Palace (Mansfield)

• Theatre ID
  1693
• Built / Converted
  1910
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Theatre
• Address
  Leeming Street, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, NG18 1NG, England

Details

Built as a cinéariety house in 1910, originally with an ornate street front. Present façe two storey, probably of 1937, but now with the brickwork rendered over; plain canopy, big windows above and coat of arms to right, all appropriately dull, to suit its dreary name, recently changed, of Civic Theatre (which it had been since 1956). Single end balcony with panelled front. Square proscenium flanked by splayed walls with ornamental grilles. Ceiling divided by beams supported on massive ornamental brackets. Small stage with low grid. Twelve dressing rooms. Quite pleasing of its kind and still capable of some technical improvement, but nothing can be done to increase seating capacity, which severely limits the quality and size of shows that can be booked. There can be little doubt that the Grand would have been a better choice for a municipal theatre, having been originally designed to house professional touring drama.

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• Other names
  Palace Electric Theatre, Civic Hall, Civic Theatre
• Events
  • Alteration: Later new stage house and fly tower
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1910 Design/Construction:
    • F P Cook & Lane - Architect
  • 1910 Owner/Management: Palace Electric Theatre Company, lessees
  • 1910 Owner/Management: Sherwood Palaces Ltd, owners
  • 1910 Design/Construction:
  • 1912 Owner/Management: United Electric Theatres
  • 1937 Alteration: new façade constructed
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1946 Alteration: unspecified alterations
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1949 Alteration: further alterations, stage enlarged
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1951 Owner/Management: Palace Electric Theatre Company
  • 1956 Alteration: renovated; stalls rake increased
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1963 Alteration: façade and foyer modified
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1970 Alteration: small extension at rear of stage
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1998 Alteration: circle enlarged; dance studio added
    • Graham Brown Partnership - Architect
• Capacities
  • Original: 500
  • Later: 1912: 1050 1956: 527 1972: 498 1987: 480
  • Current: 582
• Listings
  • Grade Not listed
• Stage type
  • Proscenium Raked 1:24
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 6.7m (22ft) Width: 13.6m (45ft)
  • Proscenium width: 6.7m (22ft)
  • Height to grid: 8.9m (30ft)
  • Orchestra pit: Original (for 11)
• Unreliable anecdotes
  Stage Guide 1912 gives stage depth as 8ft, clearly an error