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About us |
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In the heart of Elephant & Castle, The Coronet Theatre plays host to the biggest and best parties in town. The venue has welcomed the likes of Supermartxe, Warp Events, Friendly Fires presents, Bugged Out!, Eat Your Own Ears, Groove Armada, Wolfmother, The Rifles, The Decemberists, Ed Banger Parties and Alicia Keys to name a few.
With a capacity of 2600 over three floors and a mind-blowing state-of-the-art sound system the 1920’s Art-Deco building is the perfect venue to put on club nights, live music and corporate events. Combined with, its late license and multiple arenas’, the theatre is most certainly the most unique venue of its kind in London.
A hidden gem in South London and seeped in history- The Theatre was once bustling with people of all ages and back grounds. In the Victorian era the crowds flocked to see the latest Melodramas when the venue was a Theatre. Then later the famous Saturday morning Minors ABC shows was the reason to come.
The Coronet is again drawing crowds and hoping to make history once again with some unforgettable shows and events.
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The Coronet Theatre
14th of March 2009
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| Programme for ‘Little Bo Peep’ at the Elephant and Castle Theatre
24th of December 1889
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Originally conceived as a scheme for a public hall with associated facilities, The Coronets building plans were changed just after work commenced. The site was re-thought and plans to develop the Theatre Royal (which opened 1872) were born. The short lived theatre was partly destroyed in a fire in 1878.
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In 1879 the renovated Elephant and Castle Theatre opened its doors to the public once again. This time designed by architect J. Robinson (who died before its completion). The work was overseen by his son-in-law Frank Matcham who took over the project to complete it, making The Coronet the first of many famous theatres designed by Frank Matcham. Matcham went on to design other well know London theatres such as the Astoria and Camden Palace and was regarded as a notable specialist architect in this field. The trademark art deco features of Frank Matcham throughout the building are recognizable and are typical of the grand theatre design of the Victorian era.
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The Elephant and Castle
Theatre
20th of Jan 1928
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Unfortunately, the public taste for live theatre and variety gradually changed and the building was reconstructed to the plans of W.R. Glen (the house architect for ABC). It would have been impossible for the building to survive without modernization as the Trocadero, with 3,400 seats and London's largest purpose-built super Theatre-Cinema, was about to be constructed opposite, and opened in 1930.
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| The Elephant and Castle Theatre 20th of Jan 1928
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Opening in 1931 the new Cinema retained the name of Theatre Royal Elephant & Castle and boasted an organ to accompany the silent movies which helped Elephant and Castle become the heart of modern entertainment in London.
As the rest of London and Elephant and Castle fell down and was destroyed by The Blitz in 1942, the Theatre stood strong and even gave shelter during this time.
In 1967 the theatre was renamed ABC Elephant & Castle and was tripled (3 screens). In 1981 Providing cinema screenings for all walks of the community which some would still remember today as the Saturday morning children’s screenings: Visitors might recall singing along to these songs while they queued:
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We are the boys and girls well known as
minors of the ABC
And every Saturday all line up
to see the films we like, and shout aloud with glee.
We like to laugh and have our sing-song
just a happy crowd are we.
We’re all pals together;
we’re minors of the ABC.
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The cinema was then taken over briefly by Cannon and then the Coronet.
It was left uninhabited from 1999 becoming a ghost within the area. The building fell into what could only be seen as disrepair.
In 2001 the Coronet was taken over again and the building was finally restored with over 2 million spent on the renovation. The amazing art deco features glimmered once again.
The doors re-opened in Easter 2003.
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| The Coronet in 2001
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| The Coronet changed hands once more to become The Coronet Theatre – as it still stands today. Although no longer a cinema, the Coronet is now one of the best music venues in London. Refurbishments are still being done throughout the building the most recent being the exterior neon signage.
And like the new signage - The Coronet Theatre shines once again and attracts over 80,000 people a year to a range of different events.
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| The Coronet 2009
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| However the history and character of this building is not lost as each wall has a story from the past and the original features remind you of being part of the history and future of the Coronet Theatre.
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| The Coronet 2009
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