Normansfield Hospital Entertainment Hall

• Theatre ID
  2007
• Built / Converted
  1879
• Dates of use
  • 1879 - 1909
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  disused (mixed use from 1909)
• Address
  Normansfield, 2a Langdon Park, Teddington, Richmond, London, Middlesex, TW11 9PS, England
• Website
  • Langdon Down Centre Trust

Details

Not a public theatre, but included, like a number of other private theatres (e.g. Abercrave, Adelina Patti Theatre in Craig-y-Nos Castle), because of its extreme rarity and vulnerability. A complete and virtually unaltered survival of the 1870s and of outstanding architectural, historic and archaeological importance. Normansfield was founded in 1868, as an institution for people with congenital mental conditions (in modern parlance, with learning disabilities) by John Haydon Langdon-Down, who gave his name to Down’s Syndrome. The patients were (unusually for the time) given training and encouraged in remedial activities. This, together with Dr and Mrs Langdon-Down’s great love of the theatre, led to the building of the Entertainment Hall, so called. This was, in fact, a private theatre, intensively used by staff and patients apparently for both therapeutic and recreational purposes, Langdon-Down having observed that the drama and mimicry provided great stimulation to the intelligence. There was also a very active amateur theatre group. Mrs Langdon-Down was acting manager. Externally it is unimpressive; like a large chapel, attached to one wing of the much extended original house. It makes no architectural impact from any public view-point. The auditorium, situated above what was originally the ‘kindersaal’ or rinking room is, by contrast, spectacular. Flat floor with open pine-trussed roof, fair-faced brick walls and tall windows, like an assembly hall. Iron fronted balcony across the end and a complete, well-preserved gas sun-burner in the roof. Richly modelled, coloured and gilded proscenium with pairs of doors (one practical, one dummy) on either side, giving on to a shallow forestage and steps with iron balustrades. The whole of the original decoration to the proscenium, including figure-paintings (as yet unattributed), seems to have survived intact. The stage is particularly interesting as a miniature version of a regular theatre of the period. It has a simple groove system, still workable, with very old wings and borders and painted cloths. There are about ninety pieces, made for this stage, the finest collection of old stock scenery in the country. There is also a scene-painter’s model. Six painted panels from the original Savoy (touring) production of Ruddigore have been removed for safe storage. Understage, a basement and cellar level, but these are simple rooms and there is no evidence of machinery. The theatre building is at present in good condition, but its future was insecure for many years after a troublesome period for the institution which culminated in its permanent closure and the offer of the land for sale. The scenery, in particular, is vulnerable, since it cannot be fully protected by listing. The development of the former Normansfield grounds for housing and the creation of a Langdon-Down centre at the theatre will be reviewed as soon as possible and this entry will then be revised.

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• Events
  • 1879 - 1909 Use:
  • 1879 Design/Construction:
    • Rowland Plumbe - Architect
    • Marianne North - Consultant: Possibly Executed Botanical Painting On Stage Riser
  • Owner/Management: Built for Dr John Langdon-Down and used as a private theatre and multi-purpose room under both private and NHS control. Not licensed as a public theatre.
• Capacities
  • Current: est. 300
• Listings
  • Grade II*
• Stage type
  • Proscenium Rake 1:36
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 6.2m (20ft 9in)
  • Proscenium width: 5.5m (18ft)
  • Orchestra pit: None