Royal Court
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 façade 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.
- 1886 : Until when not known.
Further details
- Owner/Management: Wigan Entertainments
- 1886 Use: Until when not known.
- 1886 Design/Construction:Richardson T Johnson- Architect
- 1899 Alteration: remodelledJ P Briggs- Architect
- 1930 Alteration: converted to cinemaGray & Evans- Architect
- CapacityLaterDescription1964: 999
- ListingII