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In 2017 the theatre was added to the Theatres Trust’s Theatres at Risk Register due to the possibility of redevelopment of the building or sale of part/s of the building, meaning that “the auditorium itself may be left in an unsustainable position, and without the income it would need from the rest of the building”.
The theatre has remained on the Theatres at Risk each year since.
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Streatham Theatre Company provided a history tour of the theatre as part of the Beacon Bingo gala night on 26th November 2016, which featured a new play ‘Top of the Shop’ written by manager Craig White and directed by Junita Mora.
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To celebrate Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary (of his death), Streatham Theatre Company will be presenting a tour of the historic Streatham Hill Theatre with snippets of scenes from his famous plays that have been performed there, including Merchant of Venice, Othello, Julius Caesar, Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night and Hamlet, plus a bonus scene from Macbeth (the Scottish play) not previously seen at this theatre.
Shakespeare Plays: Bingo is a theatrical performance where anything might happen! You must be 18 or over to attend due to licensing restrictions. You will be entering non-public and unused areas of this listed building and must be able to climb stairs.
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Streatham Theatre Company provided a history tour of the theatre for Beacon Bingo’s gala night on 14th November 2015.
Join us on the red carpet from 6pm, where you can have your photograph taken in the beautiful grand entrance hall. Take a spin on the classic roulette wheel while sipping a dirty martini as you wait for your bingo session to begin, followed by special guest entertainment from 10pm.
A truly grand experience for One Night Only in the magnificent surroundings of the old Streatham Hill Theatre to celebrate the history of bingo in Streatham.
An iconic, Grade II listed building since 1994, Streatham Hill Theatre survived bombing during WW2, and retains many of its original features, including the stunning entrance hall, complete with crystal chandelier and ornate ceiling.
Following the changes to the 2005 Gambling Act and the introduction of the smoking ban in England, the bingo industry suffered, with clubs throughout South London forced to close due to dwindling attendances and lack of investment. It was fully expected that Streatham would suffer the same fate until the acquisition by Praesepe PLC under the name of Beacon Bingo in 2009 secured a short term future at least. They retained the aesthetic charm of the building while they invested heavily behind the scenes in structural work and electrical updating.
Despite running at a loss for several years, the club remains operational, standing stubbornly in the spirit of the building, despite the constant spectre of closure that plagues so many other similar businesses. Just one look southbound on the A23 shows the potential fate awaiting the old theatre as Megabowl is demolished, brick by brick, to be replaced by the tide of progress.
Last year the club offered unprecedented access to hidden areas of the building with the Streatham Theatre Company’s Halloween Tours. By popular demand, they return on October 30th & 31st , with a focus on occult author Dennis Wheatley, presenting “The Devil Rides Back” with exclusive access to areas which have not been seen by the public for decades.
It is a testament to the members and team at the club to continue and thrive, with the will to preserve the building and offer a “home away from home” to the 1200 members that visit every week. Where once stood a crowd of bingo halls in the south, few remain, and none with the charm or history of this incredible building. Please come and celebrate with us on this unforgettable night.
By: Craig White
From: Inside Beacon Bingo today ( 2015 )
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Supernatural author Dennis Wheatley wrote many books based on the occult. For a time Wheatley lived in Streatham and his last house here burned down in mysterious circumstances!
His most famous book is The Devil Rides Out, published in 1934 shortly after Streatham Hill Theatre opened. It is rumoured that the theatre was built over a very auspicious site for devil worship, and that there have been some very spooky goings on there. This behind the scenes tour of the old theatre hopes to spread some light into the darkness…or maybe the other way round!?
Presented by Streatham Theatre Company, The Devil Rides Back is a theatrical performance where anything might happen! You must be 18 or over to attend due to licensing restrictions. You will be entering non-public and unused areas of this listed building and must be able to climb stairs.
There’s a video of the show here.
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The 2015 Streatham Free Film Festival has shown the 1931 film Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi in the very building where Lugosi appeared in the play version of Dracula in 1951.
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Streatham’s very own theatre company, STC, presents Breaking the Code at Streatham Hill Theatre, for this year’s Streatham Festival. It tells the story of Alan Turing, who was the eccentric genius who helped break the complex German Enigma code, playing a major role in the winning of WW II.
After the war Turing turned his scientific and mathematical genius to the concept of developing an ‘electronic brain’; the first computer.
Meanwhile, in his private life Turing was breaking another code: the taboo of homosexuality. In 1952 he was convicted of the criminal act of gross indecency and sentenced to undergo hormone treatments as part of his rehabilitation. He committed suicide in 1954.
Following on from the recent film The Imitation Game, our production of Hugh Whitemore’s play focuses on Turing the man, his personal moral code, the relationships that influenced his life and his struggle to appreciate the conventions and laws of 1950s society.
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As part of the Streatham Festival in 2015, Lucy Spanyol created a series of blue plaques for various sites around Streatham, including the Streatham Hill Theatre.
It alludes to the bombing of the theatre during World War 2.
Update Feb 2022: Lucy has kindly donated the plaque to our archive – thanks Lucy!
Lucy’s plaques were part of the Art23 Art Trail:
“Painter Lucy Spanyol displays her blue plaques along Streatham High Road and Streatham Hill. There are over 12 plaques to be spotted. Some are humorous, some sincere and some plain damn lies!”
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At Hallowe’en (All Hallows Eve and All Hallows Day) ghouls and ghosts – and old actors – come out of the fabric of this historic theatre. This is a rare chance for a night time tour of our local former theatre, and who knows what might happen on the way!
Streatham Theatre Company presents Access All Eras, a theatrical performance where anything might happen! You must be 18 or over to attend due to licensing restrictions. You will be entering non-public and unused areas of this listed building and must be able to climb stairs.
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The “Streatham Skyline” project is lighting up a number of key buildings in Streatham, including Streatham Hill Theatre.
More details below:
https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/shaping-local-places/regeneration-project-streatham
https://www.beepstudio.co.uk/design-strategy
https://www.michaelgrubbstudio.com/portfolio/streatham-skyline/
https://www.pharoscontrols.com/about/news/streatham-high-road-london/
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