Variety Performance. The 1991 film The Josephine Baker Story implied that, like Cass Elliott, she died after a show there, but this is not true. She actually died in Paris four days after a show there.[citation needed]

Bing Crosby performed for two weeks at the Palladium starting on 21 June 1976. The resulting live album Bing Crosby Live at the London Palladium reached No. 9 in the UK album charts in November 1977.[14]

In October 1976, Marvin Gaye recorded a live concert at the venue. The performance documented on the resulting double LP, entitled Live at the London Palladium and released in 1977.[15]

In 1981, the cellars of the Palladium housed a waxworks museum, aptly called "The Palladium Cellars", headlined by a Yul Bryner live projection automaton, as the cowboy Gunslinger from Westworld.

In the late 1980s, the Palladium was once again the setting for the popular ITV variety show, Live From the Palladium, compered by Jimmy Tarbuck. During this time, the theatre was under the ownership of the Stoll Moss Theatres Group, and the management of Margaret and David Locke, who were both major shareholders of Stoll Moss at the time.

In 1988, the Edinburgh Gang Show appeared as part of the British Musical Hall Society's Silver Jubilee.

In 1991, a new production of the Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat opened starring Jason Donovan in the title role with Linzi Hateley as the Narrator. Phillip Schofield later replaced Donovan in the title role.

In 1994, Cameron Mackintosh produced a new revival of Lionel Bart's musical Oliver!, directed by Sam Mendes. It starred Jonathan Pryce as Fagin and Sally Dexter as Nancy.

In 1998, Arlene Phillips directed and choreographed a stage musical adaptation of Saturday Night Fever starring Adam Garcia and Ben Richards.

The 21st Century & the Really Useful Group

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Production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Palladium in May 2004

In 2000, ownership of the theatre changed once again when Stoll Moss was acquired by Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group. From 3 May 2000 to 5 January 2002, the Palladium played The King and I starring Elaine Paige and Jason Scott Lee. This production was a West End transfer of the hugely successful 1996 Broadway production. Before the opening, the box office had already taken in excess of £7 million in ticket sales. This version of the show was a lavish affair, with new dialogue and music added, while the original material was updated. During the run, Josie Lawrence played the role of Anna and Paul Nakauchi and Keo Woolford played the role of the King, respectively. After the production closed, the famous (but outdated) revolving stage was removed to make way for more modern technology.

From April 2002 to 4 September 2005, the Palladium hosted a theatrical version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with songscore by the Sherman Brothers as a successor to The King & I, directed by Adrian Noble and choreographed by Gillian Lynne. The original cast included Michael Ball, Emma Williams, Anton Rodgers, Nichola McAuliffe, Brian Blessed and Richard O'Brien. Throughout its three-and-a-half-year run at the venue, the production starred many celebrities. This show proved to be the most successful in the theatre's long history and reunited, 50 years later, the show's choreographer Gillian Lynne, with the theatre in which she had appeared as the Palladium's Star Dancer during the early 50s.

On 1 November 2004 and 22 November singer-songwriter Jackson Browne performed two concerts during his solo acoustic tour. For Christmas 2005–06, the venue staged Bill Kenwright's production of Scrooge – The Musical which closed on 14 January 2006. The show starred Tommy Steele, making a return to the Palladium. From February 2006, the theatre played host to a new musical production entitled Sinatra At The London Palladium, which featured a live band, large screen projections and dancers performing Frank Sinatra's greatest hits.

The Sound of Music at the Palladium in February 2007

Lloyd Webber and David Ian's production of The Sound of Music opened at the Palladium in November 2006. The production ran for just over two years, before closing on 21 February 2009. It starred Connie Fisher and Summer Strallen as Maria, Simon Shepherd, Alexander Hanson and Simon MacCorkindale as Captain Von Trapp and Lesley Garrett and Margaret Preece as the Mother Abbess. A production of Sister Act the Musical opened on 2 June 2009, starring Patina Miller as Deloris, Sheila Hancock as Mother Superior, Ian Lavender as Monsignor Howard, Chris Jarman as Shank, Ako Mitchell as Eddie, Katie Rowley Jones as Sister Mary Robert, Claire Greenway as Sister Mary Patrick and Julia Sutton as Sister Mary Lazarus.

Rufus Wainwright held two sold out Judy Garland tribute concerts at the theatre on 18 and 25 February 2007. On 20 May 2007 the London Palladium hosted the 2007 BAFTA awards, which were broadcast on BBC television, and in 2010 the BAFTA Television Awards returned to the Palladium.[16] While the Theatre has a resident show, it is still able to have one-off performances; this is enabled by the scenery of the resident show being designed to be easily removed. For example, the set of Sister Act was able to be hoisted completely above the stage out of view in an area called the Fly Loft.

