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LONDON THEMES

The Peacock's Flipper Ghost

The ghost of a dolphin haunts this theatre.

Location: Portugal Street, London

Description: The Peacock Theatre is most noted as the home of one of the West End's most unusual ghosts, a dolphin commonly known as 'Flipper'.

During one of Paul Raymond's revues at the theatre in the 1970s, two dolphins were kept in a 45,000 tank beneath the stage, where they lived permanently and later died from neglect. During the shows, the tanks would be raised up to the stage and the dolphin's would swim around, do some tricks and ultimately remove the bikini from Miss Nude International. The secret? You put a bit of fish on the bra hooks, Raymond explained.

The remnants of the tank and its lifting equipment still remain below the stage and numerous visitors to the theatre claim to have heard a spectral squeaking, not unlike a crying baby when in the vicinity.

One possible explanation is that the London Underground passes very close to the substage areas of the theatre and it is noise from the tunnels that creates the sound.

Although the current building first opened its doors in 1960, there has been a theatre on the site since the 17th century. 'Mrs. Hughes' scandalised the public on 8 December 1660 when she became the first woman actor to take to the stage at the Vere Street Theatre in Clare Market.

Subsequent years saw usage as a TV studio for This Is Your Life and its transformation into a Caribbean paradise for Once On This Island.

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Themes: Ghost  Theatre  Animal
Submitted by: Ade 
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Link to This Page: http://www.shadyoldlady.com/location.php?loc=1590

The Peacock's Flipper Ghost The ghost of a dolphin haunts this theatre.

The Shady Old Lady points out that you can drag this map using mouse. Or visit our full massive map.

1» In 1974, I was one of the two people who was responsible for the care of two dolphins that featured in Paul Raymonds Royalty Folies which ran for only three months. The animals were called Pennie and Pixie and at the end of the show the animals left and were then moved to a dolphinarium in the Far East. No dolphins ever died at this location. (John Dineley)

Posted by John Dineley on 2009-10-29

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