| Aston Hippodrome | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Aston Hippodrome | |
| General information | |
| Type | Theatre |
| Location | Aston,Birmingham,England |
| Coordinates | 52°29′56″N1°53′43″W / 52.49886°N 1.89537°W /52.49886; -1.89537 |
| Completed | 1908 |
| Demolished | 1980 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | James and Lister Lea |
TheAston Hippodrome (grid referenceSP072890), also known asThe Hipp, was a populartheatre in theAston area ofBirmingham,England.[1]
It was opened to the public on 7 December 1908 after the completion of construction at a cost of £10,000. It was designed byJames and Lister Lea who had also designed theBartons Armspublic house just a few yards away on the other side of the street.
The theatre was seriously damaged in 1938 by a fire, which resulted in a £38,000 refurbishment.
On 4 June 1960, the theatre building ceased performances with the final performance of a revue, A to Z of Striptease. The building was renovated into abingo hall and remained so until its demolition in September 1980.The Drum, an arts centre, is located on the theatre's site.
Performances were held twice daily and among these performances were famous acts such asLaurel and Hardy,George Formby,Gracie Fields,Larry Grayson,Morecambe and Wise andJudy Garland who performed there in 1951.
The opening chapter ofRon Dawson's novel,The Last Viking, vividly describes one of the 'strip tease shows' which dominated the Hipp's offerings during the mid to late 1950s. The show was called 'Heatwave' and the scene captures the sad atmosphere of the 'artistic tableaux' which characterised these shows.