Our first Campaign Meeting of 2026 is on Wednesday 28th January and we would love you to join us! Details here - https://streathamhilltheatre.org/blog

Opera at Streatham Hill Theatre - The Covent Garden Opera Company launched a week of performances on 20th January 1930.

It has now been over eight months since the Streatham Hill Theatre Change of Use application was first made but it is not on the agenda for the January Lambeth planning meeting. However, you can still email your objections - details on the process here: https://streathamhilltheatre.org/campaign

Streatham Hill Theatre programme advertising from 1930.

An advert from a 1955 SHT programme advising customers on how to prepare for the arrival of ITV.

From 1961, a selection of SHT programme adverts for local restaurants. Unless the street numbering changed at some point, the site of the Plantation Grill is now Westbury's!

Our first Campaign Meeting of 2026 is on Wednesday 28th January and we would love to join us! Details here - https://streathamhilltheatre.org/blog

Behind The Scenes At SHT: The theatre building features a network of piping leading to a huge master vacuum cleaner pump in the basement. The cleaners simply plugged in hoses to ports dotted around the auditorium!

Behind The Scenes At SHT: The Orchestra Pit had three rising sections - one each to rise and lower the left and right hand sides of the musical performers plus a central one for the conductor!

Behind The Scenes At SHT: Just part of the various trap door mechanisms beneath the Streatham Hill Theatre stage.

Behind The Scenes At SHT: Plans of the various trap doors on the Streatham Hill Theatre stage.

Behind The Scenes At SHT: The mechanisms in the flies above the stage.

Panto at SHT: And finally, after all the fun of the Pantomime, why not enjoy a drink at The Mayfair Club?

Panto at SHT: Tommy Trinder led the cast in Jack And Jill, which was, sadly, the final pantomime at Streatham Hill Theatre, opening on Boxing Day 1961. The theatre went dark in the summer of the following year.

Panto at SHT: Oh, please yourselves! The mighty Frankie Howerd starred as Buttons in the 1960 production of Cinderella.

Panto at SHT: The ever popular Arthur Askey returned to Streatham in 1959 as Idle Jack in Dick Whittington.

Panto at SHT: The 1958 production of Aladdin featured Hughie Green! And we mean that most sincerely....

Panto at SHT: The 1957 / 1958 show at Streatham Hill Theatre was Puss In Boots.

Panto at SHT: Goody Two Shoes in 1956 featured a cast of 14 and a dog, Currie's Fairyland Waterfalls, the Braemar Pipers and Drummers, the Tiller Girls, the Kathleen Ford Babes and the Normandy Singers. Now, THAT'S a night out!

Panto at SHT: Big Hearted Arthur Askey was the star in the 1955 production of Babes In The Wood.

Panto at SHT: Humpty Dumpty from 1954/55 was produced by Ralph Reader. It starred Anthea Askey (daughter of Arthur) in the title role, and Dick Emery as the Dame. Lauri Lupino Lane and George Truzzi played the comic duo. Eve Lister was the Principal Boy and Barbara Leigh played the Princess.

Panto at SHT: Starting on Boxing Day 1953, Anne Ziegler starred as The Prince in Sleeping Beauty.

Panto at SHT: 26th December 1952 saw the start of a five week run of Humpty Dumpty at Streatham Hill Theatre.

Panto at SHT: Commencing Boxing Day 1942 Twice Daily! Cinderella, featuring a young Clive Dunn.

Panto at SHT: Boxing Day 1941 saw the opening of Humpty Dumpty. The programme gave a handy guide to the last buses and trams after the show!

Panto at SHT: Members of the Home Guard queue for Mother Goose, which opened on Boxing Day 1940.

On Boxing Day 1935 the hit musical This'll Make You Whistle began a four week run at Streatham Hill Theatre.

Wishing all of our friends and supporters (and everyone else!) a magical Christmas and a wonderful 2026.

