Camden Palace Theatre

Camden Palace Theatre in North London was the recording venue for some of the nation’s favourite radio programmes including the The Goon Show. 

Dating from 1901, the original theatre had been converted to a cinema, so the BBC had to completely renovate the building when it moved in. A BBC Research & Development white paper of 1947 notes:  

It is a typical Music Hall, and although it has been equipped as a permanent studio, little structural alteration or acoustic treatment has been made apart from the construction of a Control Suite under the circle, and replacement of most of the seats from the stalls by a stepped platform, large enough to accommodate the Theatre Orchestra. The stage is also available for orchestra, chorus or soloists, so that many different layouts are possible. In addition, a narrator's studio and echo room have been constructed.

The Camden became a key studio for the BBC Light Programme, becoming the home of light music and comedy between 1945 and 1972, used for broadcasts of programmes such as Friday Night is Music Night. It was also used for special one-off BBC recordings, including a celebratory vinyl LP of Monty Python’s Flying Circus.