London Palladium
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The London Palladium is one of the most famous of London's West End theatres. Built by Frank Matcham, a famous theatrical architect who designed two famous London theatres: the London Palladium and the London Coliseum. If you top the bill at the Palladium, you're a star. The annual Royal Command Performance, the most prestigious Variety event of all, was frequently staged at the Palladium.
It is also one of London's largest theatres, boasting 2,286 seats.
In the 1950s and 60s it was the setting for the top-rated ITV variety show Sunday Night at the London Palladium which was broadcast live every week and hosted by Bruce Forsyth. The programme was made by ATV, which was owned by the famous theatrical impresario Lew Grade. Production was by Val Parnell.
In the late 1980s the venue was once again the setting for the popular ITV1 variety show, Live from the Palladium, compered by Jimmy Tarbuck.
During this time, the theatre was under the ownership of the Stall Moss Theatres Group.
In 2000, ownership of the theatre changed once again when it was acquired by Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Theatre Company.
Since 2002, the Palladium has played host to a theatrical version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Prior to this, the theatre was home to a theatrical version of The King and I for several years.
In 2002, the famous (but outdated) revolving stage was removed to make way for more modern technology.