London Coliseum

The London Coliseum stands in St Martin’s Lane in the City of Westminster. Designed by Frank Matcham for Oswald Stoll, it opened in 1904 as a large family variety theatre. The Edwardian building mixes Free Baroque flourishes with marble foyers and a vast three-tier auditorium. Its stage once hosted a full-scale revolving chariot race and later a cricket match between Middlesex and Surrey. The theatre also saw the last play by W. S. Gilbert and long runs of American musicals in the 1950s. After a spell as a Cinerama cinema, it became home to the English National Opera in 1968. The theatre’s technical ambition set it apart. It was one of the first in Europe with lifts to the upper levels and the first in England to install a triple revolving stage. The stage measures 55 feet wide by 92 feet deep, with the widest proscenium arch in London. Electric lighting and a vast orchestra pit were part of the original scheme. The auditorium seats 2,359, the largest capacity of any West End theatre. Two lifts provide step-free access to most levels. Visitors enter through lavish foyers with marble facings and classical detailing. The auditorium’s eclectic decoration includes squat columns, domed boxes and sculptural groups above the proscenium. Today the building hosts opera and ballet seasons by the English National Opera and Ballet. The stage still turns occasionally, though the triple revolve is rarely used. The auditorium retains its original opulence, including the semi-circular proscenium arch and richly ornamented tiers.