New Theatre, Cardiff

Last updated
New Theatre
Logo new theatre cardiff.png
New Theatre Cardiff.jpg
New Theatre, Cardiff
AddressPark Place
Cardiff
Wales, UK
Owner Cardiff Council (Owner, 1969)
HQ Theatres (Operator, 2020)
Trafalgar Entertainment (Operator, 2021)
DesignationGrade II Listed (1975)
Capacity 1,144
Construction
Opened10 December 1906
ArchitectErnest Runtz and Ford
Website
www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk

The New Theatre (Welsh : Theatr Newydd) is one of the principal theatres of Cardiff, capital city of Wales. It is located in the city centre on Park Place, close to Cathays Park.

Contents

The theatre has a capacity of 1,144, [1] and hosts a number of touring productions including musicals, plays and children's shows and also presents an annual Christmas pantomime.

History

The building was designed by the London-based theatre architects Ernest Runtz and Ford and constructed from brick and Bath Stone. It opened to the general public on 10 December 1906. [2] [3] It was constructed under order by Robert Redford, who had rented the Theatre Royal for the previous nine years. At the time of the initial build, the stage was one of the largest in the country, measuring 76 feet (23 m) wide, by 54 feet (16 m) deep and 57 feet (17 m) between the stage itself and the pulley grid hanging above. The first public performance was a performance of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, conducted by the company of Herbert Beerbohm Tree. [4] The company had been brought from His Majesty's Theatre, London, and repeated the performance at the New Theatre on 13 December, and again for a matinee on 15 December. Also performed during the first week were the plays Colonel Newcome , Trilby , The Man Who Was and a further Shakespeare performance of Hamlet . [5]

Early performances included the Charles Klein play The Lion and the Mouse by Walter Maxwell's company, [6] and the return of Tree's company with performances of an adapted version of Charles Dickens's The Mystery of Edwin Drood as a warm up to their season in London. [7] The theatre's first film was shown in 1917 called The Birth of a Nation , [8] it was accompanied by a full orchestra. [8]

In the early years of the BBC's radio broadcasts in the late 1920s, performances and concerts were conducted live on air from the New Theatre. [9] This included the third act of Faust by the Carl Rosa Opera Company on 17 October 1928. [10] By 1931 the theatre had made plans for regular cinema performances. Structural alterations to accommodate projectors, sound equipment and a large screen were made and for the next four years it was used mainly as a cinema, with the occasional live show. [8] In 1935 the theatre was purchased Prince Littler and it returned to full-time live shows again. [8]

The artists that have performed on stage at the New Theatre have included Sarah Bernhardt, Anna Pavlova, Laurel and Hardy, Tom Jones, Tommy Cooper, Tessie O'Shea and Shirley Bassey. [8] [3] Harold Pinter's play The Homecoming had its world première here on 26 March 1965. [11]

In 1954 Welsh National Opera made the New Theatre its home and principal base, however they have subsequently moved and taken up permanent residence in Wales Millennium Centre. [3] By the early 1960s, audiences declined and the theatre was threatened with demolition. After a temporary closure, the theatre was leased by the Cardiff City Corporation and re-opened in September 1963. [8] In 1969 the Council purchased the theatre outright. [8] In July 1969, the Prince of Wales' post-investiture tour of Wales ended with a concert at the New Theatre. [12]

The theatre closed in 1970 for refurbishment and a new stage was built in 1976. [8] It later went through an extensive refurbishment in 1988 and 1989. [8] In 1993, Sir Anthony Hopkins unveiled a bronze bust of writer Gwyn Thomas in the foyer. [13] In 2006 the theatre was refurbished and the outside was given a facelift. [8] By 2012 the theatre closed three months to install new seating, the installation of a customer lift and the repainting of the auditorium. [8]

The New Theatre has been a grade II listed building since 1975. [14]

Present day

The stage from the balcony and boxes to left and right New Theatre -Cardiff -Wales 21Oct2006.jpg
The stage from the balcony and boxes to left and right

Following the Covid 19 pandemic, the theatre re-opened in September 2021, after the longest closure in its history, with a week-long run of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. The Autumn 2021 season included musicals, drama, concerts and comedy, culminating in the 2021-22 pantomime Aladdin starring Paul Chuckle, Gareth Gates, Gareth Thomas and Mike Doyle which came to an early close on Christmas Eve following a further Covid-related lockdown in Wales. New Theatre re-opened again at the end of January 2022 with the concert A Beautiful Noise, followed by near-capacity performances of musicals The Rocky Horror Show and Hairspray.

