Playhouse

The theatre was inserted into a nineteenth century Methodist church in 1949. The original interior of the church was gutted save for the retention of the decorative plaster ceiling, the rake of the stalls and the stage house being created within the original envelope. The building is used essentially for drama, and is part of the Little Theatre Guild.

The auditorium is a single raked bank of seating with no central aisle. Three small bays of seating (known as alcoves) are also situated at the rear of the auditorium. The side walls are plain, save for houselights fittings dating from 1949. The proscenium, which is relatively low given the overall height of the auditorium ceiling, is heavily surmounted by a large concrete lighting bridge cosmetically concealed with hardboard panelling. This feature is highly reminiscent of Harold Ridge’s alterations to the Festival Theatre, Cambridge. Further research has revealed that he was closely associated with the Halifax Thespians in 1949 and the stage arrangements must surely be by Ridge, in collaboration with the local architect, Pickles.

The stage is flat with a small apron forestage. The stage house is equipped with one fly floor at each side, and all flying is by hemp and hand winch. There is no grid, and all suspensions are made from three I-beams. A small orchestra pit can be created with the loss of seats at the front of the auditorium.

The front of house was originally the vestry of the chapel, and this has in recent years been extended to provide a wheelchair ramp access from the side street.

Externally the front elevation of the chapel forms the rear wall of the stage. This is unfortunate, since it makes the central grand entrance to the chapel effectively redundant.

The owners recognise the shortcomings of the building and a ‘stage one’ Arts Council funded feasibility study was in progress at the time of writing.