The Churchill under the spotlight
 

Welcoming over 150,000 customers through its doors every year, The Churchill Theatre is the beating heart of Bromley’s entertainment scene. From heart-warming festive pantomimes to laugh out loud musical comedies, it’s been making us smile for over 40 years.  

Bromley town centre can trace its theatrical past back to 1889, when a public theatre called the Grand Hall, was built, which seated 1,000 people. It could be removed to reveal a dance floor which in turn could become a swimming pool. During the Second World War, the Grand Hall was closed and its use shifted from entertainments centre to the war effort, and became both an air raid shelter and warehouse until it re-opened on Boxing Day, in 1947, when it was re-named the New Theatre. A fire gutted the theatre on May 6, 1971.

After some years without a Theatre in Bromley, the Churchill was born and despite its rocky history, received a prestigious opening on the 19th of July 1977. It was opened by none other than Prince Charles, and named after Winston Churchill because he lived nearby.

The Churchill put on a production every three weeks. The first production ever shown was Mr Polly, an endearing tale about the life of a hopeless daydreamer who couldn’t concentrate on the task at hand.

The Churchill’s reputation as one of the South East’s leading entertainment venues and the welcoming atmosphere has drawn numerous famous actors, charismatic TV personalities, and popular comedians over the years, including; Nicholas Lyndhurst, Ronnie Corbett, Craig Revel Horwood, Katherine Ryan, and even Hugh Grant, who since performing on the Churchill’s stage has received acclaimed awards such as a Golden Globe and BAFTA for his work.

But arguably The Churchill Theatre’s favourite celebrity would be Bonnie Langford, most well-known for playing Carmel Kazemi in Eastenders. Langford has had a distinguished career in theatre, acting in celebrated West End productions such as Gone With The Wind and Cats. She has performed on the Churchill stage many times, for example when she played Roz in 9 to 5. To show appreciation for her continued support and exceptional talent, the theatre dedicated a dressing room to her in January 2013. She was “…surprised and honoured to find out that this theatre where I had performed well over 125 times decided to name a dressing room after me.”

From current celebrities to future ones, the Churchill Theatre offers an exiting selection of extraordinary opportunities for those feeling creative. If you’re curious to learn a new skill, you can take your pick from an abundance of classes held at the theatre; dance, theatre, singing and even Magic! There are activities for every age group from 3 onwards, and many are tailored for different fitness levels and abilities.

Talented thespians and budding technicians, can benefit from work experience periods available at the theatre. The best and the brightest are handpicked and get a chance to experience life in a busy Theatre environment.

On behalf of the Bromley community we thank the Churchill Theatre for 40 years of illustrious entertainment and wish it many more.