Located on Wilton Road next door to Victoria Station, the Apollo Victoria Theatre is a west-end theatre that first opened its doors as a cinema and variety theatre before eventually becoming a venue for west-end musicals. The first major west end production to showcase at the venue was 'The Sound Of Music' in 1981 which was followed by the hugely popular and long-running musical 'Starlight Express' from 1984 to 2002.
Architects Ernest Wamsley Lewis and William Edward Trent were commissioned to build The Apollo Victoria Theatre in 1929 for Provincial Cinematograph Theatres which was a part of the Gaumont British chain. The venue was designed with two identical façades featuring on Vauxhall Bridge Road and Wilton Road and the main construction of the building is made of concrete, with strong horizontal banding all along the exterior sides of the auditorium and the entrances to the theatre feature a cantilevered canopy and are beautifully framed by vertical channeling, and feature two black marble columns rising to the roof line. The entrance makes use of chrome trimmings and leads into a nautical-themed interior with an Art Deco style that makes good use of concealed lighting, and is decorated with scallop shells and prominent columns that seem to flow into stunning sculptured fountains when they reach the ceiling.
The stage is 74 feet by 24 feet and is equipped with 10 dressing rooms and two suites for principals. The venue first opened its doors as the New Victoria Cinema on 15th October 1930 featuring the film 'Old English' starring George Arlis and was equipped with a Compton 3 manual 15 rank theatre organ which was played on the opening night by Reginald Foort. Variety shows would also feature at the theatre but these soon gave way to showing movies along with occasional performances by big bands. The theatre was Grade II Listed on 28th June 1972.
Due to World War II the theatre was forced to close between September 1940 to May 1941, but thankfully but no serious damage was sustained to the structure and it quickly reopened. Although plans were made for the demolition of the theatre in the 1950s, these were eventually shelved and it was saved. A mixture of ballet, live shows and movies.
followed with the cinema finally closing in November 1975 before reopening again in 1981 as the New Victoria Theatre presenting concerts and eventually west end shows.
The current show featuring at the Apollo Victoria Theatre is Wicked The Musical which has showcased at the venue since 2006. Tickets to all performances of Wicked can be booked securely online through this website.
FAQ's About Tickets At The Apollo Victoria Theatre
Are Tickets At The Apollo Victoria Theatre Expensive?
As the Apollo Victoria Theatre is a very large venue to fill up for 8 shows every week it also comes with lots of different price bands that are designed to suit everyone, including people looking to find tickets on a limited budget. If you add to that the fact that there are very few tickets that feature a restricted view then it makes the Apollo Victoria consistently one of the best value venues in the West End! There are only two levels in the theatre and the ticket prices tend to work with the cheapest seats situated on the sides and getting more expensive the further towards the middle you get.
Where Are The Best Value Tickets In The Theatre?
This very much depends on whether you prefer to sit in the stalls looking directly at the stage, or in the circle looking down from an elevated position? Tickets in the stalls get more expensive the further towards the middle you get and row Q can deliver great value for consumers in all price bands as it is situated not too far from the stage but with a corridor directly in front of it meaning that you have an absolutely guaranteed clear view regardless of who is sitting in front of you! In the circle good value and last-minute ticket bargains can be found in central seats from about row F and back during midweek performances and occasionally at weekends during quiet weeks and off peak periods.
Do They Ever Discount Tickets At The Apollo Victoria Theatre?
Yes they do! Great discounts and bargains can often be found for midweek performances from Monday to Thursday. Due to the sheer size of the Apollo Victoria Theatre, cheap tickets are usually available from both the online ticket agencies as well as from the official retail outlets in and around Leicester Square. When shopping for discounts to West End shows it can be useful as a rule of thumb to work on the basis that the producers of shows will generally discount from week to week, so if you are looking to book for a specific date in the future such as a birthday or anniversary you may need to forgo getting discounts to ensure that you secure decent seats on the correct date as all tickets are perishable products and availability naturally gets less and less the closer to the performance you get which makes securing the best seats at the best price a bit of a gamble!
Is There A 'Best Time' To Buy Tickets To Performances at The Apollo Victoria Theatre?
As with all shows there are both busy and quiet weeks of the year. It is usually best to avoid trying to book tickets during school holidays as it is likely that discounts for the show won't be in place for those weeks and often the decent cheaper options will have been snapped up weeks in advance. The quiet months of November, January and February will consistently bring good value for both prices and availability and should be explored by any serious bargain hunter as real value can be found!
Should I Avoid Buying Tickets That Are Marked As Restricted View?
There aren't too many restricted view seats in the Apollo Victoria Theatre and thankfully unlike a lot of venues in the West End there are no pillars or major overhangs to negotiate. If you are taking young children to see the show though then please be advised that the front row of the circle comes with a recommendation that patrons are a minimum of 5' 8'' (173cm). It is always advisable to check the seating plan before booking tickets as any restriction to the view should be clearly marked there enabling you to check the severity of the restriction and therefore make an informed decision before spending your hard earned cash!
