The London Palladium () is a Grade II*

West End theatre West End theatre is mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres in and near the West End of London.Christopher Innes"West End"in ''The Cambridge Guide to Theatre'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998), pp. 1194–1195, ...

located on Argyll Street,

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, in

Soho SoHo, short for "South of Houston Street, Houston Street", is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Since the 1970s, the neighborhood has been the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, art installations such as The Wall ...

. 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 The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

on 13 October 1963; one newspaper's headlines in the following days coined the term " Beatlemania" to describe the hysterical interest in the band. 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

Walter Gibbons, an early moving-pictures manager, intended for 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, 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 An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

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. The building now carries Heritage Foundation commemorative plaques honouring Lew Grade and Frankie Vaughan. The Palladium had its own

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system so the occupants of boxes could call one another. It also had a revolving stage.

History

1910 to 1928

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, of which footage has survived. 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

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 Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

and his Orchestra (on 12 June 1933, his first ever concert hall performance), Adelaide Hall,

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...

and Ethel Waters for two-week engagements. 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''. 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 Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...

spy thriller '' The 39 Steps'' was filmed at the Palladium.

Second World War

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

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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. The

George Medal The George Medal (GM), instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI,''British Gallantry Medals'' (Abbott and Tamplin), p. 138 is a decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for gallantry, typically ...

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

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 Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Channing Pollock, the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and his orchestra,

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

, Liza Minnelli,

Lena Horne Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010) was an American singer, actress, dancer and civil rights activist. Horne's career spanned more than seventy years and covered film, television and theatre. Horne joined the chorus of the C ...

, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee,

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

, Sammy Davis Jr.,

Frankie Laine Frankie Laine (born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio; March 30, 1913 – February 6, 2007) was an American singer and songwriter whose career spanned nearly 75 years, from his first concerts in 1930 with a marathon dance company to his final performa ...

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 Thomas Edward Trinder (24 March 1909 – 10 July 1989) was an English stage, screen and radio comedian whose catchphrase was "You lucky people!". Described by Cultural history, cultural historian Matthew Sweet (writer), Matthew Sweet as "a cocky ...

, 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. British stars on the show included

Cliff Richard Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is a British singer and actor. He has total sales of over 21.5 million singles in the United Kingdom and, as of 2012, was the third-top-selling artist in UK Singles Chart histo ...

and the Shadows,

Petula Clark Sally "Petula" Clark (born 15 November 1932) is a British singer, actress, and songwriter. She started her professional career as a child actor, child performer and has had the longest career of any British entertainer, spanning more than 85 y ...

and

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

. 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.Pawlowski, Gareth L. (1990). ''How They Became The Beatles''. p. 146. McDonald & Co (Publishers) Ltd. 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 The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and listed building, Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) an ...

, 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). In 1968, Sammy Davis Jr. starred in '' Golden Boy'', the first book musical to be produced in the venue. A

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...

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

On 6 December 1970 Dorothy Squires gave a concert at the Palladium, recorded for an LP release the following year. In January 1973, glam rock band

Slade Slade are a rock band formed in Wolverhampton, England in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. The '' British Hit Singl ...

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. Also in 1974,

Josephine Baker Freda Josephine Baker (; June 3, 1906 – April 12, 1975), naturalized as Joséphine Baker, was an American and French dancer, singer, and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in France. She was the first Black woman to s ...

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.

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.
In October 1976,

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player an ...

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. In 1979,

Kate Bush Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, and dancer. Bush began writing songs at age 11. She was signed to EMI Records after David Gilmour of Pink Floyd helped produce a demo tape. In 1978, at the ...

performed at the Palladium with her first concert tour the Tour of Life. 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 Lionel Bart (1 August 1930 – 3 April 1999) was an English writer and composer of pop music and musicals. He wrote Tommy Steele's "Rock with the Caveman" and was the sole creator of the musical ''Oliver!'' (1960). With ''Oliver!'' and his work ...

's musical '' Oliver!'', directed by

Sam Mendes Sir Samuel Alexander Mendes (born 1 August 1965) is a British film and stage director, producer, and screenwriter. In 2000, Mendes was appointed a CBE for his services to drama, and he was Knight Bachelor, knighted in the 2020 New Year Honours ...

. 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 Adam Garcia is an Australian actor who is best known for lead roles in musicals such as '' Saturday Night Fever'' and '' Kiss Me, Kate''. He is also a trained tap dancer and singer. Garcia has been nominated twice at the Laurence Olivier Award ...

and Ben Richards.

21st century

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 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 ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' is a 1968 children's film, children's Musical film, musical fantasy film directed by Ken Hughes and produced by Albert R. Broccoli. It stars Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Lionel Jeffries, Gert Fröbe, Anna Quayle, ...

'' 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 Richard O'Brien (born Richard Timothy Smith; 25 March 1942) is a British-New Zealand actor, writer, musician, and television presenter. He wrote the musical stage show ''The Rocky Horror Show'' in 1973, which has since remained in continuous p ...

