Camden Palace

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Camden Palace Theatre 2004

The Camden Palace was a nightclub in Camden, London, at the bottom of Camden High Street close to Mornington Crescent tube station.

The building was originally the Camden Theatre, which was one of the largest theatres in London outside the West End, with a capacity of 2,434. Designed by the prolific theatre architect W.G.R. Sprague, the exterior's symmetrical stone facade is designed in a Classical style with four stone pillars that are spaced between windows. The building is dominated by a large copper dome, that originally had an open lantern that was topped by a statue. There were also eight statues of classical figures mounted on the corner pediments of the building. Decorated in a beautiful Baroque style with naked female figures holding supports for the boxes and columns, the rectangular marble proscenium is topped by more plaster reliefs of reclining naked women. The ceiling contains a shallow dome.

The theatre was opened in December 1900 by Ellen Terry, then the most celebrated actress in England, who had lived in nearby Stanhope Street as a child. A local newspaper called the St Pancras Gazette commented as follows in a review of the Palace Theatre's production of an opera called The Geisha in 1901:

"It is a matter of special gratification that the opera was presented at our beautiful local theatre on a scale of magnificence and completeness which would do credit to a West End theatre, but this is nothing new at the Camden Theatre, being rather a continuation of the policy with which the proprietors started their enterprise, viz. to offer nothing to their patrons but standard work, which has received the unmistakable approval of critics and public"

On 6 December 1909 it converted into a variety theatre and was re-named Camden Hippodrome Theatre. By 1911 films were being presented as part of the programme and in January 1913 it went over to become a full time cinema known as the Camden Hippodrome Picture Theatre. Operated by Biocolour Picture Theatres Ltd. from January 1928, they were taken over by the Gaumont British Cinema circuit in July 1930.

Closed during World War II, it survived the mid 20th century, when many similar buildings were demolished, including Camden Town's other theatre, the Bedford in Parkway, largely because it became a BBC radio theatre from 1945. Programmes recorded there included the Goon Show. In the 1970s it became a live music venue, called The Music Machine, and in 1982 became the Camden Palace, and in 2004 it was redeveloped and renamed once again as KOKO.

Towards the end of its life the venue was used for various club nights, the most popular of which was "Feet First" a popular club for fans of Rock Music which encouraged small bands to play a set between music played by DJ Eko. This clubnight setup was adapted by the Club NME which continued to play at KOKO on the same night (Tuesday).

The building holds some architectural significance, in that it is a Grade II listed building.