▁as ▁well ▁as ▁being ▁the ▁London ▁home ▁of ▁the ▁English ▁National ▁Bal let . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁London ▁Col ise um ▁was ▁built ▁by ▁the ▁the atr ical ▁architect ▁Frank ▁Match am ▁who ▁intended ▁it ▁to ▁be ▁one ▁of ▁London ' s ▁largest ▁and ▁most ▁lux ur ious ▁" family " ▁variety ▁the at res . ▁Const ruction ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 3 ▁and ▁the ▁ven ue ▁opened ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁December ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁as ▁the ▁London ▁Col ise um ▁Theatre ▁of ▁Vari eties . ▁It ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁St ▁Martin ' s ▁Lane , ▁London . ▁ ▁Match am ▁built ▁the ▁theatre ▁for ▁the ▁the atr ical ▁im pres ario ▁Sir ▁O sw ald ▁St oll ▁and ▁had ▁the ▁amb ition ▁of ▁it ▁being ▁the ▁largest ▁and ▁fin est ▁" Pe ople ’ s ▁palace ▁of ▁entertain ment " ▁of ▁the ▁age . ▁ ▁Match am ▁wanted ▁a ▁Theatre ▁of ▁Vari ety ▁– ▁not ▁a ▁music ▁hall ▁but ▁equally ▁not ▁high brow ▁entertain ment . ▁The ▁resulting ▁programme ▁was ▁a ▁mix ▁of ▁music ▁hall ▁and ▁variety ▁theatre , ▁with ▁one ▁act ▁- ▁a ▁full ▁scale ▁revol ving ▁ch ari ot ▁race ▁- ▁requiring ▁the ▁stage ▁to ▁revol ve . ▁The ▁theatre ' s ▁original ▁s log an ▁was ▁PRO ▁B ON O ▁P UB LIC O ▁( For ▁the ▁public ▁good ). ▁It ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁and ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁performance ▁was ▁a ▁variety ▁bill ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁December ▁that ▁year