Civic (Darlington)

• Theatre ID
  1549
• Built / Converted
  1907
• Dates of use
  • 1966 - 0: continuing
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Theatre
• Address
  Parkgate, Darlington, Durham, DL1 1RR, England
• Website
  • http://www.darlingtonarts.co.uk

Details

When built, this theatre curiously carried two names - Hippodrome on the Borough Road frontage and Palace Theatre on the Parkgate/Borough Road corner. It became the Civic Theatre in 1966, having been acquired by the local authority some years earlier. The principal front is practically as built, red brick with terra cotta dressings in a carefree Baroque manner, the entrance pavilion symmetrical, with Ionic pilasters at first floor level, carrying a scrolly gable and semi-circular lunette with exaggerated voussoirs. Over the gable, a pyramidal roof with iron cresting. At the rear, the 1990s extensions are in plain brick with light brick dressings and a corner tower, like a bastion. The auditorium has two balconies with delicate plaster ornament and a single pedimented box on either side at first balcony level. Circular ceiling set in a square with elaborate plaster ornament in the corners. Rectangular proscenium with a thin spirally enriched roll moulding and a central cartouche. Ante-proscenium walls and above the proscenium decorated with wide bolection mouldings in a square panelled design. The reopening of the long-isolated gallery and the extensions containing bars, etc greatly improved this well preserved theatre.

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• Other names
  New Hippodrome, Hippodrome, Palace Theatre
• Events
  • 1966 - 0 Use: continuing
  • 1907 Design/Construction: (built under the supervision of G F Ward of Owen & Ward)
    • G Gordon Hoskins - Architect
  • 1990 Alteration: major extension; gallery restored to use
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1994 Alteration: conservatory bar added at stalls level
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1907 Design/Construction:
    • Dean & Sons (Birmingham) - Consultant: Decoration
  • 1907 - 1928 Owner/Management: New Hippodrome & Palace of Varieties, proprietors
  • 1916 - 0 Owner/Management: Hippodrome (Darlington) Ltd, owners
  • 1934 - 1956 Owner/Management: Stanley Rogers cinemas/Hinge Productions Ltd, lessees
  • 1958 Owner/Management: Darlington Civic Theatre Ltd, lessees
  • 1964 Owner/Management: Darlington Corporation, owners
• Capacities
  • Original: 1210
  • Later: 1924: 1471 1956: 1159 1970: 601
  • Current: 901
• Listings
  • Grade II
• Stage type
  • Proscenium Rake 1:24
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 9.8m (32ft)
  • Proscenium width: 8.63m (28ft 6in)
  • Height to grid: 13.7m (45ft)