Empire Leicester Square

The Empire Leicester Square stands on the north side of Leicester Square in the City of Westminster. Built in 1884 as a variety theatre, it became one of London’s leading stages for ballet and music hall. The theatre opened with Chilpéric, a grand musical spectacular, and hosted premières by Hervé and works by Edward Solomon. By 1887 it was renamed the Empire Theatre of Varieties and became known for its lavish stage designs by C. Wilhelm. In 1896 it presented the first commercial film shows in the UK, introduced by Auguste and Louis Lumière. In the 1920s the building was rebuilt as a cinema by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Solly Joel. The new auditorium seated about 3,300 and was fully air-conditioned, with a Wurlitzer organ and a large stage. It opened in 1928 with the silent film Trelawny of the Wells and soon became a premier venue for film premières. After the war it hosted elaborate cine-variety shows under Nat Carlson, and in 1952 it appeared in Charlie Chaplin’s Limelight. In 1959 it was adapted to show Ben-Hur in 70 mm for 76 weeks. Today the Empire has nine auditoriums, including an IMAX, a Superscreen and a 4DX screen. Parts of the 1893 foyer and the 1928 façade survive behind later additions. The grand foyer retains its white and black Italian marble walls and domed ceiling. The former stalls now house the Casino at the Empire, while Screen 1 was refurbished in 1989 with fibre optic starfields and a THX sound system. The building remains a focal point for film premières and special screenings in the heart of the West End.