Royal (Northampton)

• Theatre ID
  475
• Built / Converted
  1884
• Dates of use
  • 1884: continuing
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Theatre
• Address
  Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 1DP, England
• Website
  • http://www.northamptontheatres.com

Details

One of the smallest of Phipps’s theatres - comparable in scale internally with the Royal Hippodrome in Eastbourne. The entrance front, in painted Ancaster stone, is of extremely modest proportions - just wide enough for three closely spaced bays defined by pilasters, with three arched doorways on the ground floor and three plain rectangular first floor windows. Pedimented attic with lunette above central bay, linked to ball finials above the end pilasters. The legend ‘Royal Theatre and Opera House’ appears in the frieze above the entrance canopy. Delightfully intimate auditorium. Two horse-shoe shaped balconies supported on six columns, with rich and delicate plasterwork on their fronts. Single boxes on each side at first balcony level, between pairs of Corinthian columns. The entablature above the columns supports a deep elliptical arch in front of the enriched frame of the narrow but high proscenium. Phipps was not afraid of repeating himself and the theme of deep panelled coves above the gallery slips, rising to a circular ceiling, may be seen in many of his theatres (Eastbourne, Wolverhampton, Glasgow Theatre Royal, Edinburgh Lyceum etc). At Northampton the plain surface surrounding the Rococo plasterwork in the centre of the ceiling was repainted in the form of stylized clouds in 1960 by Osborne Robinson who added other murals elsewhere at the same time. The theatre possesses a rare painted act-drop of c.1897 by Ernest Howard with an oval Venetian scene surrounded by elaborate draperies. This is now in storage due to its fragile condition. There is also another, smaller act drop, painted for an earlier theatre. Very few other old painted act-drops survive in use (cf the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton, the Gaiety Theatre, Douglas, the Adelina Patti Theatre, Abercrave and the Normansfield Theatre, London). An unusual feature of the theatre is that, due to the constricted site, the scenery store and paint frame etc had to be located on the other side of a narow street to the rear, linked to the stage, which is below street level, by an underground passage. The theatre has been used as a repertory playhouse since 1927 and was purchased by the local authority in 1960. In mid 1980 it a multi-purpose concert hall/theatre (the Derngate) with a seating capacity of approximately 1500 was built to the rear of the Royal. At the same time, the Royal’s backstage was extended. The long overdue refurbishment of the theatre, front and back stage, has taken place (2007), details to follow.

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• Other names
  Repertory Theatre
• Events
  • 1884 Use: continuing
  • 1884 Design/Construction:
    • C J Phipps - Architect
  • 1887 Alteration: restored after fire
    • C J Phipps - Architect
  • 1889 Alteration: proscenium widened, new system of floats
    • Unknown - Architect
  • 1960 Alteration: restored and redecorated
    • Osborne Robinson - Architect
  • 1983 - 1987 Alteration: Array extensive backstage improvements
    • RHWL - Architect
  • 1884 Design/Construction:
    • George Jackson - Consultant: Plasterwork
    • Edward Bell - Consultant: Decorations
  • 1887 Design/Construction:
    • Clark & Sons - Consultant: Plasterwork
    • Edward Bell - Consultant: Decorations
  • 1884 Owner/Management: John Franklin, owner
  • 1888 - 1889 Owner/Management: Phipps Dorman, proprietor
  • 1899 - 1903 Owner/Management: Dangerfield, Lockwood
  • 1903 - 1918 Owner/Management: Edward Compton, Milton Bode
  • 1925 Owner/Management: Northampton Theatre Syndicate
  • 1927 Owner/Management: Captain A Hofman, manager
  • 1933 - 1937 Owner/Management: Richard Summers, manager
  • 1937 - 1942 Owner/Management: J E Stephenson, manager
  • 1937 - 1946 Owner/Management: Northampton Repertory Players
  • 1960 Owner/Management: Purchased by Local Authority
• Capacities
  • Original: 1700
  • Later: 1946: 833 1971: 603
  • Current: 583
• Listings
  • Grade II
• Stage type
  • Raked. 1972: 26ft revolve
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 11.5m (34ft 6in) Width SL: 4.885m SR: 4.885m
  • Proscenium width: 6.4m (21ft)
  • Height to grid: 15.2m (49ft 2in)
  • Orchestra pit: Original 14 places