The London Palladium Theatre

The London Palladium Theatre is a Grade II* listed theatre built in 1910 by Frank Matcham, replacing Hengler's Cirque. It features a stucco exterior and a slate roof, with two storeys and an attic. The front has seven bays designed as an octastyle pedimented temple facade, with the central two columns omitted for the main theatre entrance. This entrance is approached by a flight of steps leading to double pairs of panelled and glazed doors, which are sheltered by a cantilevered glazed canopy. The three central bays above are treated as an open arcaded loggia. The outer bays contain round arched doorways with foliage-enriched keystones, and the first floor has similarly arched windows with mask keystones and panelled aprons below boldly bracketed sills. The giant Corinthian columns are fluted and stand on tall pedestals, topped with a full entablature and an overall pediment featuring three oculi, which is surmounted by sculptured figure groups.

The interior remains unaltered and is considered one of Matcham's finest works. It includes a foyer and circle bar designed in the French rococo style, and a richly decorated auditorium featuring classical and rococo details. Two tiers of cantilevered balconies extend into two giant niches on the sides, with the one nearest the stage containing three tiers of boxes and a single pedimented and bowed balcony stage box. The proscenium is flanked by architrave mouldings and has a segmented arched frieze with a bold cornice on paired brackets, broken at the centre by a segmented pediment on massive consoles, which contains a cartouche and mask. The ceiling features a bracketed cornice and is segmental vaulted, with a heavily enriched frame surrounding the lantern.