CRITERION THEATRE |
An underground and cosy theatre, right in the heart of Piccadilly Circus
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In the 1870s, a competition was held for the design of a concert hall on the site of the Criterion Theatre. A man named Thomas Verity
won out of 15 entries, and a restaurant, ballroom and concert hall was
commissioned. It was only at the last minute, even after the building
work had begun, that the design was changed to a theatre.
The theatre is located right in the heart of Piccadilly Circus
The front of the Criterion, first opened in 1873
The
auditorium for the theatre is underground – in fact only the box office
is at ground level. Being underground it provided the perfect
broadcasting base for BBC radio during the Second World War, It was
undercover and out of danger – so the BBC took over the building during
the blitz. It recorded broadcast light entertainment programs here, to
lift the spirits of a war-torn Britain.
Did You Know?
Since
the Criterion Theatre was underground and originally lit by gas, there
was a risk of suffocating the audience with toxic fumes! the problem
was solved by fresh air being pumped into the auditorium, one of the
first buildings in London to have air conditioning. The theatre was
converted to electric lighting in 1881.
Inside the cosy Criterion Theatre
Photo © Spixey (CC)
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