Apollo Victoria Theatre

The Apollo Victoria Theatre on Wilton Road in Victoria, Westminster, opened on 15 October 1930 as the New Victoria Cinema with a screening of "Old English" starring George Arliss, is one of the few surviving Art Deco super-cinemas of inter-war London and since 2006 the permanent home of the global musical success "Wicked". Designed by architects E. Wamsley Lewis and W. E. Trent, the building's remarkable feature was its dual-frontage architecture: identical entrances on Wilton Road and Vauxhall Bridge Road, allowing crowds to enter from both sides of the block. The unrestrained Art Deco interior — described at the time as "a fairy palace under the sea" — features sweeping curves, illuminated stalactite-like ceiling decorations, and dramatic columns. After decades as a cinema and concert venue (hosting Bill Haley & His Comets and the Beatles among many others), the building was converted into a live theatre in 1980. The first stage production was the musical "Sound of Music" with Petula Clark, followed by long runs of "Starlight Express" (1984–2002, eighteen years and over 7,000 performances) and "Bombay Dreams" (2002–2004). Since 27 September 2006, Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman's "Wicked" has played here continuously — the longest-running stage production in the theatre's history. The auditorium seats 2,328 and is Grade II* listed, recognising both its architectural significance and its largely preserved original Art Deco features. The Apollo Victoria belongs to the Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), one of the largest theatre operators in the United Kingdom. Its location near Victoria Station makes it one of the most easily accessible large theatres in the West End.