The London Palladium turned 100 years old on Boxing Day 2010, and a one-hour television special entitled '100 Years of the Palladium' aired on BBC Two on 31 December 2010. Sir Elton John performed at the venue in September 2013 in a special show where he was presented with the Brit Awards Icon, subsequently broadcast on ITV1.[17] Robbie Williams promoted his new album Swings Both Ways, the UK's 1000th No. 1 album, with a one-night performance on 8 November 2013 that was filmed for television broadcast (BBC One). He was joined by members of the cast of The Muppet Show (Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Statler and Waldorf), Lily Allen, Rufus Wainwright, his father, a children's choir and a 30-piece orchestra. Invited guests included Adele and One Direction.

From 2011 to 2012, the Palladium became home to Andrew Lloyd Webber's new production of The Wizard of Oz which featured new songs by Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice and starred Michael Crawford, Danielle Hope, Hannah Waddingham, Russell Grant, Sophie Evans and Des O'Connor. This was followed by a return season of Scrooge: The Musical starring Tommy Steele. In 2013 it became home to a revival of A Chorus Line starring John Partridge, Scarlett Strallen and Leigh Zimmerman.

The auditions of Britain's Got Talent at the Palladium in January 2019

Since 2013, excluding 2014, 2015 and 2016, Britain's Got Talent have held Judges' auditions at the Palladium as one part of their audition tour which usually lasts from mid-January to late-February.[citation needed]

In 2014, Really Useful Group split in two, and the entity owning the theatre became the Really Useful Theatres Group.[18] A revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats played for a season in late 2014 starring Nicole Scherzinger as Grizabella (later Kerry Ellis). It returned for another season in late 2015 starring Beverley Knight.

In December 2016, the annual Christmas pantomime returned for the first time in 29 years with Cinderella, produced and directed by Michael Harrison for Crossroads Pantomimes (previously Qdos Entertainment). The pantomimes have returned every year since welcoming star casting including Julian Clary, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot, Paul Zerdin, Paul O'Grady, Dawn French, Ashley Banjo and Diversity, Elaine Paige, Charlie Stemp, Amanda Holden, Lee Mead, Count Arthur Strong, Emma Williams, Danielle Hope, Flavia Cacace and Vincent Simone, Matt Baker, Sophie Isaacs, Janine Duvitski, Beverley Knight, Donny Osmond, The Tiller Girls, Alexandra Burke, Rob Madge, Natalie McQueen, Jennifer Saunders and Frances Mayli McCann. The 2017 pantomime Dick Whittington won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Family Show.

In 2017, The Wind in the Willows with songs by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe ran for a summer season starring Rufus Hound, Simon Lipkin, Neil McDermott, Gary Wilmot and Denise Welch.

In 2018, Sir Bruce Forsyth's ashes were laid to rest under the Palladium's stage, with a blue plaque commemorating him on a nearby wall, featuring the description "Without question the UK's greatest entertainer, he rests in peace within the sound of music, laughter and dancing… exactly where he would want to be."[19] For the 2018 summer season Bartlett Sher's Tony Award-winning revival of The King and I ran direct from Broadway starring Kelli O'Hara and Ken Watanabe reprising their roles as Anna and the King.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat playing at the Palladium in August 2021

In summer 2019, the Palladium staged the 50th Anniversary production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's and Tim Rice’ Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The production starred Sheridan Smith as the Narrator, Jason Donovan as the Pharaoh (having previously played the title role in the 1991 Palladium revival) and Jac Yarrow in the title role.[20] The production was due to return in summer 2020, however due to the COVID-19 pandemic it was postponed to summer 2021. Donovan and Yarrow reprised their roles with Alexandra Burke as the Narrator with Linzi Hateley playing the Narrator at certain performances (reprising her role from the 1991 Palladium revival).

In 2022, Disney's Beauty and the Beast ran for a limited summer season following its UK and Ireland tour starring Courtney Stapleton, Martin Ball, Gavin Lee, and Sam Bailey.[21]

In summer 2023, a new production of The Wizard of Oz was revived at the Palladium for a limited season starring Gary Wilmot, Ashley Banjo, Jason Manford, Dianne Pilkington, and Christina Bianco.[22]

In summer 2024, a revival of Hello, Dolly! directed by Dominic Cooke, starring Imelda Staunton, Jenna Russell, Andy Nyman and Tyrone Huntley ran for a limited season.[23] As well as this, in July 2024 a concert by StarKid Productions: It's StarKid, Innit will be performed. Tickets for the concert sold out rapidly causing the concert to be the fastest selling musical concert in the history of the venue.[24]

Notable recent and present productions

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Cats (revival) at the Palladium in February 2015

Musicals

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Concerts and one-night only shows

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Madonna at the Palladium in February 2020 during her Madame X Tour


