Plymouth, Theatre Royal

PLYMOUTH
DATA

The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History

THEATRE ROYAL

Plymouth's present Theatre Royal is situated in Royal Parade. Work began on it on April 1st 1979 and it was completed on April 16th 1982. It was officially opened by HRH the Princess Margaret on May 5th 1982.

This theatre replaces an older Theatre Royal that was situated on the site now occupied by the ABC cinema. The foundation stone of that theatre was laid on September 10th 1811 by the Mayor, Edmund Lockyer. It was designed by John Foulston and George Wightwick (1802-1872), sat 1,200 and was completed within two years. It was opened on Monday August 23rd 1813.

The Theatre Royal was one of the first buildings in Britain to make use of cast and wrought iron for the main structure of the auditorium and for the roof. It is claimed to have been the first building in the country to use structural ironwork for fireproofing in a public building, at time when both the Covent Garden and Drury Lanes theatres in London were being rebuilt with traditional materials even after disastrous fires.

It boasted a spacious vestibule, first and second circle, upper boxes, pit and gallery.

The first programme consisted of "As You Like It" plus a farce "Catherine and Petruchio". Prices were Boxes 4s, pit 2/6d, gallery one shilling. Apparently 1,149 people attended the opening night, amounting to £152 14s income, but it did not last. By 1820, the Royal had apparently acquired the title of "The Theatre of Splendid Misery" because of declining audiences. Then it was gutted by fires in December 1863, 1873 and in 1878, when only the walls remained. The company temporarily used the St James Hall until rebuilding was completed in 1879.

Owned by Plymouth Corporation, the Theatre Royal was leased for many years by Mr J R Newcombe.

The Theatre Royal was demolished on April 11th 1937 to make way for a more modern cinema.