Monday, June 11, 2007

Something 'Wicked' This Way Comes at the Apollo Victoria - The Venue

One of the largest theatres in London with a capacity of 2,348, the Apollo Victoria opened as a cinema in 1930 and became a legitimate theatre in 1981. Located across from Victoria Station, the theatre is done in an Art Deco style and was refurbished prior to the opening of the Broadway hit ‘Wicked’.

The Apollo Victoria was the home to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical 'Starlight Express' for 18 years. The musical required that the entire theatre be altered to include tracks for the rolling skating actors, who portrayed train cars, to skate around the theatre on multiple levels with tracks running along the front of the dress circle and into the stalls. Projection screens enabled the audience to watch the action happening around the theatre. On the stage the tracks were linked to a skating bowl and five-ton revolving bridge.

It's unusual for any production in London to publicly announce their weekly gross. However, in December 'Wicked' set an all-time record for a single week’s gross in the West End with a record-breaking GBP873,020 (US$1.6 million). Below is the foyer with two of several Ozdust Boutiques selling souvenirs from the theatre's latest tenant and refreshment counters.

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