World War II and after
During World War II, CEMA (Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts) was set up to provide entertainment for the civilian and military population, often in community or church halls or in makeshift theatres in camps. This initiative, and subsequent interest in the arts as a whole, led to the formation of the Arts Council in 1946 which enabled public money to be used to support theatre in the regions, including the construction of new theatres. The Belgrade in Coventry was the first purpose-built theatre after the war.
After World War II, it was television that led to the demise of theatre-going. But by then many older theatres were seen as old-fashioned and did not appeal to the modern lifestyle of the working classes. Falling audiences and increasing maintenance costs resulted in the demolition of many theatres, especially if they were situated in bomb-damaged town centres that were targeted for redevelopment. Others were converted to different uses, such as bingo halls or nightclubs.
In the 1960s and 70s, local councils were the main builders of new theatres, usually as part of their cultural and leisure programmes. Any new or replacement theatres were often integrated into multi-purpose civic complexes that included other amenities such as libraries, museums, sports halls, swimming pools and shopping areas.
These new ‘civic theatres’ were frequently designed for multi-purpose use and built in a more functional architectural style. Nevertheless, they presented opportunities to experiment with different auditoria arrangements, with some being built in the less traditional arrangements, such as theatre-in-the-round, courtyard-style or with a wide single rake of seating and open stage.
In 1968 censorship ended, and performances usually seen in club theatres could now be staged in mainstream theatres. There was also an explosion of fringe and alternative theatre – political, feminist, gay and community – some companies acquiring and adapting redundant buildings for rehearsal and presenting.
