Theatre Royal (Norwich)

• Theatre ID
  2192
• Built / Converted
  1935
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Theatre (cinema 1956-66)
• Address
  Theatre Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 1RL, England
• Website
  • http://www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

Details

There has been a theatre on or adjoining this site since 1758. After a fire in 1935, the present theatre was built to the designs of W H Barton from the Odeon office. The street or north elevation is brick, modern and very plain, with its five bays marked by three-quarter height pilasters. The ground floor is clad in white PVC-coated sheet steel in a manner imitative of channelled stucco. There is a similarly clad canopy running full width. The building is crowned by a storey of open timber framing, masking mechanical roof plant. To the right is a narrow, two-storey, steel-clad service bay. To the left is the two-storey entrance wing. The entrance doors are covered by a canopy set at the same height as that to the auditorium block. The new stagehouse is clad in coated steel and has a segmental metal roof. The entrance foyer and associated public spaces are part restorations of the original 1935 dér and part later work inspired by that style. The Art Deco auditorium is proportionately quite wide; there is a deep, moulded plaster cornice which supports a circular ceiling panel. The four original boxes are unused: the fronts of those nearer the dress circle retain their fronts but are curtained-off and those nearer the stage are treated as blind, Art-Deco ornaments. A remarkable continuity of dramatic use on this site is due, not least, to the City Council’s decision in 1967 - in the years of nationwide theatre destruction - to perpetuate that tradition by purchase. The radical works of 1992 provided a new stage house and backstage provisions, enlarged the stage left wing space and impressively refurbished the front of house. The restored 1935 auditorium, while showing the influence of contemporary cinema design, remains essentially a space intended for drama.

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• Other names
  New Theatre, Norwich Hippodrome, Empire and Theatre Royal, Essoldo
• Events
  • 1758 Design/Construction: on adjacent site
    • Thomas Ivory - Architect
  • 1800 Alteration: and front colonnade added; auditorium and stage improved
    • William Wilkins Senior - Architect
  • 1826 Alteration: new theatre built on present site
    • William Wilkins the Younger - Architect
  • 1913 Alteration: substantially enlarged adding two tiers of boxes; new stage built
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1935 Alteration: completely new theatre built following fire
    • W H Barton - Architect
  • 1970 Alteration: modernised and extended, including dressing room block
    • Norwich City Architects Dept - Architect
  • 1992 Alteration:
    • Norwich City Architects Dept - Architect
  • 1757 Owner/Management: Norwich Company
  • 1880 Owner/Management: latterly, Fred Morgan
  • 1903 - 1904 Owner/Management: Bostock & Fitt (Empire & Theatre Royal)
  • 1904 Owner/Management: Fred Morgan
  • 1915 Owner/Management: Frank Rubens
  • 1916 Owner/Management: Bostock & Fitt
  • 1926 Owner/Management: Jack Gladwin
  • 1956 - 1966 Owner/Management: Essoldo, lessees
  • 1967 Owner/Management: continuing Norwich City Council with trusts
  • 2003 Owner/Management: continuing Playhouse also to be managed by the Trust
• Capacities
  • Later: 1908: 1500 1912: 1500
  • Current: 1312
• Listings
  • Grade Not listed
• Stage type
  • Proscenium flat
• Dimensions
  • Building dimensions: Frontage 110ft, depth c.194ft
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 11.14m (36ft 4in) Width: 48ft
  • Proscenium width: 9.68m (31ft 9in)
  • Height to grid: 18.67m (61ft 3in)
  • Orchestra pit: Approx 34ft wide, 10ft deep