Theatre Royal, Manchester

Last updated

Theatre Royal
Theatre Royal front facade, Manchester.jpg
Theatre Royal front façade
AddressPeter Street, M2 3NQ
Manchester
England
Coordinates 53°28′40″N2°14′47″W / 53.4777°N 2.2465°W / 53.4777; -2.2465
OwnerEdwardian London
TypeVictorian variety theatre
Construction
Opened1845 (1845)
Reopened1875, 1921, 1963, 1972, 1990
Years active1845–1921 (as a theatre)
Architect
  • John Gould Irwin & Francis Chester (1845)
  • Edward Salomon (1871 alteration)
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameRoyale Club
Designated2 October 1974
Reference no. 1246667

The Theatre Royal in Manchester, England, opened in 1845. Situated next to the Free Trade Hall, it is the oldest surviving theatre in Manchester. [1] [2] It was commissioned by Mancunian businessman John Knowles who wanted a theatre venue in the city.

Contents

The Theatre Royal operated as a theatre from 1845 until 1921, when it closed in the face of growing competition from the Palace Theatre and Opera House. The building has since been converted numerous times for use as a cinema, bingo hall and nightclub. It has been unoccupied since 2011, with the nightclub hosting its last night on 31 December 2010.

In 2012, the building was purchased by Edwardian Hotels, owner of the neighbouring Radisson Edwardian. It has since been placed on the Theatres Trust's "At Risk" register, and as of 2023 no work has commenced and Edwardian Hotels have no intention of re-developing the listed building.

Architecture

The theatre, which stands on an island site on the south side of Peter Street, is constructed in sandstone ashlar. It has two storeys, with an attic, and was built in the neoclassical style. Around the building, between the upper storey and the attic, is a modillioned cornice. [3] Its entrance front facing Peter Street is symmetrical with three bays, the central bay being wider than the lateral bays. The central bay is in the form of a portico, with Corinthian columns and pilasters. Its entablature contains a central semicircular arch breaking through to the gable. Steps lead up to entrances in each bay. Above the central entrance is a pedimented niche containing a statue of William Shakespeare, which is based on the statue by Peter Scheemakers in Westminster Abbey. The lateral bays contain windows with balconies on the upper storey. [4] Along the sides of the theatre are alternating rectangular windows and panels, with a blank semicircular arch above each window. The interior of the theatre has been altered, but retains its 1875 gallery. The theatre was designated as a Grade II listed building on 3 October 1974. [3] The authors of the Buildings of England series describe it as a "splendid classical composition in stone, one of the best examples of theatre architecture surviving anywhere in England from the first half of the 19th century". [4] The Theatres Trust described it as "unique and architecturally significant", with the façade being "one of the finest examples of theatre architecture to have survived in Britain from the first half of the nineteenth century", stating that it influenced the design of the Royal Opera House, London. [5]

Use as a theatre

Manchester appears to have two previous Theatre Royals before the current building was constructed in 1845. The first opened in Spring Gardens on 5 June 1775 and operated on that site until the expiration of the proprietors' lease in 1807. [6]

The second Theatre Royal opened in Fountain Street on 12 July 1807 and was destroyed by fire on 7 March 1844. [6] John Knowles took over the management of this second Theatre Royal some time before the fire, at a time when the theatre in Manchester was at its lowest ebb. [7] Knowles set up a strong stock company and proved himself a very capable, though somewhat authoritarian, theatre manager. However, following the 1844 fire the proprietors of the theatre on Fountain Street refused to rebuild it.

At a public dinner in his honour in July 1844, Knowles was presented a plate "in acknowledgement of his energetic and successful efforts to revive national drama in Manchester". [8] Knowles told the gathering that if they could get no one else to build a theatre then he would do it himself. As a result, Knowles bought the patent rights and set about finding a site for the new theatre. [9] Knowles had always been an admirer of theatrical performances and he was anxious to see their renovation in this, his native town. He desired to see the revival of the legitimate drama, and the plays represented in a manner duly worthy of them. [8]

Theatre Royal front facade on the left with the Free Trade Hall. (Former) Theatre Royal and (Former) Free Trade Hall, Manchester.jpg
Theatre Royal front façade on the left with the Free Trade Hall.

Knowles found a new site for his theatre on Peter Street. He demolished the Wellington Inn and Brogden's Horse Bazaar. [10] Knowles employed Francis Chester and John Gould Irwin as the architects for his new theatre. [11] In preparation for the building of the new Theatre Royal, Knowles and Chester went to London and visited most of the metropolitan theatres, noting their areas, internal forms, acoustic capabilities, etc. [12] With a cost of £23,000, the new Theatre Royal opened to an audience of 2,500. [13] Precautionary measures against fire were taken by placing a tank on the roof capable of holding 20,000 gallons of water, which was connected by pipes to the stage and the green room. Its programme that night included Weber's Oberon overture, Douglas Jerrold's "Time works wonders" and an elaborate ballet spectacle "The Court Ball in 1740". Knowles's schedule of productions was intensive – in one season there were 157 performances at which two and sometimes three plays were performed. The popularity of the theatre grew. Charles Dickens, John Leech and George Cruikshank [10] were amongst notable people who appeared at the theatre. The theatre was dedicated to Shakespeare and Knowles installed a Carrara marble statue of the playwright above the entrance. It was Manchester's finest outdoor statue. [11] In 1875, after years of success, Knowles severed his connections with the theatre, disposing of it to a limited company for £50,000. [13]