Christmas pantomimes

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Year Production Performance run Celebrity Cast
2016/17 Cinderella 9 December 2016 - 15 January 2017 Paul O'Grady, Amanda Holden, Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Lee Mead, Count Arthur Strong and Natasha Barnes
2017/18 Dick Whittington 9 December 2017 - 14 January 2018 Elaine Paige, Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot, Ashley Banjo & Diversity, Charlie Stemp and Emma Williams
2018/19 Snow White 8 December 2018 - 13 January 2019 Dawn French, Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot, Charlie Stemp, Danielle Hope, Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace
2019/20 Goldilocks and the Three Bears 7 December 2019 - 12 January 2020 Paul O'Grady, Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot, Matt Baker, Janine Duvitski, Sophie Isaacs and Lauren Stroud
2020 Pantoland at the Palladium 12–15 December 2020 (closed early due to COVID-19 pandemic) Elaine Paige, Beverley Knight, Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot, Ashley Banjo & Diversity, Charlie Stemp and Jac Yarrow
2021/22 4 December 2021 - 9 January 2022 Donny Osmond, Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot, Sophie Isaacs, Jac Yarrow and The Tiller Girls
2022/23 Jack and the Beanstalk 10 December 2022 - 15 January 2023 Dawn French, Julian Clary, Alexandra Burke, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot, Rob Madge, Natalie McQueen and Louis Gaunt
2023/24 Peter Pan 9 December 2023 - 14 January 2024 Jennifer Saunders, Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot, Rob Madge, Frances Mayli McCann and Louis Gaunt
2024/25 Robin Hood 7 December 2024 - 12 January 2025 Jane McDonald, Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Rob Madge, Marisha Wallace, Tosh Wanogho-Maud and Charlie Stemp

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ Historic England (28 June 1972). "Listing for The London Palladium (1210130)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  2. ^ "London Palladium" Archived 11 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine, London Theatre. Retrieved 13 May 2020
  3. ^ a b Pawlowski, Gareth L. (1990). How They Became The Beatles. p. 146. McDonald & Co (Publishers) Ltd.
  4. ^ 'Argyll Street Area', in Survey of London: Volumes 31 and 32, St James Westminster, Part 2, ed. F H W Sheppard (London, 1963), pp. 284–307. British History Online accessed 10 April 2016 Archived 24 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine.[1] Archived 24 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Historic England. "London Palladium – Detailed Record (1210130)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
  6. ^ Godbolt, Jim. A History of Jazz in Britain, 1919–1950 (1986), p96
  7. ^ "George Black producer and impresario biography" Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Oxford Index.com. Retrieved 2 June 2020
  8. ^ "George Black biography" Archived 8 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Britannica. Retrieved 2 June 2020
  9. ^ Hogben, Arthur (1987). Designed to Kill. Patrick Stephens Limited. p. 80. ISBN 0-85059-865-6.
  10. ^ Terrace, Vincent (1980). Complete Encyclopedia of Television Programs (1947–1979). South Brunswick and New York. p. 269. ISBN 0-498-02488-1.
  11. ^ "History of the Society". The Wine Society. Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  12. ^ [2] Archived 18 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ "Dorothy Squires. At The London Palladium, Decca DBC 9/10 (1971)". Discogs. Archived from the original on 23 February 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  14. ^ Roberts, David (2005). British Hit Singles & Albums (18] ed.). London: Guinness World Records. p. 126. ISBN 1-904994-00-8.
  15. ^ "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  16. ^ Ant and Dec win first Bafta Archived 10 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine ITN, 7 June 2010
  17. ^ "Sir Elton John wins first Brits Icon award". BBC News. 2 September 2013. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  18. ^ Dennys, Harriet. "Lord Lloyd-Webber splits theatre group to expand on a global stage" Archived 7 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine, The Telegraph, 24 March 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014
  19. ^ Sheridan, Emily (19 August 2018). "Bruce Forsyth's widow Wilnelia still talks to dead star". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  20. ^ "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to run at London Palladium in 2019" Archived 10 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 2 June 2020
  21. ^ Disney’s Beauty and the Beast will play London Palladium This Summer Archived 21 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine Playbill, 21 January 2022
  22. ^ "The Wizard of Oz musical to run at The London Palladium | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. December 2022. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  23. ^ Wood, Alex. "Hello, Dolly! in the West End starring Imelda Staunton announces 2024 dates and venue" whatsonstage.com, November 2, 2023
  24. ^ a b "A Very Potter Musical makers StarKid announce first-ever UK concert at London Palladium". Radio Times. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  25. ^ "Figaro: An Original Musical to be presented at The London Palladium". What's On Stage. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  • Guide to British Theatres 1750–1950, John Earl and Michael Sell pp. 122–3 (Theatres Trust, 2000) ISBN 0-7136-5688-3
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