HQ Theatres / Trafalgar Entertainment

In 2020, the New Theatre became part of HQ Theatres on a new 25 year lease from Cardiff Council, with all existing staff transferred to the company and significant new investment planned for the theatre. The group then became part of Trafalgar Entertainment who now manage the venue. [15]

Cardiff Councillor Peter Bradbury stated at the time; "I’m delighted that its future has been secured through this agreement with HQ Theatres and Hospitality, one of the UK’s leading theatre operators. This arrangement will see the theatre operated without subsidy". [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominion Theatre</span> West End theatre in London, England

The Dominion Theatre is a West End theatre and former cinema on Tottenham Court Road, close to St Giles Circus and Centre Point, in the London Borough of Camden. Planned as primarily a musical theatre, it opened in 1929, but the following year became a cinema—it hosted the London premiere of Charlie Chaplin's City Lights with Chaplin in attendance—and in 1933 after liquidation of the controlling company was sold to Gaumont cinema chain, which later became part of the Rank Organisation. It was a major premiere cinema until the 1970s, when it began to host live concerts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Palladium</span> West End theatre in London

The London Palladium is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many with televised performances. Between 1955 and 1969 Sunday Night at the London Palladium was staged at the venue, produced for the ITV network. The show included a performance by The Beatles on 13 October 1963. One national paper's headlines in the following days coined the term "Beatlemania" to describe the increasingly hysterical interest in the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wales Millennium Centre</span> Arts centre in Cardiff Bay, Wales

The Wales Millennium Centre (WMC) is an arts centre located in the Cardiff Bay area of Cardiff, Wales. The site covers a total area of 4.7 acres (1.9 ha). Phase 1 of the building was opened during the weekend of 26–28 November 2004 and phase 2 opened on 22 January 2009 with an inaugural concert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool</span> Theatre in Liverpool, England

The Royal Court Theatre is a theatre located at 1 Roe Street in Liverpool, England. The current Royal Court Theatre was opened on 17 October 1938, after fire destroyed its predecessor. It was rebuilt in Art Deco style and soon became Liverpool's premier theatre. The interior of the building has a nautical theme, in line with Liverpool's seafaring traditions. The design of the basement lounge was based on the Cunard liner Queen Mary until its conversion into the Studio space during renovations. There are three viewing levels within the main auditorium: the Stalls, the Grand Circle and the Balcony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince of Wales Theatre</span> West End theatre in London, England

The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre in Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in London. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner. The theatre should not be confused with the former Scala Theatre in London that was known as the Prince of Wales Royal Theatre or Prince of Wales's Theatre from 1865 until its demolition in 1903.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aldwych Theatre</span> Theatre in London

The Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Aldwych in the City of Westminster, central London. It was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971. Its seating capacity is 1,200 on three levels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Wimbledon Theatre</span> Theatre in London, England

The New Wimbledon Theatre is situated on the Broadway, Wimbledon, London, in the London Borough of Merton. It is a Grade II listed Edwardian theatre built by the theatre lover and entrepreneur, J. B. Mulholland. Built on the site of a large house with spacious grounds, the theatre was designed by Cecil Aubrey Massey and Roy Young. It seems to have been the only British theatre to have included a Victorian-style Turkish bath in the basement. The theatre opened on 26 December 1910 with the pantomime Jack and Jill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayflower Theatre</span>

Mayflower Theatre is a Grade II listed theatre in the city centre of Southampton, England, with a capacity of 2,300. It features West End theatre shows when they tour the United Kingdom. In addition to this, one-off comedy shows and music events often take place at the theatre too.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Theatre (Newcastle)</span>

The Victoria Theatre is a heritage-listed former theatre at 8–10 Perkins Street, Newcastle, City of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It was opened in 1876 and rebuilt during 1890–1891, and is the oldest theatre still standing in New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 27 August 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama</span> Music school in Cardiff, Wales

The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is a conservatoire located in Cardiff, Wales. It includes three theatres: the Richard Burton Theatre, the Bute Theatre, and the Caird Studio. It also includes one concert hall, the Dora Stoutzker Hall. Its alumni include Anthony Hopkins, Aneurin Barnard and Rob Brydon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Rock Theatre</span>

White Rock Theatre is a medium-scale receiving house venue owned by Hastings Borough Council situated on the seafront of Hastings, East Sussex, on the south coast of England. It currently presents a varied programme of touring shows including opera, ballet, musicals, the Hastings Musical Festival and children's shows.

