Empress Theatre of Varieties

The Empress Theatre stood at the corner of Bernay’s Grove and Brighton Terrace in Brixton, south London. Built in 1898, it was designed by Wylson & Long for Messrs W. H. Burney and W. J. Grimes. The theatre seated 1,260 across three levels: stalls and pit, dress circle and gallery. Its stage measured 60 feet wide by 40 feet deep with a 30-foot proscenium opening. The auditorium featured French Renaissance decoration, including nine heraldic panels of griffins on pink shields beneath a domed ceiling. Marble mosaic and Japanese leather adorned the box-office hall, while reclining figures of Euterpe and Terpsichore flanked the proscenium. The Empress opened on Boxing Day 1898 with a variety show that drew hundreds of patrons, many turned away. Early performers included Brixton’s Kate Carney and Thomas Edison’s moving pictures. Arthur Lloyd appeared there in 1900, 1901 and 1902, alongside stars like Joe Elvin, Vera Lynn and Marie Lloyd. By the 1950s and 1960s, the stage hosted Tony Hancock, Alma Cogan, Max Miller and Bruce Forsyth. The theatre’s name changed over time, becoming the Granada Cinema in 1957 before later serving as a bingo hall and furniture warehouse. Today, a small housing development occupies the site. The Empress’s grand interior once rivalled London’s finest variety theatres, its dome and decorations reflecting the opulence of the late 19th century. Performers from different eras graced its stage, leaving a legacy of entertainment history. Though the building no longer stands, its story remains part of Brixton’s past. The site’s redevelopment marks the end of an era for one of south London’s most notable venues.