It all began over 150 years ago, when the site on Crooms Hill was home to John Green’s Rose and Crown Music Hall. This modest venue evolved through a cavalcade of identities, becoming Crowder’s Music Hall in 1871 under Charles Crowder’s ambitious refurbishments. Despite a brief brush with legal troubles for unlicensed stage plays, Crowder kept the show going with an eclectic mix of burlesque, concerts, and ballet. The venue's name changed as rapidly as its acts—from the Temple of Varieties to the Parthenon Theatre of Varieties, whose Nevada Street façade still graces the modern theatre.
By the early 20th century, the theatre had transformed into the Greenwich Hippodrome Picture Palace, blending live performances with the magic of cinema. However, the curtain fell in 1924 when it lost its live performance license, and an incendiary bomb during World War II dealt it a further blow, leading to its closure and abandonment.
Fast forward to 1969, when local actor and director Ewan Hooper spearheaded a passionate campaign to resurrect the theatre, resulting in a stylish new building designed by Brian Meeking. It reopened with the world premiere of "Martin Luther King" by Hooper himself, marking the beginning of a renaissance. The theatre quickly became a crucible for new dramatic works, with notable early productions including Chekhov’s "Three Sisters" and Jean Genet’s "The Maids," starring luminaries like Glenda Jackson and Susannah York.
Despite a near-fatal crisis in the late 1990s, the theatre bounced back in 1999 and has since flourished. It now stands as one of London’s premiere Off-West End venues, renowned for its commitment to young and emerging theatre companies. With annual events like the Greenwich Children’s Theatre Festival and acclaimed productions ranging from classic dramas to innovative new musicals, Greenwich Theatre continues to be a beacon of creative excellence, inviting audiences to experience the magic of live performance in a space rich with history and reinvention.
Details
- Address:
- Crooms Hill
- SE10 9JL
- Transport:
- Railway station: Greenwich