Later use

In 1921 the theatre was converted to a cinema due to competition from the Palace Theatre and the Opera House. In 1972 the theatre became a bingo hall, then a nightclub in 1978, [5] at which point various lighting bridges and rigs were added. [1] It was known successively as the "Discotheque Royale", "Infinity" (from August 2000) [14] then "M2" and finally a rename and rebrand to "Coliseum". The nightclub closed in 2011. [5]

In 2008 a 118 m (387 ft), 28-storey tall office and retail tower was proposed, called "Theatre Royal Tower", that would be connected to the back of the original theatre. It was designed by Stephenson Bell with The Benmore Group as the developer. [15]

It was announced in 2011 by owners Benmore that the Theatre Royal would receive a £2 million refurbishment to convert the building into a live music venue. [2] Plans to convert the building into a hotel and live music venue never came about. [5]

Despite the promise of investment, Benmore sold the building in November 2012. [16] It was purchased by Edwardian Hotels, who owned the Radisson Blu Edwardian hotel adjacent to the theatre in the Free Trade Hall. [17] The building could potentially be restored as a theatre or banqueting hall as a complementary extension for the hotel. [16]

As of December 2016 the building remains unused, with the Edwardian Group carrying out feasibility studies for the building. Theatres Trust has placed the building on its "Theatre Buildings at Risk" register. [5]

The 1845 exterior façade is virtually intact, [1] and the building retains the balcony from 1875.[ citation needed ] Theatres Trust has said that the internal conversions for its past usage in various guises appear to have obscured – rather than destroyed  – the interior. The Trust classify the original interior work as "restorable as a theatre". [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Free Trade Hall</span> Building in Manchester, England

The Free Trade Hall on Peter Street, Manchester, England, was constructed in 1853–56 on St Peter's Fields, the site of the Peterloo Massacre. It is now a Radisson hotel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilmslow Road</span> Major road in Manchester, England

Wilmslow Road is a major road in Manchester, England, running from Parrs Wood northwards to Rusholme. There it becomes Oxford Road and the name changes again to Oxford Street when it crosses the River Medlock and reaches the city centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Square, Manchester</span> Public square in Manchester, England

Albert Square is a public square in the centre of Manchester, England. It is dominated by its largest building, the Grade I listed Manchester Town Hall, a Victorian Gothic building by Alfred Waterhouse. Other smaller buildings from the same period surround it, many of which are listed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piccadilly Gardens</span> Public park in Manchester, England

Piccadilly Gardens is a green space in Manchester city centre, England, on the edge of the Northern Quarter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hull Paragon Interchange</span> Transport interchange in Yorkshire, England

Hull Paragon Interchange is a transport interchange providing rail, bus and coach services located in the city centre of Kingston upon Hull, England. The G. T. Andrews-designed station was originally named Paragon Station, and together with the adjoining Station Hotel, it opened in 1847 as the new Hull terminus for the growing traffic of the York and North Midland (Y&NMR) leased to the Hull and Selby Railway (H&S). As well as trains to the west, the station was the terminus of the Y&NMR and H&S railway's Hull to Scarborough Line. From the 1860s the station also became the terminus of the Hull and Holderness and Hull and Hornsea railways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Manchester</span> Overview of the architecture of Manchester, England

The architecture of Manchester demonstrates a rich variety of architectural styles. The city is a product of the Industrial Revolution and is known as the first modern, industrial city. Manchester is noted for its warehouses, railway viaducts, cotton mills and canals – remnants of its past when the city produced and traded goods. Manchester has minimal Georgian or medieval architecture to speak of and consequently has a vast array of 19th and early 20th-century architecture styles; examples include Palazzo, Neo-Gothic, Venetian Gothic, Edwardian baroque, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and the Neo-Classical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edwardian architecture</span> Style of world architecture

Edwardian architecture usually means a Neo-Baroque architectural style that was popular for public buildings in the British Empire during the Edwardian era (1901–1910). Architecture up to 1914 is commonly included in this style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridlington Spa</span>

Bridlington Spa is a dance hall, theatre and conference centre in Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Refurbished between 2006 and 2008 and further updated with a new branding in 2016, the venue boasts a large Art Deco ball room, Edwardian theatre, art gallery and a selection of other meeting and event spaces; all featuring outstanding views over Bridlington's South Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intercontinental Tower, Manchester</span> Cancelled tower in Manchester, England

The Intercontinental Tower, Manchester is a cancelled landmark skyscraper that was proposed in Manchester city centre, England. The building would have been a five-star luxury hotel run by InterContinental Hotels Group, and developed by Northern Irish development firm, Benmore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haigh Hall</span> Building in Greater Manchester, England

