Stagecoach Blog

Throughout the year, students from our schools are given the amazing opportunity to perform at some of the UK's most famous theatres. This year, 32 of our schools are joining us to tread the boards at London’s Adelphi Theatre. 

 

The historic theatre has been around for over 200 years, and in this time has been rebuilt four times and has had its name changed seven times!

The Adelphi first opened its doors in 1806 under the name The Sans Pareil, which means ‘Without Compare’. Owned by John Scott, who built the venue so his daughter had somewhere to perform. 

 

In its early years, the Adelphi was most famously known for Melodrama, as time went on the theatres’ reputation became one of the successes of their controversial and shocking performances. 

 

In 1993, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber became a co-owner of the theatre. Since then, a number of his musicals have performed on the stage, such as Sunset Boulevard and Evita. However, the venue isn’t exclusive to Webber’s productions, the longest and most successful was Chicago, which opened in November 1997 and remained at the Adelphi until 2006.

 

When you pay a visit to the theatre today, you can still see some of the art deco design features from the most recent major building works undertaken in the 1930's. That’s not the only part of the theatre’s history you can see, there is a plaque dedicated to William Terris on Maiden Lane by the stage door. Terris was a celebrated actor back in 1897, he was killed by a jealous colleague Richard Prince whilst entering the theatre. Terris died in his leading lady’s arms, uttering the words ‘I’ll be back’ and his ghost has allegedly been seen roaming the stalls.

 

Returning to the Adelphi for the first time since December 2015 Stagecoach students are taking to the stage on two dates for performances. Adding to the theatres’ already impressive history, their performances range from musical medlies to pieces written for the event.

 

Stagecoach schools performing 27 October 2019

Dulwich

Newbury & Marlborough

Rickmansworth

Barnet 

Bridgend & Cowbridge

Reading East 

Redhill 

Buckingham

Canterbury

Croydon 

Amersham

Cambridge

Leighton Buzzard

Medway 

Leeds Alwoodley

Stafford and Stone

 

Stagecoach schools performing 3 November 2019

Cheam, Worcester Park, and New Malden

Horsham

Twickenham & Teddington

Cheltenham

Banbury

Letchworth

Leamington Spa

Putney

Richmond

Cambridge

Isleworth

Stanmore & Harrow Weald

Braintree

Maidenhead

Huddersfield

Ealing