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Theatre Royal

2120

Built on site of an earlier theatre and an adjoining Shakespeare Tavern. Designed by Richard Horsfall & Son of Halifax and very similar externally to the Palace & Hippodrome in Burnley, also by Horsfall.

Excellent Edwardian Baroque ashlar façade, unusually formal for an English theatre. Three main storeys with an attic. Flanking bays surmounted by open segmental pediments enclosing enriched circular windows. Three central bays above the arched entrances emphasized by giant Ionic pilasters, and a triangular pediment set against the attic storey. An additional bay to the right provides access via an archway with a large set of iron gates bearing the words 'Theatre Royal' to the stage door.

The auditorium was gutted in the 1930s for cinema use and the proscenium wall demolished to allow the new auditorium to be extended into the stage house. However, the proscenium wall was retained at high level in order to support and retain the grid. Access can still be gained into the original stage tower, which has one timber fly floor on each side of the stage. All the grid and pulleys, etc are still intact.

Proposals for redevelopment have envisaged keeping no more than the facade.

Built / Converted
1905
Dates of use
Current state
Extant
Current use
Disused (theatre became cinema then bingo hall; closed as nightclub)
Address
1a Ward's End, Southgate, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX1 1DD, England
Website-
Further details
Other names
-
Events
  • 1790 Design/Construction: first theatre on site (architect unknown).
  • 1853 Alteration: upper galleries added (architect unknown).
  • 1873 Alteration: (architect unknown).
  • 1905 Design/Construction: completely rebuilt on enlarged site (incorporating adjoining Shakespeare Tavern).
    Richard Horsfall & Son
    - Architect
  • 1927 Alteration: rebuilt after fire with improved stage (architect unknown).
  • 1930 - 1939 Alteration: converted to cinema (architect unknown).
Capacities
  • Capacity
    Later
    Description
    1912: 1695
Listings
  • Listing
    II
Stage type
Proscenium, raked
Building dimensions: -
Stage dimensions: Depth: 34ft (44ft after 1927) Width: 75ft
Proscenium width: 30ft (34ft after 1927)
Height to grid: 50ft
Inside proscenium: -
Orchestra pit: -