Astoria Theatre
157 Charing Cross Road,
London,
WC2 8EN
157 Charing Cross Road,
London,
WC2 8EN
6 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 59 of 59 comments
Kylie Minogue performed at G.A.Y. on the Saturday evening this photograph was taken, November 2003:
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A view from a different angle:
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Despite being in need of a re-furbishment, the old Astoria Theatre can still attract top name artists onto it’s stage. A few weeks ago (November 2005) saw Madonna performing to a packed house of ‘boyz’ at G.A.Y. on a Saturday night.
Here are some more historical details and a couple of vintage photographs (click on to enlarge) of the Astoria, Charing Cross Road:
http://www.cinephoto.co.uk/astoria_ch_x_rd.htm
I saw the musical Lennon here in it’s brief days as a westend theatre, not a bad venue for an ex jam factory it just needs money spending on it and it could rejoin the westend playhouses in some capacity.
The Astoria which had been a 70mm Roadshow house for many years advertised itself as “London’s Newest CINERAMA Theatre” when the movie “Krakatoa – East of Java” played there in 1969. The film was shot in 70mm but billed as being “In Super Cinerama” and “Filmed for the Cinerama wide screen proscess”. It was the only “Cinerama” presentation at this theatre.
London had 3 Cinerama theatres operating simultaneously during the early 1960’s (that’s more than any other city in the world); Casino Cinerama (3 projector system initially) now the Prince Edward Theatre on live shows, Coliseum Cinerama (now the London Coloseum, home of the English National Opera) and the Royalty Cinerama (now the Peacock Theatre on live shows).
The place IS gross and unsaveable. Great concert, destroyed theatre way beyond any semblance of saveability. There’s a TINY bit of original plasterwork way up in what I think used to be the mezzanine.
I guess you could gut the place and build a new theater in the existing shell. The building’s kind of cool from the outside.
-Later!
Website:
http://www.meanfiddler.com/version1/londonastoria/
Sounds kind of gross and unsaveable. I’m going to see Twisted Sister there on August 1 and will explore the place & report back.
almost nothing remain of the original decor inside this huge barn of a place, a few parts of the ceiling but very plain and all painted black, it is however on of the busiest london nightclubs and has all the biggest pop acts on stage every saturday night for the G.A.Y club
the lobby areas are all horrible 70/80’s and you stick to the carpet, the lower part of the building is an even more grungy nightclub and hasnt been decorated since 1980 (at least) it recently hosted the premiere party for SPUN and i danced with debbie harry in the vip bar, so for that reason alone it should be saved! however i am all for the redevelopment of the tube station as its the most filthy toilet of a station on the underground, the whole area is scum central