The Palace Theatre, Summer Hill Road, Birmingham

Birmingham Index

Above - The Auditorium and Stage of the Palace Theatre, Summer Hill Road, Birmingham - From The Builder, 26th of June 1914.

The Palace Theatre was situated on Summer Hill Road, on the corner of Icknield Street, in Birmingham and was run by Moss Empires from its opening on Monday the 18th of December 1911.

Built as a Cinema and Variety Theatre it had an Auditorium, 80 foot by 60 foot, on two levels with a large stage at the far end.

Right - The Auditorium of the Palace Theatre, Summer Hill Road, Birmingham - From The Builder, 26th of June 1914.

The second level was a raised and raked area behind the stalls rather than an overhanging balcony.

The Theatre's Auditorium was decorated with fibrous plasterwork on both the ceiling and main walls, and was designed by W. and T. R. Milburn of Sunderland.

The main entrance to the Theatre was on Summer Hill Road and featured Corinthian Columns with Capitals. A Staircase from here led to a Lounge for 200 people, and from here you could reach the Grand Circle which overlooked the Stalls and Pit at the back of the Auditorium.

Left - A Pit Plan of the Palace Theatre, Summer Hill Road, Birmingham - From The Builder, 26th of June 1914.

The seating capacity was 1,000 with 400 in the Grand Circle, 300 in the Stalls, and 300 in the Pit. The building was constructed by W. Wilkinson from Handsworth.

From the start the Theatre was run as a live Theatre with Film showings interspersed with Variety Turns and Shows. And on its opening night it showed various films including one of Dickens's 'Christmas Carol', and on the stage were the singer Annie Dodge, Stanley Waring and Annie Dodge in a Duet, and a dramatic piece about a proposal in a balloon, which were all apparently thoroughly enjoyed by the audience.

Having been run by Moss Empires since its opening the Theatre was eventually taken over by the Associated British Cinemas Chain in the early 1930s when it became a full time Cinema with no live productions.

Right - A Grand Circle Plan of the Palace Theatre, Summer Hill Road, Birmingham - From The Builder, 26th of June 1914.

Sadly the Theatre was seriously damaged by bombs during the Second World War in 1941 and would never reopen. Instead it was eventually altered and put to use as a factory for Bulpit & Sons Ltd, and was demolished in 1981 and then replaced in 1984 by a factory for Rabone Chesterman Ltd.

Some of the later information for this Theatre was gleaned from the excellent Cinema Treasures Website.

If you have any more information or Images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact me.