The Windmill Theatre was originally built in 1882 as a variety theatre. It was the first purpose-built, permanent theatre in London and one of the earliest cinemas in Britain. The Windmill provided a venue for various acts and motion pictures, including the UK’s first nude tableaux vivants (living pictures). In 1955, the Windmill began presenting live nude shows to full houses every night of the week, becoming an adult entertainment venue. The Windmill was the first adult theatre to become a legitimate theatrical success. In 1964, the theatre closed due to the introduction of the Theatres Act of 1968, which banned nudity from theatres. The theatre was purchased in 2004 by Ryan Bishti, who has been its Artistic Director since then and is currently producing shows at the theatre.
What kind of music will be featured?
Bishti is covering the eras of the Windmill – it’s a period piece. He says: It’s a bit like a music hall. So we’ve got a lot of period music, and that’s not necessarily comedy. “The set design is in keeping with the quirky nature of the location,” Walia says. “The shows will be quite immersive, and I want to be aware of where people are at all times. We want people to feel immersed, to take the show with them, to be part of the crowd.”
Dining and late-night entertainment in one space
They are part of the visionary crew who bought the building in 2015, ending an era when the area was run down and notorious for sex shops and bookies. They transformed the interior into a chic art deco-inspired lounge that continues to embrace innovation – until recently, it was the first venue to bring the capital’s Second City’s hugely successful Pantomime to Soho. It has also showcased everything from American circus performers to hip hop, staging shows in many of its rooms, including the antique-filled Soho Hall.
The return of the Windmill Theatre
The venture had been a troubled one that was closed by the authorities after nearly five years. “I could see the potential of the building,” says Ryan Bishti, who had previously worked at the Bath Theatre and RSC, “and as an artist and visitor to Soho, I’ve always loved the theatre.” He aims to put “a radical, contemporary voice into the theatres reopening” while ensuring that the landmark’s stories are retold and that it can “fulfill its historic function as a bohemian hub.” Bishti has worked in film, live art, and theatre but claims he “started looking for jobs in the arts” rather than waiting for the ones to come to him.