. 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 1950s. On 1 November 2004 and 22 November singer-songwriter

Jackson Browne Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American rock musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 30 million albums in the United States. Emerging as a teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he had his ...

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. London Palladium 2007

Lloyd Webber and David Ian's production of ''

The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, '' The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. ...

'' 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 Dame Sheila Cameron Hancock (born 22 February 1933) is an English actress, singer, and author. She has performed on stage in both plays and musicals in London theatres, and is also known for her roles in films and on television. Her Broadway ...

as Mother Superior,

Ian Lavender Arthur Ian Lavender (16 February 1946 – 2 February 2024) was an English stage, film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Private Pike in ''Dad's Army'', a BBC sitcom set during World War II, of which he was the last survivi ...

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 The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...

awards, which were broadcast on

BBC television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1 January 1927. It p ...

, and in 2010 the BAFTA Television Awards returned to the Palladium. 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.

2010s

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 BBC Two is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's second flagship channel, and it covers a wide range of subject matte ...

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 ITV1 (formerly known as ITV) is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the British media company ITV plc. It provides the ITV (TV network), Channel 3 ...

Robbie Williams Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, launching a solo career in 1996. His debut studio album, ''Life thru a Lens'', was re ...

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 ''The Muppet Show'' is a variety sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and starring the Muppets. It is presented as a variety show, featuring recurring sketches and musical numbers interspersed with ongoing plot-lines with ru ...

'' ( Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo,

Statler and Waldorf Statler and Waldorf are a pair of The Muppets, Muppet characters from the sketch comedy television series ''The Muppet Show'', best known for their overly negative opinions and their tendency to Heckler, heckle people. The two elderly men fi ...

), Lily Allen, Rufus Wainwright, his father, a children's choir and a 30-piece orchestra. Invited guests included Adele and

One Direction One Direction, often shortened to 1D, were an English-Irish pop boy band formed in London in 2010. The group consisted of Niall Horan, Zayn Malik (until his departure in 2015), Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson. The group sold o ...

. 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 ''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical conceived by Michael Bennett with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is cent ...

'' starring John Partridge, Scarlett Strallen and Leigh Zimmerman. 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. In 2014, Really Useful Group split in two, and the entity owning the theatre became the Really Useful Theatres Group. 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 Beverley Knight (born Beverley Anne Smith, 22 March 1973) is an English singer, songwriter, actress and radio personality. She released her first album, ''The B-Funk'', in 1995. Heavily influenced by American soul music icons such as Sam Cooke ...

. 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 with performers including Julian Clary, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot, Paul Zerdin, Paul O'Grady,

Dawn French Dawn Roma French (born 11 October 1957) is a British actress, comedian and writer. She is known for writing and starring on the BBC sketch comedy series '' French and Saunders'' (1987–2007) with her best friend and comedy partner Jennifer Sa ...

, Ashley Banjo and

Diversity Diversity, diversify, or diverse may refer to: Business *Diversity (business), the inclusion of people of different identities (ethnicity, gender, age) in the workforce *Diversity marketing, marketing communication targeting diverse customers * ...

, Elaine Paige, Charlie Stemp, Amanda Holden, Lee Mead, Matt Baker,

, 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 March 2025, it was announced through the venue's social media that, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the return of the Palladium Pantomime, the 2025/26 production would be ''

Sleeping Beauty "Sleeping Beauty" (, or ''The Beauty Sleeping in the Wood''; , or ''Little Briar Rose''), also titled in English as ''The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods'', is a fairy tale about a princess curse, cursed by an evil fairy to suspended animation in fi ...

'', starring Palladium panto veterans Clary, Havers and Zerdin, and introducing actress and comedienne Catherine Tate, comic impressionist Jon Culshaw, and West End stars Emily Lane (''Hello Dolly!'') and Amonik Melaco; the show will run for five weeks from 6 December 2025 until 11 January 2026, with tickets on-sale from 26 March (for priority booking) and 28 March 2025 (for general booking). 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, on the first anniversary of his death, 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." For the 2018 summer season Bartlett Sher's

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

-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. 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.

2020s

The Dreamcoat production was due to return in summer 2020; however, due to the

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

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 The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

'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 Samantha Florence Bailey (born 29 June 1977) is an English Pop music, pop singer who won the The X Factor (British series 10), tenth series of ''The X Factor (British TV series), The X Factor'' in 2013. Following her win, her debut single, a c ...

