What did Frank Matcham do at Hippodrome Casino (ex Theatre)?

Standing at the corner of Cranbourne Street, you're looking at one of Frank Matcham's most ambitious theatrical achievements - the London Hippodrome, which he designed and opened in 1900 as a circus variety theatre complete with a 100,000-gallon water tank for aquatic spectaculars. Here, Matcham pushed the boundaries of theatre architecture, creating an engineering marvel that could transform from a circus arena into a conventional theatre, featuring both a massive stage and a flooded tank where polar bears and sea lions once performed.

The building showcases Matcham's signature blend of flamboyant architecture and technical innovation, with its dramatic curved facade and elaborate interior still captivating visitors today, even as it serves its current role as a casino. This spectacular venue represented the peak of Matcham's creative powers and his ability to design venues that could accommodate virtually any type of entertainment, cementing his reputation as Britain's most innovative theatre architect of the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

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