Everyman Theatre, Liverpool facts for kids
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Liverpool Everyman
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Everyman Facade
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| Address | 5–11 Hope Street |
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| Location | Liverpool, England |
| Coordinates | 53°24′11″N 2°58′10″W / 53.403094°N 2.969395°W |
| Owner | Liverpool Merseyside Theatres Trust (LMTT) |
| Designation | 2014 RIBA Stirling Prize Winner |
| Type | Theatre, Bar, Restaurant, Café |
| Capacity | 400 |
| Current use | Theatre |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1964 |
| Rebuilt | 2011–2014 |
| Years active | 1964 – present |
| Architect | Haworth Tompkins (2014) |
The Everyman Theatre is a famous theatre located on Hope Street in Liverpool, England. It first opened in 1964. The building used to be a chapel, then a cinema, before becoming a theatre. It quickly became known for showing exciting and new plays. The Everyman Theatre was completely rebuilt between 2011 and 2014 to make it even better.
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The Everyman Theatre's Story
The building where the Everyman Theatre stands today was first built in 1837. It started as a chapel for people who worshipped differently from the main church. In 1841, it became a church named after Saint John the Evangelist.
Later, in 1853, the building changed again and became a public concert hall. Then, in 1912, it was turned into the Hope Hall Cinema. This cinema stayed open until 1963.
Before it closed, the hall became a popular meeting spot. Local artists, poets, musicians, and sculptors would gather there. This group included famous people like Arthur Dooley, Roger McGough, and Adrian Henri. They were known as the "Liverpool Scene."
This creative group decided the building would be perfect for a theatre. So, in September 1964, the Everyman Theatre officially opened. It was started by Martin Jenkins, Peter James, and Terry Hands.
In 1975, the theatre closed for a short time for rebuilding. During this time, the theatre company continued to perform by touring around. It reopened in September 1977.
During the 1970s and 1980s, under the director Alan Dossor, many new plays by Liverpool writers were shown. These included works by Willy Russell and Alan Bleasdale, such as Shirley Valentine.
Besides plays, the Everyman Theatre has also put on musicals and concerts. Every Christmas, they have a special rock-n-roll pantomime. Many famous actors and performers have been involved with the theatre. These include Dame Julie Walters, Stephen Graham, Jonathan Pryce, Pete Postlethwaite, and Bill Nighy.
Since 2004, the Everyman Theatre has been managed with the Liverpool Playhouse. They are both run by the Liverpool and Merseyside Theatres Trust. This trust is a charity that helps bring great theatre to the city.
Rebuilding the Theatre
In July 2011, the Everyman Theatre closed its doors for a big project: a complete rebuild. The last main play performed was Macbeth, starring David Morrissey. After that, there were special performances by Roger McGough and the band Deaf School.
The very last event at the old theatre happened on July 2, 2011. A few weeks later, parts of the old theatre were sold at an auction. People could buy seats, benches, and even pillars from the original Hope Hall building.
The new and improved Everyman Theatre officially reopened in February 2014. It was a huge success! In October 2014, the new building won a very important award. It received the Stirling Prize from the Royal Institute of British Architects. This award is given to the best British building of the year. The architects, Haworth Tompkins, were praised for their amazing design.
Food and Drink at the Everyman
In 1970, a restaurant called the Liverpool Everyman Bistro opened in the theatre's basement. It became a very popular place to eat in the city. When the theatre closed for rebuilding in 2011, the bistro owners retired. They later opened a new restaurant nearby called The Pen Factory.
There were plans for a new restaurant in the rebuilt theatre. However, by 2019, the basement area was being used for special events instead of a bistro. Today, you can find a Street Cafe at ground level, which is a great spot for a quick bite or drink.
See also
- Rejects Revenge Theatre Company
- The Tiger Who Came To Tea
In Spanish: Everyman Theatre para niños
