Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool facts for kids
Front elevation on Roe Street
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| Address | 1 Roe Street |
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| Location | Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK |
| Coordinates | 53°24′27″N 2°58′53″W / 53.4074°N 2.9813°W |
| Public transit | Lime Street railway station |
| Type | theatre |
| Genre(s) | Theatre, Musical, Concerts |
| Capacity | 1,186 seats |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | March 1938 |
| Opened | 17 October 1938 |
| Architect | James Bushell Hutchins |
The Royal Court Theatre is a famous theatre in Liverpool, England. It opened on 17 October 1938, after an earlier theatre on the same spot burned down. This new building was designed in the cool Art Deco style.
The inside of the theatre has a fun nautical (sea-themed) look. This design fits well with Liverpool's long history as a port city. The basement lounge even looked like parts of the famous Cunard ship, the Queen Mary.
Even though the Liverpool Blitz (bombing during World War II) destroyed many buildings nearby, the Royal Court Theatre stayed safe. Many famous performers like Ivor Novello and John Gielgud performed there during the war. Later, stars like Richard Burton and Judi Dench made their first stage appearances here.
In the 1980s, the theatre became a popular spot for rock and pop concerts. Big names like David Bowie, U2, and George Michael played on its stage. In 1990, the building was given a special "Grade II" listing. This means it's an important part of Liverpool's history and needs to be protected.
Since 2005, the Rawhide Comedy Club has been in charge of the theatre. They started putting on plays all year round from 2007. The Royal Court has produced over 100 shows since then, including many popular Christmas shows.
Contents
History of the Theatre
The land where the Royal Court Theatre stands was once home to a water well built in the 1100s. In 1826, a circus owner named John Cooke bought the site. He used it for circuses, plays, operas, and concerts. It was known as 'Cooke's Royal Amphitheatre of Arts'. A famous black circus performer, Pablo Fanque, even performed here.
In 1881, the building was redesigned to be a regular theatre. It then reopened as the Royal Court. Later, in 1896, Robert Arthur took over the theatre. His company, Robert Arthur Theatres Ltd, managed many theatres.
In 1912, the theatre became part of Howard & Wyndham Ltd. This company was known for its plays, musicals, and pantomimes.
Fire and Rebuilding
Sadly, a fire destroyed the theatre building in 1933. After it was torn down, construction began in March 1938 to rebuild it. The new Royal Court Theatre opened just a few months later, on 17 October 1938.
The new theatre was designed by architect James Bushell Hutchins in the beautiful Art Deco style. Its grand look made it the top theatre in Liverpool. The inside of the building has a cool nautical theme, celebrating Liverpool's sea traditions. The basement lounge was even inspired by the famous ocean liner, the Queen Mary.
The main theatre area has three levels for audiences: the Stalls, the Grand Circle, and the Balcony.
War and Famous Faces
During World War II, many buildings in Liverpool were bombed. But the Royal Court Theatre survived without damage. Many well-known artists performed there during the war. These included Ivor Novello, Margot Fonteyn, and John Gielgud.
Richard Burton made his first stage appearance at the Royal Court. And in September 1957, a 22-year-old Judi Dench made her professional debut there. She played Ophelia in a production of Hamlet.
From Plays to Pop Concerts
In 1980, two former taxi drivers changed the theatre's direction. They started focusing on rock and pop concerts instead of traditional plays. This was a very successful idea for the venue.
Many international music stars played at the Royal Court. These included Tangerine Dream, Rage Against the Machine, R.E.M., Iron Maiden, David Bowie, Ozzy Osbourne, Roger Taylor, Brian May, U2, and George Michael.
The British rock band Def Leppard even filmed some of their music videos here in 1981. In 1983, the rock group Slade played their last UK concert with their original band members at the Royal Court.
In 1990, the building was officially listed as Grade II. This shows how important it is to Liverpool's heritage. In 2005, the Rawhide Comedy Club took over the theatre. After two years of comedy shows, they started producing plays all year round in 2007.
The Royal Court Today
Today, the seating in the main Stalls area is set up like a cabaret. This means there are tables and chairs, and a bar at the back. You can even enjoy a meal before the show in the Stalls. The theatre can hold 1,186 people.
After being a comedy club for two years, the Royal Court went back to producing its own plays in 2007. Since then, the theatre has had a lot of renovation work done. The third stage of this work finished in January 2018.
