Empress Theatre, Brighton Terrace
Posters and programs from a lost Brixton theatre.


Empress Theatre Playbill, October 14th 1910
A playbill from the much lamented Empress Theatre of Varieties, demolished in the early 1990s. Prices for evening shows ran from 4d (2p) for a seat in the stalls to £1 1s (£1.05) for the bext box in the house.
(pic: Lambeth Archives)



Empress memories

Benny Hill and the Brixton Empress
"In fact it was at the Empress in Brixton that Benny got his first bit of luck. One of the acts there was Sid Seymour and the Mad Hatters. Benny asked for Sid at the stage door and the comedian came to see him. He told Benny that he had nothing for him but suggested the Chelsea Palace where his brother, Phil Seymour, an agent himself, was presenting a show called "Follow the Fun." Although Benny never got to see Phil Seymour he made a suitable enough impression on the theatre manager, Harry Frockton Foster, for an appointment to be made with Harry Benet.

Benny recalled that first day in London; "It was now getting late and I wanted to make my £8.00 last as long as possible. So I bought some fish and chips and slept that cold September night on Streatham Common."

The next morning after breakfast and a wash and brush-up in Lyons Corner House café, Benny made his way to Benet's office at 11 Beak Street, Soho. Benet was impressed with the young 17 year-old and said, "Alright lad, I'll engage you as property boy" "And can I play parts?" asked Benny
Benet laughed. "There'll be small parts, too."
"How much?"

"Son", Benet said, "many years ago I started George Lacey at £2.00 a week." (Lacey was the star of "Follow the Fun"). "I'll start you on £3.10s."
Benny Hill story

Theatre tradition:
"The theatre managers were great characters and well known in their town or city. Many such as Doyle Crossley the manager at the Empress Brixton would greet their patrons resplendent in tails and smoking a cigar. Moss Empires the premier circuit in the country even allowed their managers to charge up to expenses the cigars that they smoked whilst greeting the audiences in the foyer."
arthurlloyd.co.uk




Empress Theatre, 1938
Stylish Art Deco program cover from the 'Seventh Anniversary Celebration' programme of the New Empress Brixton Theatre, 12 October 1938.
(pic: Lambeth Archives)


1937 Jack and the Beanstalk, presented by Don Ross, featuring Tommy Fields, who is billed as 'Gracie's Clever Brother.'
(pic: Its-behind-you.com)




A saucy show in Brixton! The French Peep Show presented by Gaston and Andree with Jack Whiteley's Peep-Show Lovelies.
(Buy a postcard of this poster here: vaudeville-postcards.com)


1956 Programme cover of 'Aladdin', playing at the Empress Brixton. The singer, Alma Cogan, is listed as a guest star in the cast and described as 'The Glamorous Singing Star of Stage, Radio and Television'.
(pic: Lambeth Archives)




1930 Seating Plan for the Empress Theatre, Brixton.


Empress Theatre sketch, published 17th of December 1898. (From arthurlloyd.co.uk)



Empress Theatre posters (From arthurlloyd.co.uk)




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