Royal Court (Wigan)

• Theatre ID
  2056
• Built / Converted
  1886
• Dates of use
  • 1886: Until when not known.
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Bingo
• Address
  King Street, Wigan, Lancashire, England

Details

Externally the theatre is little altered. Internally, however, the auditorium was rebuilt as a cinema in 1930 when the boxes were removed and some of the stage area was incorporated within its volume. The interesting red brick and terra cotta façe is of two dates - the upper storey, with round-arched windows and surmounting gable with the name ‘Royal Court Theatre’ dates from 1886. The two-storeyed lower part, projecting forward from the original building, dates from 1899. At first floor level, above a canopy of 1930, are five bays divided by fluted Ionic pilasters, the four outer, large windows with elliptical arches, the centre one small, with a broken pediment and oeil-de-boeuf over. The auditorium as remodelled on conversion to cinema still has two curving balconies, but the upper now concealed by a false ceiling. Thin, Adam-style plasterwork. Small foyer, impressive with marble and brass fittings.

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• Events
  • 1886 Use: Until when not known.
  • 1886 Design/Construction:
    • Richardson T Johnson - Architect
  • 1899 Alteration: remodelled
    • J P Briggs - Architect
  • 1930 Alteration: converted to cinema
    • Gray & Evans - Architect
  • Owner/Management: Wigan Entertainments
• Capacities
  • Later: 1964: 999
• Listings
  • Grade II
• Stage type
  • Proscenium
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 10.5m
  • Proscenium width: 9.7m
  • Inside proscenium: 10.5m