The elegantly domed Empress Theatre Brixton was one of hundreds of grand new Variety theatres built in Great Britain in the late 19th century to satisfy the huge demand for this type of entertainment. It opened on Boxing Day 1898 as the Empress Theatre of Varieties, boasting a stage 60 foot wide by 40 foot deep (approximately 18.5 x 12 metres), and a seating capacity for 1,260. Bought by Variety Theatres Consolidated in 1930 with extra adjacent land, the interior was remodelled in Art Deco style, with seating capacity increased to 2,000. It reopened on 19th October 1931 as the Empress and continued as a Variety Theatre until 1957 when it became the Granada Cinema. It was used as a bingo hall and furniture repository until demolished in 1992 to make room for residential development.

This is a typical Variety Theatre poster, printed in two colours, clearly stating the times and prices, with the names of the biggest stars in the largest typeface. There were two performances daily, with ‘Sunday Talkies’, or films with synchronised sound a great attraction. Variety theatre programmes changed weekly, and on the bill this week were the brilliant violinist Albert Sandler with his cellist Reginald Kilbey and pianist Jack Byfield; the ventriloquist Arthur Prince with the sailor doll Jim; the Egyptian inspired sand-dance trio Wilson Keppel and Betty; the Dutch duo Max and Henry Gaudsmith who presented their clowning poodle act The Gaudsmith Brothers dressed as white faced clowns; the facial contortionist Alec Pleon; Ivy Luck who had played Dandini in the Bradford Alhambra 1935/36 pantomime Cinderella; Lee, Carol and Leroy, and the female impersonators Terry Bartlett and Colin Ross, known as Bartlett & Ross.