UK – London – Cambridge Theatre

Theatrecrafts.com > Venues > UK – London – Cambridge Theatre

Dates: 4 September 1930 – present

IMG_2064
IMG_2062
cambridge_auditorium_1
cambridge_auditorium_2
cambridge_auditorium_3
cambridge_auditorium_4
cambridge_auditorium_5
cambridge_auditorium_6
cambridge_auditorium_a
cambridge_theatre_1930_bioscope
IMG_9453
IMG_9456

Situated on Cambridge Circus.
Owned by Really Useful Theatres
Official website: http://www.reallyusefultheatres.co.uk/our-theatres/cambridge
Capacity: 1500

Past Productions

Some information from LW Theatres History page

  • Matilda (Previews from 24 October 2011, opened 24 November 2011 – present) 
  • Chicago (April 2006 – 27 August 2011) transferred from the Adelphi Theatre. Moved into Garrick Theatre from November 7 2011.
  • Dancing in the Streets (2005 – April 22 2006)
  • Something Wicked This Way Comes (2005) starring Derren Brown
  • 2005 Cambridge Theatre became 100% owned by The Really Useful Group Ltd, now LW Theatres
  • Jerry Springer: The Opera (2003 – transfer from the National Theatre)
  • Our House (28 October 2002 to 16 August 2003)
  • The Beautiful Game (Previews 5 September 2000, Opens 26 September 2000)
  • 2000 – Venue taken over by Really Useful Theatres, now LW Theatres, when they purchased Stoll Moss Theatres Litd.
  • Grease (1996 – 3 years) transferred from the Dominion Theatre
  • Fame – The Musical (1995)
  • Peter Pan – The British Musical (1994) starring Ron Moody and Nicola Stapleton
  • Return to the Forbidden Planet (1989 – 1992)
  • The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball (30 August – 2 September 1989)
  • Sherlock Holmes The Musical (1989) transferred from the Northcott Theatre, Exeter
  • Budgle The Musical (1988)
  • The New D’Oyly Carte Company – Iolanthe and The Yeoman of the Guard (1988)
  • Peter Pan – The Musical (1987) – Lulu as Peter and George Cole as Captain Hook
  • 1986 – Taken over by Stoll Moss Theatres and refurbished under the supervision of Carl Toms
  • ?1986 Attempt to turn the building into The Magic Castle of Seven Dials as a permanent venue for magic shows
  • Man and Superman (1983, for 6 weeks) starring Peter O’Toole, Jackie Smith Wood, James Grout, Joyce Carey, Robert Beatty and Tony Selby. Directed by Patrick Dromgoole. 
  • Worzel Gummidge (Previews 18 December 1981, opened 22 December 1981 – ?) starring Jon Pertwee
  • One Mo’ Time (14 July 1981 – ?) starring Vernal Bagneris
  • Ipi Tombi (12 May – 13 June 1981)
  • The Last of Mrs Cheyney (23 October 1980 – 24 January 1981) by Frederick Lonsdale, starring Joan Collins
  • Man and Superman (1980) starring Peter O’Toole
  • Chicago (April 10 1979 – September 20 1980) London premiere
  • Troubadour (December 19 1978 – )
  • Ipi Tombi (transferred from Her Majesty’s Theatre from 16 March 1977 – 6 December 1978) Transferred to Whitehall Theatre
  • Anastasia (1976) starring Nyree Dawn Porter
  • The Three Sisters (1976) starring Janet Suzman
  • The Black Mikado (1975) featuring Michael Denison as Pooh Bah and an otherwise all black cast
  • Behind the Fridge (1972) Peter Cook & Dudley Moore
  • Hamlet (1971) starring Ian McKellen
  • West of Suez (1971) starring Ralph Richardson
  • Captain Brassbound’s Conversion (1971) starring Ingrid Bergman
  • National Theatre Season, including
    • Hedda Gabler (1970)
    • Cyrano de Bergerac (1970)
  • The Desert Song (1968) Bernard Delfont & Emile Littler’s revival, starring John Hanson
  • The Judge (1967) starring Patrick Wymark
  • Little Me (1964) – starring Bruce Forsyth and Avril Angers
  • Half a Sixpence (1963) – starring Tommy Steele. Harold Fielding production.
  • The Merry Widow (1963) starring Lizbeth Webb
  • Signpost to Murder (1962) starring Margaret Lockwood
  • Billy Liar (1960 – 1962) by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall
  • The Reluctant Debutante (1955-1956) starring Deborah Kerr
  • 1950 – Tom Arnold and Prince Littler took control of the Cambridge Theatre and renewed the interior decoration
  • Sauce Piquant (1950) Revue (featuring Audrey Hepburn in the chorus)
  • Sauce Tartar (1949) revue by Cecil Landau
  • A Night in Venice (1944) operetta
  • Peter Pan (1943) starring Glynis Johns as Peter
  • Heartbreak House (1943) with Edith Evans, Robert Donat & Ursula Jeans
  • 1066 And All That (1937) Revue
  • Elizabeth of England (1931)
  • Kong (Feb 5 1931 – ?) The first musical play to be performed at the Cambridge, starring Oscar Asche and Ursula Jeans
  • On The Spot () Edgar Wallace thriller starring Charles Laughton
  • Masquerade (4 September 1930 – ?) – Andre Charlot’s revue, starring Beatrice Lilllie. 
    • The theatre was opened by Bertie Meyer
      Architects: Wimperis, Simpson & Guthrie.
      Builders: Gee, Walker & Slater Ltd. 
      Decorative Scheme: Waring & Gillow and their artist S. Chermayeff. 
      Consulting Electrical Engineer: W. S. Veness (of Venreco)

Equipment

The original stage lighting installation was by manufacturers Venreco, who were based in the 7 Dials area. 

1971 (from The Stage Guide)
Electrics: Strand CDTH board on SL perch. Dimmers – 120; groups – 14 memory pistons. Circuits – FOH 20; Flies 70; Stage dips 24. Socket type 15A BESA.  Total capacity available – 900A on 3 phases. Special effects supply – 60A on 1 phase. Follow spots – 2 Stelmar. Footlights installed and cannot be covered. 
Sound: No permanent installation. 

The Theatres Trust

Cambridge Theatre, London on the Theatres Trust Database

Links to information about equipment at Cambridge Theatre, London over the years

  • CD / System CD (Strand)

    • Documents


    Cambridge Theatre - Arthur Lloyd 
    [External Website]
    From Arthur Lloyd website

     

     

    Location


    View in Google Maps

    Refurbishments

    From the Really Useful Theatres website:
    Following the installation of 8 brand new ladies toilets in 2013, the Cambridge theatre has continued to receive internal renovations this year with works going ahead to upgrade the Stalls bar located in the basement of the theatre.
    Renovations took place during August, a very busy time of the year for the theatre with additional matinees for the school summer holidays, works therefore had to be scheduled around numerous performances and company rehearsals.
    The bar was furnished with brand new bar tops and enhanced lighting all in keeping with the germanic moderne style instilled in the theatre at its creation in the 1930s. Bringing the bar back to the modern day it was equipped with EPOS electrical tills with more serving points than before with the aim to speed up customer service.
    During 2014 the cloakroom was also relocated from the area fondly known as the ‘banana run’ to enable improved circulation of theatre goers on arrival.