Prince of Wales Theatre

TQ 2980 NE 1900/71/10219

COVENTRY STREET Prince of Wales Theatre

II Theatre, 1937 by Robert Cromie, on site of theatre of the same name, built 1884 demolished 1937. Altered 1950s and 1963. Steel frame, concrete, artificial stone cladding. Corner tower with entrance below. Reclad 1980s. First stage windows blocked 1950s when those to right inserted. Ventilation shaft above, surmounted by open drum formerly with flag staff. Formerly edged in neon.

Oxenden Street elevation in two sections. The first arranged vertically over five floors. Metal framed windows between tall slender pilaster-like strips. Beyond, arranged horizontally, a line of five portholes over a horizontal strip window.

Interior: auditorium of stalls and circle set well forward giving excellent sight lines throughout. Swept underside of circle with inset lighting. Square proscenium arch gilded, with gilded ventilation inlet above. Almost two dimensional swagged brocades in plaster flanking proscenium and over boxes to left and right. Gilded figure over left hand doorway. Blind windows illuminated from behind, and with gilded glazing bars. Slender linear applied decoration to walls and motifs to circle front. Original seating.

Some modifications to stage and orchestra from 1960s. Circle bar with swept ceiling. Sinuous coving protruding above bar, concealed lighting behind. Gilded ventilation grilles. Stalls bar including former dance floor. Ceiling largely concealed under inserted ceiling. Three octagonal piers with wide flat brims. Sweeping coving with scalloped inner edge, concealed bar lighting behind. Ridged and folded plaster ceiling over bar. Bar, about 46 feet long, of polished copper with steel trim, inset glass blocks lit from behind to front; former cocktail bar with curved recessed ceiling panel concealed lighting within. Former American bar (now lobby) with glazed ceiling panel, ribbed arch. Gilded niche with bowl below with marble basin.

Listing NGR: TQ2974180675