Yep, interesting place, i noted Judy Garland and Sammy Davis Jr, amongst others, had performed there. To be honest I was a little absorbed with the poker, not often I'll play a buy in of that level ... next time
Fair enough.
Charlie Chaplin was on the bill the first night, as was Little Titch, who was the biggest variety act around at the time. The place cost a quarter of a million pounds to build, which was a tidy sum in 1900. They had elephants and all manner of animals in there, plus part of the stage and the seating areas could be flooded for aquatic acts and boats.
Having been knocked out of a comp a few months ago and having a friend still in, I had the opportunity to wander around and read the various bits of memorabilia and history on the walls. Better than donating on the little wheel or elsewhere.
After the music hall days, it became a very successful nightclub called the Talk of the Town, which had A-List acts aplenty in the sixties and seventies.
Peter Stringfellow owned it at one point.
Throughout its history, it seems to have maintained a child-like imagination and a desire to bring pleasure to anyone who walks through its doors. I like being in buildings that have a soul. Not in a
Poltergeist way, obviously, but you know what I mean.
There are better places for the poker purist to play, no question, and DTD remains the stone cold nuts for that, but there is something about the Hippodrome that makes me smile..
Author