All photographs except that of the entrance and research by Robert Freidus. Photograph of the entrance by Jacqueline Banerjee. Text, formatting, and perspective correction by George P. Landow. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
The London Coliseum. Listed Building. Designed by Frank Matcham. Terracotta facade: Hathern’s of Leicestershire. 1904. St Martin's Lane, WC2, London. The London Coliseum now houses the English National Opera, which restored the building 2000-2004. [Click on photographs for larger pictures.]
Left: Entrance. Right: Tower with sculpture and globe, which no longer rotates. Volume 34 of of The Survey of London (which British Listed Buildings site has put online) describes the style of this ‘Edwardian ‘Theatre de Luxe of London ’ with richly decorated interiors and a vast and grandiose auditorium” as “exuberant Free Baroque. . . . When built the Coliseum was London's largest theatre with the latest machinery including triple-revolve (disused) and a counterweight system and cyclorama track, still in use, as well as being uniquely equipped with lifts to upper floors. The Coliseum is one of Matcham's finest achievements and very little altered apart from the painting of the exterior.”
Sculpture on the London Coliseum
References
“The Coliseum Theatre (english National Opera) 32-36, Westminster” British Listed Buildings). Web. 26 October 2011. Listing NGR: TQ3012680662.
Weinreb, Ben and Christopher Hibbert, eds. The London Encyclopaedia. London: Macmillan, rev. ed. 1992.
Last modified 29 September 2012