Did You Know Walthamstow Has A 'Greek' Amphitheatre?

The theatre at its 1925 opening, which starred the famous Sybil Thorndike. Image: Greek Theatre Players

In the grounds of Walthamstow Girls' School lies a unique surprise — a hidden 'Greek' amphitheatre that's been putting on plays for a century.

Built in 1924, and opening with its first production the following summer, the theatre came about at the request of Mary Norris, the then-headmistress, who chose to embellish her school with a Greek-style amphitheatre, rather than the proposed lido.

The 2018 production of As You Like It. Image: Greek Theatre Players

The performance space, today known simply as the Greek Theatre. was constructed primarily by unemployed local men, who worked partly in exchange for food, owing to the Poor Laws of the time.