That was so great to get into Streatham Hill Theatre tonight to watch Brixton Chamber Orchestra put on a fabulous gig @streathamhillt.bsky.social Oh My Gosh - Streatham needs this kind of thing so badly - it's crazy that this beautiful space isn't a hub of community activity. Felt so right tonight!

Missed the last post date? Not to worry - send your best wishes with one of our Ecards! Choose yours here - https://streathamhilltheatre.org/ecard

16th December 1956. We have to suspect that this would have been a pretty wild Sunday night of jazz at Streatham Hill Theatre!

THIS FRIDAY! The Brixton Chamber Orchestra will stage a FREE concert at Streatham Hill Theatre on 19th December at 7pm as part of their 2025 Christmas Estates Tour. More information here - https://tinyurl.com/BCOatSHT

At the beginning of the week of 13th December 1954, a spectacular programme of Italian Opera came to Streatham Hill Theatre.

On 9th December 1929 the legendary Pavlova began a week of ballet at Streatham Hill Theatre.

The comedy Dear Charles opened at Streatham Hill Theatre on 6th December 1954. The plot synopsis suggests it's a precursor to Mamma Mia!

ICYMI: The Brixton Chamber Orchestra will stage a FREE concert at Streatham Hill Theatre on 19th December at 7pm as part of their 2025 Christmas Estates Tour. More information here - https://tinyurl.com/BCOatSHT

The wait continues - the change of use application for SHT is not on the agenda for the 9th December Lambeth Planning Meeting. However, this means you can still email the Council with your objections - information here: https://streathamhilltheatre.org/campaign

TOMORROW! Join us at our Campaign Meeting on 3rd December at 8:00pm. Register here - https://streathamhilltheatre.org/campaign-meeting-wednesday-3rd-december-2025

Solve your Christmas gift worries - and support our cause - with a copy of our history book or a set of our Christmas Cards (or both!). Visit our shop page here - https://streathamhilltheatre.org/support/shop

The Brixton Chamber Orchestra will stage a free concert at Streatham Hill Theatre on 19th December at 7pm as part of their 2025 Christmas Estates Tour. More information here - https://tinyurl.com/BCOatSHT

Join us at our next Campaign Meeting on 3rd December at 8:00pm. Register here - https://streathamhilltheatre.org/campaign-meeting-wednesday-3rd-december-2025

Is Life Worth Living? (also known as Drama At Inish) opened in Streatham on 27th November 1933. A traveling repertory troupe comes to a small village in Ireland and after a week or so of Ibsen, Chekhov, and Strindberg, the town is driven mad!

26th November 1956 saw the opening night of the musical comedy The Arcadians - the story of the idyllic Arcadians who wish to transform wicked London to a land of truth and simplicity - at Streatham Hill Theatre. This production featured local star Jack Stanford.

A musical comedy set in a boxing training camp, Hold Everything, opened in Streatham on 25th November 1929. Although largely forgotten these days, it was the first appearance of the classic song You're The Cream In My Coffee.

If you are not aware of the truly stunning interior of Streatham Hill Theatre, please take some time to enjoy this video and photo collection from urban exploration teams in 2023 - https://streathamhilltheatre.org/urban-explorers-visit-sht-📺

Solve your Christmas gift worries - and support our cause - with a copy of our history book or a set of our Christmas Cards (or both!). Visit our shop page here - https://streathamhilltheatre.org/support/shop

"On with the play" An enthusiastic review of the first night at Streatham Hill Theatre.

After builders worked through two all night shifts, Streatham Hill Theatre lit up for the first time with the lavish review Wake Up and Dream, featuring Jessie Matthews, on 20th November 1929.

This local newspaper report that the Streatham Hill Theatre would open on 18th November 1929 proved to be premature. The building was not finished and the curtain finally rose two days later.

The farce Oh, Daddy! opened at Streatham Hill Theatre on 17th November 1930.