In 2010, the theatre started its popular "Variety Lunch Club" series. For a small price, you get lunch, a cup of tea, a singer, and a comedian. More than 1,200 people come to these shows every month!
The theatre also offers free groups for the community. These include a [Community Choir] and a [Youth Theatre] for young people aged 11 and up.
The Royal Court has produced many popular shows. These include Council Depot Blues, The Royal, Mam! I'm 'Ere, and the best-selling Christmas show The Scouse Nativity.
Since 2018, Liverpool's Royal Court has received funding from Arts Council England. In 2018, it also launched Boisterous Theatre Company. This is Liverpool's only company focused on promoting Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) talent.
The theatre has put on over 100 shows since 2007. These include fun Christmas shows like Scouse Pacific and The Scouse Cinderella.
Behind the Scenes: Technical Features
Flying Systems
The theatre has a special system called a counterweight fly system. This system helps move scenery and lights up and down on the stage. It has been updated recently.
Lighting the Stage
In the past, the stage lighting was controlled by a large machine called a 'Grandmaster'. It needed two people to operate it! This old system was used until the 1980s.
Now, the lighting is controlled by modern computer desks. The theatre has many different types of lights.
Revolving Stage
During the recent renovations, the theatre's original revolving stage was fixed up. This is a very cool feature! It's one of the biggest revolving stages outside of London.
Pantomime Shows
In the late 1800s, before TV and cinemas, people in Liverpool loved going to the theatre. Liverpool had many theatres and music halls. The Royal Court Theatre was one of the main ones.
The Royal Court has a long history of putting on pantomime shows. These shows combine music, comedy, and amazing special effects. They were popular with everyone. The first pantomime at the Royal Court was Babes in the Wood.
Later, a manager named Arthur Lawrence made the Royal Court famous for its pantos. The biggest music hall stars of the day would perform in their annual shows. Famous names like George Robey and Harry Lauder appeared.
Arthur Lawrence once said that in 1906, their Aladdin panto was a huge success. It made almost £2,000 a week! He said that Liverpool was a "pantomime manufacturing centre" because they made all the scenery, costumes, jokes, and music right there.
By the 1920s, music halls became less popular. The Royal Court's pantomimes also started to decline. They were replaced by musical comedies or opera companies at Christmas.
After the fire and rebuilding in 1938, the first panto was Humpty Dumpty. However, with another World War, big pantomime shows were replaced with comedies.
Pantomime returned in 1943 with Babes In The Wood. By the 1960s, TV comedians and pop stars became the new panto stars. But facing tough competition, the Royal Court Pantomime slowly faded away. There was no Christmas show after 1975.
In 1997, pantomime returned to the Royal Court with Aladdin. Since then, the Royal Court has put on popular pantomimes like Cinderella, Babes in the Wood, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Popular Shows at the Royal Court
The Royal Court Theatre has been home to many exciting shows. Here are a few of the most popular ones:
- Slappers and Slapheads (2003, 2009): This play was written by local writers Len Pentin and Fred Lawless. It featured many local actors.
- Brick Up the Mersey Tunnels (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 & 2016): This play with music was a huge hit! It was written by Dave Kirby and Nicky Allt.
- Lennon (2010, 2013): This play by Bob Eaton tells the story of John Lennon's life. It first premiered in 1981.
- You'll Never Walk Alone (2011, 2014, 2017 & 2020): This show tells the story of the Liverpool Football Club. It was written by Nicky Allt.
- Stags and Hens (2008): A play by the famous writer Willy Russell.
- The Miracle of Great Homer Street (2018): This play starred Les Dennis and Andrew Schofield. It won an award for its writing.
- Girls Don't Play Guitars (2019 & 2020): This musical tells the story of The Liverbirds. They were an all-female beat group from the 1960s. The New York Times even made a short film about the show!
The Studio Space
In 2017, the theatre's basement level was turned into a new performance area called The Studio. This smaller space is perfect for plays, music, and comedy events. The work was finished in January 2018.
The Studio has an Art Deco style and can seat about 150 people. It hosts shows created by the theatre itself and by other visiting groups.
Comedy events in The Studio have included the Rawhide Comedy Club and other stand-up comedians. Famous performers like Dane Baptiste and Paul Sinha have appeared there.
The theatre also started producing its own plays for The Studio. Some of these plays are written by students from their "Stage Write Playwright Development Programme". This program helps new local writers improve their skills. The Studio also holds "Stage Write Nights" where new plays are read aloud. Some of these plays have even moved to the main stage!
