Theatres in Torquay, Devon
The Royal Theatre / Royal Lyceum Theatre / Odeon / Central Cinema - The Princess Theatre
See also in this area - Plymouth Theatres - Cornwall Theatres - Exeter Theatres - Devonport Theatres - Bournemouth Theatres
The Royal Theatre and Opera House, Abbey Street, Torquay
Formerly - The Assembly Rooms / Royal Lyceum Theatre - Later - Odeon Cinema / Central Cinema / The Royal Theatre / Royal Lyceum Theatre
Above - The Royal Theatre and Opera House, Torquay - From a Programme circa 1905 - Courtesy Ron Knee.
The former Royal Theatre and Opera House is situated on Abbey Street, Torquay and was a conversion of the former Assembly Rooms of 1863. The Torquay architect G. S. Bridgman had already turned the Assembly Rooms into something like a Theatre in 1871, first called the Royal Lyceum Theatre, possibly with the assistance of Frank Matcham, who appears to have been doing his architectural training in Bridgman's office by that time (See Görel Garlick's essay 'Frank Matcham – Growing up on the English Riviera' in Frank Matcham and Co. Edited by David Wilmore.
Right - An advertisement for Arthur Lloyd's tour of 'Two Hours Genuine Fun' playing at the Lyceum Theatre, Torquay on the 15th of March 1871 - From the Torquay Times and South Devon Advertiser, March 11th 1871.
However, in 1879 the Theatre Architect C. J. Phipps was brought in to redesign the Theatre, which would eventually open on Monday the 12th of April 1880 as the Royal Theatre and Opera House, after four months of rebuilding, with Planche's comedy 'Who's Your Friend', and Brough's burlesque of 'Masaniello'.
Left - An Early Programme for the Royal Theatre and Opera House, Torquay from July 1886 - Courtesy Simon Moss, stagememories.
Phipps had retained the outer walls and the roof of the original building but lowered the ground floor to get more height in the auditorium. The main entrance of the new Theatre was on Abbey Street but the Pit entrance was on Union Street, situated behind the Theatre. The Gallery and Ampitheatre entrances were situated on the steeply stepped lane beside the Theatre leading to Union Street.
The South Devon Journal reported on the new Theatre in their 14th of April 1880 edition saying:- 'The energy and public spirit of one gentleman, Mr W. Gillow has at last provided Torquay with a theatre which will rank as second to none in the country.
Mr Gillow, finding that the old building, known as the Royal Assembly Rooms was in the market secured it, with the aid of his friends [and] engaged the services of Mr C. J. Phipps FSA, architect of London, who has during the last 15 years erected no less than 25 theatres in various parts of the United Kingdom. Nothing of the old building remains, but the main outside walls and the roof.
The entrances are so placed that each division of the audience has a separate doorway from three distinct streets. The stalls, private boxes, balcony and upper circle are entered from the Abbey Road by three doorways, protected by an overhanging glass awning projecting over the footway.
Right - The former Royal Theatre, Torquay, whilst in use as the Central Cinema - Courtesy Görel Garlick.
The entrance to the pit is from Union Street and the pit is only six steps above the level of the street. The entrance to the amphitheatre and gallery is in the sloping lane leading from Union Street to the Abbey Road.
The auditory is divided as follows: Three rows of orchestra stalls holding fifty persons, having two private boxes, right and left, on the same level.
The pit occupies the whole area of the ground level behind the stalls [with] accommodation for five to six hundred persons in comfortable seats with backs. On the first tiers, almost on the level with the Abbey Road is the balcony or dress circle in four rows [holding] about 100 persons in luxurious arm chairs from the architect's registered design. The upper circle has five rows of seats with backs for one hundred and twenty persons and upholstered. This tier is on the same slope as the balcony, only approached from the back corridor at the extreme top. On the 2nd tier is the amphitheatre or 1st row, in front of the gallery, and a spacious gallery behind.
Left - The steeply stepped alley leading between Abbey Street and Lower Union Lane beside the former Royal Theatre, Torquay - Courtesy Görel Garlick. Note the former Gallery and Ampitheatre entrances in the middle of the alley.
The walls of the auditory are covered by a rich crimson paper with patterns in gold. The ceiling is formed into an oval design, painted in an elaborate design of Romanesque character by Mr Edward Bell of London.
The stage opening is 24 feet wide and the orchestra is partly concealed under the front of the stage.
The Directors have entrusted the management to Mr Charles Daly.'
The above text in quotes (edited) was first published in the South Devon Journal, 14th of April 1880 and was kindly edited and sent in by Görel Garlick.
Above - A Google StreetView Image of the Central Cinema, Torquay, formerly the Royal Theatre, in August 2018 - Click to Interact.
The Royal Theatre had opened on Monday the 12th of April 1880 but by 1915 it had already had projection equipment installed for the showing of early films. Not much later, in 1922, a full time cinema licence was granted for a year. And by 1931 the writing was on the wall for the building as a live Theatre. It closed in November 1931 and was remodelled by Healy & Overbury as a full time Cinema, reopening on the 27th of March 1933 as the Royal Theatre.
Right - A Programme Cover for the Royal Theatre, Torquay circa 1905 - Courtesy Ron Knee.
In 1935 the Theatre was taken over by Odeon Theatres Ltd., and in 1937 it was renamed Odeon. At this time there were apparently 571 stalls seats and 312 circle seats. In October 1973 the Theatre was closed and converted into a twin cinema, reopening on the 24th of March 1974 with one screen in the former stalls seating 360, and a second screen in the former circle seating 309.
In 1999 the Theatre was closed and then taken over by the independent chain of Merlin Cinemas who reopened it as the Central Cinema in February 2000, now with three screens in the former stalls seating 122, 78 and 42, and a further screen in the former circle seating 308.
Left - A Google StreetView Image of the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Torquay in May 2024, formerly the Royal Theatre / Central Cinema - Click to Interact.
In 2021 the Unleashed Theatre Company were able to purchase the building and have set about restoring the Theatre into a multi-purpose cultural and community hub which is now called the Royal Lyceum Theatre again, a name it first went by in 1871.
You may like to visit the Theatre's own Website here.
Some of the later information for this Theatre was gleaned from the excellent Cinema Treasures Website. Some earlier information was kindly sent in by Görel Garlick.
If you have any more information or Images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact me.
The Princess Theatre, Torbay Road, Torquay
Above - A Google StreetView Image of the Princess Theatre, Torquay in May 2024 - Click to Interact.
The Princess Theatre is situated on Torbay Road in Torquay and is today the area's largest touring Theatre. It was designed by F. T. W. Nixon and G. R. Todd Architects and built by Torbay Council as a part of their redevelopment of the Princess Gardens on Torquay's seafront. The Theatre opened on the 7th of June 1961, and can accommodate 1,500 people in its two level auditorium, stalls and one balcony.
The Theatre has a Café, Bar and Restaurant called Teatro FOH but its stage is somewhat restricted being only 27 feet deep with limited backstage facilities which causes issues for large touring productions who have to use portable buildings to accommodate extra equipment. The Proscenium width is 34 feet and the stage width is 60 feet with a fully equipped stage house and a grid height of 42 feet.
The Princess Theatre is currently run by AGT whose own Website for the Theatre can be found here.
If you have any more information or Images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact me.