Repertory theatre in Coventry

Today in a car boot sale I bought a copy of Theatre World for September 1940 and noticed there was a reference to repertory theatre activity in the provinces. There were specific references to plays put on in Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Northampton but only a cursory note that 'Although many repertory theatres are closed for their usual summer vacation, quite a number in addition to the above have carried on through August' with a list including Coventry but no mention of a particular theatre venue. I assume this must mean the Hippodrome (I think it was still called the New Hippodrome although the old one had been demolished c 1936 to make way for the new building) where I believe variety shows were more usual through the war to keep up morale. But does anyone know much (or anything) about the sort of plays produced? And also who might have been in the rep company - in Wolverhampton at this time for example, Kenneth More was one of the players, rep was where many who later became stars learned their craft. Later in the 1970s I was told that a similar arrangement occurred at the Belgrade (?) but by then it was called 'repertoire'.

Might this help? Hmm, maybe not. Reading the news paper for April 1940 it says that they were doing Grimaldi's "Behind the Schemes" at the Opera House. Followed by "Barretts of Wimpole Street". Later in the year they were going to do "Goodness, How Sad!", "I Done a Murder", "There's Always Tomorrow! and "Three Blind Mice".

I didn't ask this question but I was thrilled with the answer and so much information. What a wealth of entertainment. I do love to see a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta.

Oh Helen, you are a star! I had no idea anyone had compiled such an extensive list of shows at the Hippodrome so well done to whoever that person may be. Glancing through the list shows me that I was right in thinking that most of them were 'variety' shows. There were certainly some big names performing,George Formby, Tommy Handley, Ted Ray and Vera Lynn and 2 who died in the London Blitz in 1941, Al Bowlly and Ken 'Snakehips' Johnson. As for actual repertory theatre it looks as though the plays at the Opera House were those alluded to but not mentioned by name in the magazine I bought today. I don't suppose records exist for the names of actors who may have formed a repertory company unless there are articles about them in the Evening Telegraph. Many thanks for that link.