Palace Theatre, Manchester notable shows to have played successful seasons at the Palace Theatre include, amongst others, the regional premiere of "Les Misérables" which ran for 13 months from 1992–93, regional premiere of "Miss Saigon" in 2001, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" in 2006 and "Mamma Mia!" over the 2006/07 Christmas season. Broadway musical "The Wedding Singer" had its UK premiere at the theatre in 2008 and in December 2008 to March 2009 the theatre hosted a season of the UK tour of "Mary Poppins", one of only six theatres in the country to accommodate the tour, both events further cementing the theatre's reputation
Victoria Palace Theatre Little Foxes", saw Elizabeth Taylor making her London stage debut. Another unusually long-running show at the theatre was "Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story", that played for 13 years in London, beginning in 1989 (transferring to the Strand Theatre in 1995). After this, the theatre presented mostly revivals of well-known musicals. In 2005, "Billy Elliot the Musical" opened, garnering rave reviews and Olivier awards. The theatre was purchased by Stephen Waley-Cohen in 1991. At the opening in 1911, a gilded statue of ballerina Anna Pavlova was positioned above the cupola of the theatre. This was taken down for its safety