 Originating in saloon bars within public houses during the 1830s , music hall entertainment became increasingly popular with audiences , so much so , that during the 1850s , the public houses were demolished and specialized music hall theatres developed in their place . These theatres were designed chiefly so people could consume food and alcohol and smoke tobacco in the auditorium while the entertainment took place . This differed somewhat from the conventional type of theatre , which until then seated the audience in stalls with a separate bar @-@ room . Major music halls , were based around London and included Early music halls like the Canterbury Music Hall in Lambeth , Wilton 's Music Hall in Tower Hamlets , and The Middlesex , in Drury Lane , otherwise known as the Old Mo . 