. In summer 2023, a new production of '' The Wizard of Oz'' was revived at the Palladium for a limited season starring Gary Wilmot as the Wizard, Ashley Banjo as the Tin Man, Jason Manford as the Cowardly Lion,

Dianne Pilkington Dianne Lesley Pilkington (born 7 June 1975) is an English theatre actress and singer. Personal life Pilkington was born in Wigan. She trained at the Guildford School of Acting, graduating in 1997 with the Principal's Award. Pilkington marrie ...

as the Wicked Witch of the West,

Christina Bianco Christina Bianco (born February 7, 1982) is an American actress, singer and impressionist. Bianco is best known for her theatrical work, television appearances and YouTube videos in which she impersonates celebrities, both singing and speaking ...

as Glinda and Georgina Onuorah as Dorothy. In summer 2024, a revival of ''Hello, Dolly!'' directed by

Dominic Cooke Dominic Cooke (born 1966) is an English director and writer. Early life Born in Wimbledon, London, Wimbledon, south London, Cooke was brought up seeing a lot of theatre as a teenager from free theatre tickets provided by the Inner London Ed ...

, starring Imelda Staunton, Jenna Russell, Andy Nyman and Tyrone Huntley ran for a limited season. 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. Jamie Lloyd's 2019 production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's ''Evita'' is scheduled to transfer to the Palladium for a limited season in the summer of 2025. Rachel Zegler has been announced to play Eva Perón in the revival, which is scheduled to play from 14 June–6 September, 2025 with an official opening on 1 July.

Notable recent and present productions

Musicals

* 1991–93: '' Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' * 1994–98: '' Oliver!'' * 1998–2000: '' Saturday Night Fever'' * 2000–02: '' The King and I'' * 2002–05: ''

'' * 2005–06: '' Scrooge The Musical'' * 2006–09: ''

'' * 2009–10: '' Sister Act the Musical'' * 2011–12: '' The Wizard of Oz'' * 2012–13: '' Scrooge The Musical'' * 2013: ''

'' * 2014: '' I Can't Sing!'' * 2014–16: ''Cats'' * 2017: ''The Wind in the Willows'' *2018: '' The King and I'' *2019: '' Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' *2021: '' Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' *2022: '' Beauty and the Beast'' *2023: ''The Wizard of Oz'' *2024: ''Hello, Dolly!'' *2025: ''Evita''

Concerts and one-night only shows

* 2016: '' Eugenius!'' by Ben Adams and Chris Wilkins, world premiere concert performance on 29 June. Produced by and starred Warwick Davis * 19 October 2019:

Cradle of Filth Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved originally from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic metal and other metal genres. Their ly ...

's 20th Anniversary, playing '' Cruelty and the Beast'' in its entirety. *29 October 2019:

Opeth Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. The band incorporates folk music, folk, blues, classical music, classical, and jazz elements into its usually lengthy compositions, as well as strong influences from deat ...

, '' In Cauda Venenum'' Tour *2020 Jan/Feb: Madame X Tour

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...

. *25 February 2020: Mick Fleetwood & Friends. *2021: "An Audience with... Adele" was filmed at the Palladium as part of her comeback for her album '' 30''. *2022 October: '' Rough and Rowdy Ways'' tour by

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

. *2023: '' Tailenders: The Live Show'', starring Greg James, Felix White, and James Anderson *2023: '' Death Note: The Musical'' concert staging featuring Joaquin Pedro Valdes, Dean John-Wilson, and Frances Mayli McCann. Music by

Frank Wildhorn Frank Wildhorn (born November 29, 1958) is an American composer of both musicals and popular songs. His musical ''Jekyll & Hyde (musical), Jekyll & Hyde'' ran for four years on Broadway. He also wrote the hit song "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" for ...

, lyrics by Jack Murphy, and book by Ivan Menchell. English language premiere. *2023: Darren Criss London Concert – featuring guest appearances from Lauren Lopez, Joey Richter, Clark Baxtresser and West End star Carrie Hope Fletcher *2024: '' It's StarKid, Innit?''- The debut UK performance of StarKid Productions. The fastest selling musical concert in London Palladium history. *2025: '' Figaro: An Original Musical'' in its world premiere performance, starring Aimie Atkinson ('' Six'') and Jon Robyns ('' Phantom of the Opera'', '' Les Misérables''). Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra (April '25) *2025: David Garrett “ The Millennium Symphony” symphonic reinterpretations of iconic songs from the past 25 years, blending classical music with pop, rock, R&B, and electronic styles.

Christmas pantomimes

Notes

References

* ''Guide to British Theatres 1750–1950'', John Earl and Michael Sell pp. 122–3 (Theatres Trust, 2000)

External links

The Official London Palladium Site

from Television Heaven's ''Sunday Night at the London Palladium''

It's Behind You
Building history
'' Survey of London'', vols 31 and 32 (1963)
London Palladium
Theatre History with many pictures and original Programmes; Music Hall and Theatre History Site – Dedicated to Arthur Lloyd, 1839 – 1904

by Donald Auty, Music Hall and Theatre History Site – Dedicated to Arthur Lloyd, 1839 – 1904 {{Authority control West End theatres Grade II* listed buildings in the City of Westminster Theatres completed in 1910 Theatres in the City of Westminster Edwardian architecture in London 1910 establishments in England Soho, London