Amharclann Ríoga Phort Láirge [1] | |
Waterford Theatre | |
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Address | The Mall Waterford Republic of Ireland |
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Coordinates | 52°15′35″N7°06′25″W / 52.2597°N 7.10696°W |
Public transit | Lombard Street bus stop (bus routes 607, 617, 627) Parnell Street bus stops Waterford Plunkett railway station (walk 1.5 km / 1 mile) |
Type | theatre |
Capacity | 430 |
Construction | |
Opened | 1785 |
Renovated | 1876 |
Architect | John Roberts |
Website | |
theatreroyal |
The Theatre Royal Waterford is a theatre located in Waterford, Ireland. [2] [3]
The Theatre Royal was founded as a patent theatre in 1785, with playhouse and Assembly Rooms designed by local architect John Roberts; As You Like It was the first production. The Ball Room (Large Room) opened in 1788. James Sheridan Knowles's first work, Leo; or, The Gipsy, premiered at Waterford in 1810. [4] The actress Maria Ann Campion was also associated with the theatre. [5]
The theatre suffered a fire on 5 April 1837. [6]
In November 1846, during the early part of the Great Famine, the theatre was "compelled to close its doors prematurely." At the time, a Mr Watkins Burroughs was manager. [7]
The building was upgraded to its current form in 1876, under John Royston, who showed comedies and opera buffa. [8] Oscar Wilde lectured at the Theatre Royal after his famous 1882 tour of the U.S. In January 1882 there was a small fire during a performance of H. M. S. Pinafore , but the manager calmed the audience and the fire was extinguished without loss of life. [9]
Smoking was forbidden in 1882, as a fire control measure, rather than as a public health issue. [10] Fred Jarman's Sarah was shown in 1892. [11]
In the 1900s it showed musical theatre and silent movies, with guests including King Edward VII. In 1929 it showed the city's first talkie, The Singing Fool . [10]
In the 1950s it was suggested that the performance area be closed and the theatre be converted into council offices, but instead it reopened in 1958, and a festival of light opera was founded. Jim Nolan founded Red Kettle Theatre Company in 1985 and staged his experimental play, The Gods Are Angry, Miss Kerr. [12] [13] Recently[ when? ] the theatre has been renovated again. [14]
In 2016 the Theatre Royal was the victim of a bomb hoax, along with other buildings in the city. [15]
The theatre closed during the COVID-19 pandemic; it reopened in August 2020 with a capacity of 100 people due to social distancing requirements. [16] [17]
The theatre sits 430 people; the stage is under a proscenium arch 13.5 metres (44 ft) and measures 6.2 metres (20 ft) wide. Its depth is variable: 5.5 m (18 ft) at stage right and 7.5 m (25 ft) at stage left. [18]