Theatre Royal (Merthyr Tydfil)

• Theatre ID
  1303
• Built / Converted
  1891
• Dates of use
  • 1891 - 1982:
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  disused (closed as bingo)
• Address
  Park Place, Penydarren Road, Merthyr Tydfil, Mid Glamorgan, CF47 0LJ, Wales

Details

Merthyr's Theatre Royal has a rendered brick frontage set into the slope opposite Penydarren Park. The main block is of 5 bays in two storeys plus a blind attic over. The original ground floor arrangement of seven arched doors, grouped 2+3+2, has had its symmetry altered by the insertion of a wider entrance in place of the left hand pair. The centre door retains its segmental pediment hood as do the first floor windows, but the theatre's crowning cornice and parapet and tall central pediment were removed. The prominent inscription THEATRE ROYAL remains over the first floor centre. There is a corrugated iron fly tower. The block to the right, Thespian House, originally had an interesting crenellated parapet. This block and the theatre formed an interesting group in the streetscape. The fine auditorium was altered in the later 1920s, with a large balcony inserted and Art Deco features in many of the borders and decorations. The splendid sunburst ceiling rose over the stalls is possibly of an earlier date (1890s?). The Art Deco proscenium has a ramped and stepped surround, Royal Arms at its centre and splayed crestings. The side walls have linked low-relief panels with stepped detailing, acanthus and anthemion cornices over. Organ pipes can be seen in the niches that flank the stage. There is recessed coffering over the gallery with convex, cantilevered front, and polygonal pendant light fittings. All in all it is an excellent example of its type. The theatre closed as bingo in 2006 and has been unused ever since. Plans for the site have been considered but never submitted. The possibility of return to live theatre use should not be dismissed, and still has local support.

---

Hide further details

• Other names
  Theatre Royal and Thespian House, Theatre Royal Bingo and Social Club
• Events
  • 1891 Design/Construction:
    • T C Wakeling (Merthyr) - Architect
  • 1891 - 1982 Use:
  • 1920 - 1929 Alteration: auditorium rebuilt, balcony inserted (architect unknown).
  • 1982 Alteration: converted to bingo
• Capacities
  • Later: 1951: 1217
• Listings
  • Grade II
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 22ft
  • Proscenium width: 28ft