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London Coliseum
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{{Short description|Theatre in London}} {{About|the London theatre in St. Martin's Lane|the former building to the east of Regent's Park|London Colosseum|other uses|Coliseum Theatre (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Use British English|date=April 2012}} {{Infobox Theatre | name = London Coliseum | image = London Coliseum.jpg | caption = London Coliseum in 2004 | address = [[St Martin's Lane]] | city = [[London]], [[WC postcode area|WC2]] | country = United Kingdom | publictransit = {{Ubl | {{rint|london|underground}} {{lus|Charing Cross}}; {{lus|Leicester Square}} | {{rint|gb|Rail}} {{rws|Charing Cross}} }} | designation = [[Listed building|Grade II*]] | coordinates = {{coord|51.509722|-0.126389|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | architect = [[Frank Matcham]] | owner = [[English National Opera]] | capacity = 2,359 seats on 3 tiers (4 levels) | opened = {{Ubl | {{Start date and age|1904|12|24|df=yes}} }} | renovated = 2000β2004 | yearsactive = | othernames = {{Ubl | ''The Coliseum Theatre'' | ''London Coliseum Theatre of Varieties'' }} | production = <!--''[[Hairspray (musical)|Hairspray]]''--> | currentuse = Opera house | website = {{URL|londoncoliseum.org}} }} [[File:London Coliseum Auditorium 2018-09-23 7.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|Interior showing stage, orchestra pit, boxes, and seating.]] [[File:London Coliseum Auditorium Ceiling 2018-09-23 1.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|The domed ceiling]] The '''London Coliseum''' (also known as the '''Coliseum Theatre''') is a theatre in [[St Martin's Lane]], [[City of Westminster|Westminster]], built as one of [[London]]'s largest and most luxurious "family" [[variety theatre]]s. Opened on 24 December 1904 as the '''London Coliseum Theatre of Varieties''', it was designed by the [[architect]] [[Frank Matcham]] for the [[impresario]] [[Oswald Stoll]].<ref name="cinematreasures">{{cite web|title=London Coliseum|url=http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/11041|publisher=Cinema Treasures|access-date=15 January 2010|author=KenRoe|archive-date=4 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604002740/http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/11041|url-status=live}}</ref> Their ambition was to build the largest and finest [[music hall]], described as the "people's palace of entertainment" of its age.<ref name=AL>{{cite web|last=Lloyd|first=Arthur|title=The London Coliseum, St. Martin's Lane, London, WC2|url=http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/LondonColiseum.htm|publisher=Arthurlloyd.co.uk|access-date=28 November 2014}}</ref> At the time of construction, the Coliseum was one of the few theatres in Europe to provide lifts for taking patrons to the upper levels of the house,<ref>In London the Royal Albert Hall, opened in 1871, also offered visitors this amenity.</ref> and was the first theatre in England to have a triple [[revolving stage|revolve]] installed on its stage. The theatre has 2,359 seats making it the largest theatre in London. After being used for variety shows, musical comedies, and stage plays for many years, then as a cinema screening films in the [[Cinerama]] format between 1963 and 1968, the [[Sadler's Wells Theatre|Sadler's Wells Opera Company]] moved into the building in 1968. The Sadler's Wells company changed its name to the [[English National Opera]] in 1974 and today it is used primarily for opera as well as being the London home of the [[English National Ballet]].
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