Haigh Hall is a historic country house in Haigh, Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. Built between 1827 and 1840 for James Lindsay, 7th Earl of Balcarres, it replaced an ancient manor house and was a Lindsay family home until 1947, when it was sold to Wigan Corporation. The hall is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building and is owned by Wigan Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Western Hotel, Liverpool</span> Building in Liverpool, England

The Radisson RED Liverpool Hotel is a historic building in Liverpool, England. It is located on the east side of Lime Street, fronting Lime Street railway station. Opened in 1871 as the North Western Hotel, it more recently served as office space and student accommodation. It was restored to a hotel from 2018 to 2022. The building is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Mill</span> Cotton mill in Manchester, England

Royal Mill, which is located on the corner of Redhill Street and Henry Street, Ancoats, in Manchester, England, is an early-20th-century cotton mill, one of the last of "an internationally important group of cotton-spinning mills" sited in East Manchester. Royal Mill was constructed in 1912 on part of the site of the earlier McConnel & Kennedy mills, established in 1798. It was originally called New Old Mill and was renamed following a royal visit by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1942. A plaque commemorates the occasion. The Ancoats mills collectively comprise "the best and most-complete surviving examples of early large-scale factories concentrated in one area".

John Knowles (1810–1880) was an English businessman who is well known as the proprietor of the Theatre Royal on Peter Street, Manchester from 1844 to 1875. He was also a manufacturer of marble chimneypieces.

Aberdeen has been the host of several theatres and concert halls through history. Some of them have been converted or destroyed over the years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leigh Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Leigh, Greater Manchester, England

Leigh Town Hall is a municipal building in Leigh, Greater Manchester, England. It stands in Civic Square at the junction with Market Street, facing Leigh parish church. It was built in 1907 and granted grade II listed building status in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monk Street, Monmouth</span>

Monk Street is an historic street in the town of Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales. A portion of it was in existence by the 14th century, and appears on the 1610 map of the town by cartographer John Speed. It runs in a north-south direction, extending northward from its intersection with Whitecross Street. The name of the street relates to the nearby Priory, as well as the gate which was originally on this road and provided part of the town's defences, Monk's Gate. Monk Street is lined with numerous listed buildings.

The Theatre Royal, Hanley was a theatre in Stoke-on-Trent, England with a long history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corn exchanges in England</span> Commodity trading halls in England

Corn exchanges are distinct buildings which were originally created as a venue for corn merchants to meet and arrange pricing with farmers for the sale of wheat, barley, and other corn crops. The word "corn" in British English denotes all cereal grains, such as wheat and barley. With the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846, a large number of corn exchanges were built in England, particularly in the corn-growing areas of Eastern England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarborough Town Hall</span> Municipal building in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England

Scarborough Town Hall, originally St Nicholas House, is a red brick Jacobean Revival mansion in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England, currently used as a municipal building for the Borough of Scarborough and an events venue. It was built in the 19th century as a home for John Woodall, a prominent local businessman, and then converted and extended for municipal use in 1903. Situated overlooking the South Bay, it is a grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt Hotel</span> Building in London, England

Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt Hotel is a boutique hotel at 68–86 Cromwell Road in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, central London. The hotel, located in a Grade II listed terrace of white stucco townhouses, contains 215 rooms and is part of the Radisson Blu Edwardian chain. The Scoff & Banter Kensington restaurant is situated on the ground floor.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Theatre Royal (Manchester)". Theatre Trust. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Theatre Royal to become live music venue – with £2m refurb". Manchester Evening News. 3 November 2011. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  3. 1 2 Historic England. "Royale Club, Manchester (1246667)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  4. 1 2 Hartwell, Hyde & Pevsner 2004, p. 322.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Bardsley, Andrew (8 December 2016). "Manchester's oldest theatre was bought by a developer four years ago. But we still don't know what's going to happen to it..." Manchester Evening News.
  6. 1 2 Collectanea relating to Manchester and its neighbourhood, at various periods, vol. 2, Chetham Society, 1867, p. 59
  7. 'Index to the report from the Select Committee on Theatrical Licenses and Regulations', 1866, House of Commons Parliamentary Papers, vol. XVI.1, p. 217.
  8. 1 2 'Dinner to John Knowles, Jun, Esq', The Manchester Guardian, 17 July 1844, p. 5
  9. Manchester Central Library 1979, p. 18.
  10. 1 2 Parkinson-Bailey 2000, p. 87.
  11. 1 2 Rudyard & Wyke 1994, p. 57.
  12. 'The New Theatre Royal, Peter-Street', The Manchester Guardian, 2 October 1844, p. 5
  13. 1 2 Manchester Central Library 1979, p. 19.
  14. Burkeman, Oliver (29 August 2000). "Two-person toilet cubicle installed for sociable clubbers". The Guardian.
  15. "Theatre Royal Tower". skyscrapernews.com. 15 May 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  16. 1 2 "Radisson Edwardian To Extend Into The Theatre Royal". Manchester Confidential. 21 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  17. "Manchester Theatre Royal acquired by hotelier Edwardian Group". Manchester Evening News. 20 November 2012.

Bibliography