The date was December 16, 1897, and heartthrob William Terriss had just entered the Adelphi Theatre through the stage door. Murder was just around the corner, though he didn’t know it then.
After an inauspicious start to life which had begun with a failed stint in the Merchant Navy, the 50-year-old stage actor could now look back on a glittering career on the boards. With Christmas just days away, he was preparing to treat visitors to a performance of Secret Service.
In a shocking incident, Terriss was stabbed to death by a deranged, jealous actor whose own career had fallen flat. The murder horrified Victorian society and was immortalized in the pages of the tabloid press. A brand new theatre in Rotherhithe was also keen to recognize the great man.
The Terriss Theatre, later renamed the Rotherhithe Hippodrome, opened on October 16, 1899. It was located at the corner of Lower Road and Culling Road, where the Rotherhithe Evangelical Church stands today.
At the turn of the nineteenth century #Southwark was awash with music halls
#History
Its arrival had been hotly anticipated. A company called Messrs Walter Wallis & Co had bankrolled the endeavor and employed Australian architect Mr. W.G.R Sprague to design it. Sprague had already masterminded The Coronet in Notting Hill and would go on to design London’s Aldwych and Sondheim theatres.
ERA, a theatrical newspaper, wrote excitedly about a 4,000-capacity venue coming to the southeast banks of the Thames. When it was built, it instead housed 2,087 spectators, including seated stalls for 754. Nonetheless, the theatre didn’t disappoint.
The stunning building, with its imposing pillared frontage, cream and gold Louis XV-style interior, and beautiful ceilings, would have been a sight to behold. Inside, the absence of pillars offered the entire audience, rich or poor, unimpeded views of the stage. It had nine dressing rooms, a 70 x 32 ft deep stage, and eight exclusive boxes seating 60 people.
Relatedarticles
“This ceiling, which has been made the subject of special study by Mr. Sprague, would evoke admiration wherever seen for its elaborate moldings and soft tones,” an 1899 edition of ERA wrote.
Its first-ever production was The White Heather, which had already shown at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. It was a hugely popular play, in which the climactic scene featured an underwater fight between two divers wearing metal helmets.
In 1907, the theatre was renamed the Rotherhithe Hippodrome and became a variety theatre under the new ownership of Walter Gibbons and Charles Gulliver. By 1908, projection facilities had been installed, allowing films to become a staple part of the variety program, reflecting the evolving tastes of the entertainment-seeking public.
The venue’s shift towards film was solidified when Associated British Cinemas (ABC) took over in October 1930, converting the theatre into a full-time cinema. Despite this transition, the Hippodrome maintained its status as a local cultural hub, drawing audiences for its film screenings.
However, the advent of World War II brought significant challenges. The theatre operated as a cinema until August 31, 1941, when it was taken over by an independent operator. There appears to have been a period of theatrical inactivity. In the lead-up to Christmas 1941, the building hosted an Aid for Russia Fund event which “drew a full house,” according to Kinematograph Weekly. The venue then reverted to use as a variety theatre from September 1943.
This return to live performances was short-lived due to the devastating impact of bombing in 1943 when the theatre suffered extensive damage. The once-buzzing auditorium showed flashes of life. According to a 1946 edition of The Stage newspaper, there was an attempt to sell it off, but the building attracted no bidders. The prospects for the bombed-out shell were always bleak and, in 1955, it was finally demolished.
Some interesting info on this story:
“The theatre was named after the swashbuckling, matinee idol actor William Terriss who was stabbed to death at the stage door of the Adelphi Theatre by Richard Prince, a fellow actor who was eventually found guilty of murder and sent to Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum. Here he became involved in entertainment for the inmates, and conducted the prison orchestra, until his death some 29 years later.”
(http://www.stagebeauty.net/th-frames.html?http&&&www.stagebeauty.net/th-wterriss.html)