Gareth Valentine is a Welsh composer, arranger, conductor and musical director. He has worked extensively in London's West End on musical productions and also conducted orchestras worldwide including the BBC Concert Orchestra, Welsh National Opera Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Pasdeloup orchestra, RPO Concert Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, ENB Sinfonia, Orchestre de chambre de Paris and many others. After graduating from the Royal College of Music, London, he studied with Sir Peter Pears at Aldeburgh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Theatre, Edinburgh</span> Theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland

The King's Theatre is a theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton</span> Theatre in Wolverhampton, England

The Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, commonly known as The Grand, is a theatre located on Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton, UK, designed in 1894 by Architect Charles J. Phipps. It is a Grade II Listed Building with a seating capacity of 1200.

Sarah Lark is a Welsh singer and actress who rose to fame when she competed as one of the finalists in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">E. J. Lonnen</span> English actor, comedian and singer

Edwin Jesse Lonnen, credited as "E. J." or "Teddy", was an English actor, comedian and singer known for his performances in musical burlesques, operettas and musical comedies, particularly at the Gaiety Theatre, London at the end of the Victorian era.

The WhatsOnStage Awards, formerly known as the Theatregoers' Choice Awards, are organised by the theatre website WhatsOnStage.com. The awards recognise performers and productions of British theatre with an emphasis on London's West End theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay Laurier</span> English actor

James Alexander Chapman, known by his stage name, Jay Laurier, was an English actor. Early in his career he was a music hall performer, but by the late 1930s he was playing in the works of Shakespeare at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon as well as having a career in films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince of Wales Theatre, Cardiff</span> Pub in former theatre in Cardiff, Wales

The Prince of Wales Theatre is a former theatre in central Cardiff. Built in 1878, seating 2,800, it later became a sex cinema. It is now a pub.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince's Theatre, Bristol</span>

The Prince's Theatre was a theatre on Park Row in Bristol in England which was built in 1867 and was destroyed by bombing in 1940 in the Bristol Blitz during World War II. Owned by members of the Chute family for most of its existence, at one time the theatre was the Bristol venue for many of the country's leading touring actors and theatrical companies in addition to being one of the most renowned pantomime houses in the country before briefly becoming a music hall and latterly a cinema. The actors Henry Irving and Ellen Terry made their last appearance together under Irving's management at the Prince's Theatre in The Merchant of Venice in 1902.

References

  1. ↑ "New Theatre seating plan". New Theatre. Archived from the original on 2010-01-30. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  2. ↑ "New Theatre, Park Place, Cardiff (31827)". Coflein. RCAHMW . Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "New Theatre history". New Theatre. Archived from the original on 2011-09-30. Retrieved 2010-05-21.
  4. ↑ "Cardiff's New Theatre" . London Daily News. No. 18950. 11 December 1906. p. 12. Retrieved 4 April 2016– via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ↑ "Local Engagements" . Western Daily Press. Vol. 97, no. 15149. 8 December 1906. p. 7. Retrieved 4 April 2016– via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ↑ "Touring Companies" . The Era. 11 August 1906. p. 3. Retrieved 4 April 2016– via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ↑ "The Theatres". The Times. No. 38503. 29 November 1907. p. 10.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Entertaining South Wales" (PDF). overthefootlights.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  9. ↑ "Programmes". The Times. No. 44952. 23 July 1928. p. 21.
  10. ↑ ""The Grand Cham's Diamond"". The Times. No. 45026. 17 October 1928. p. 21.
  11. ↑ Nightingale, Benedict (1965-03-27). "review: The Homecoming at Cardiff". The Guardian . p. 6.
  12. ↑ Major Francis Jones (1 July 1969). "The Prince's Route Through Wales - Hills and the vales ready for welcome". Western Mail [Investiture Souvenir Guide]. (Wales). p. 13.
  13. ↑ "Rhondda-born writer remembered". AberdareOnline. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  14. ↑ "New Theatre". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
  15. ↑ Hill, Liz (31 March 2021). "Trafalgar Entertainment acquires HQ Theatres". Arts Professional.
  16. ↑ Masso, Giverny (October 24, 2019). "HQ Theatres announced as operator for Cardiff's New Theatre". The Stage. Retrieved 14 April 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

Coordinates: 51°29′01″N3°10′32″W / 51.483662°N 3.175532°W / 51.483662; -3.175532

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.