Royal Aquarium

• Theatre ID
  1004
• Built / Converted
  1883
• Dates of use
  • 1883: continuing
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Cinema (Four cinemas and a nightclub)
• Address
  Marine Parade, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR30 2DL, England

Details

Built, as the name suggests, as an Aquarium, the thick glass tank fronts are said to exist still behind the drapes in the main auditorium. The Aquarium was converted to a theatre in 1883. A little theatre was also created under the same roof in 1925. Both theatres became cinemas by 1970, but the main house was adapted in 1984 to serve as a seasonal theatre. A large structure on a permanent island site, in red brick with arcading and panels on the main south front. Internally, the main auditorium (theatre and Cinema I) is largely as it was after cinema conversion. A false ceiling obscures the original, presumably barrel-vaulted form. The projection room, follow-spot positions and sound and lighting desks are believed to occupy the remaining part of an original horseshoe-shaped balcony. The stage has an extraordinary complex rake. The Little Theatre (Cinema II) has a barrel-vaulted ceiling and good ornamental plastering on the walls, but all now ‘painted out’. Restoration of the complex to anything resembling an ‘original’ form now seems a remote prospect.

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• Other names
  Royalty (since 1883), Royalty Theatre and Cinema, Little Theatre, Hollywood Cinema & Rosie’s Nightclub
• Events
  • 1883 Use: continuing
  • 1876 Design/Construction: as an aquarium
    • John Norton & Philip E Masey - Architect
  • 1883 Alteration: converted to theatre
    • Bottle & Olley - Architect
  • 1925 Alteration: Little Theatre created
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1970 Alteration: converted to cinemas (later cinema/theatre)
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1984 Alteration: main auditorium re-converted for use as seasonal theatre
    • Unknown - Architect
  • Alteration: Later division into four screens and nightclub
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1908 Owner/Management: J W Nightingale, proprietor
  • 1970 - 1979 Owner/Management: Trusthouse Forte, owners
  • 1983 Owner/Management: Jay’s UK Ltd, owners
  • Owner/Management: Hollywood Screen Entertainments, lessees
• Capacities
  • Later: 1991: 1241
  • Current: 1242
• Listings
  • Grade Not listed
• Stage type
  • Rake - steep Open thrust
• Dimensions
  • Building dimensions: c.345ft x c.125ft
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: c.25ft Width SL: c.25ft SR: c.25ft
  • Orchestra pit: None