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 a fire destroyed the old building. The new theatre was built in a cool style called Art Deco. It quickly became Liverpool's best theatre.
Inside, the building has a fun nautical (sea-themed) design. This fits with Liverpool's history as a big port city. The basement lounge used to look like the famous ship, the Queen Mary. The main theatre has three levels for watching shows: the Stalls, the Grand Circle, and the Balcony.
Even though many buildings around it were destroyed during the Liverpool Blitz in World War II, the Royal Court stayed safe. Many famous artists performed there during the war, like Margot Fonteyn and John Gielgud. Later, Richard Burton and Judi Dench made their first big stage appearances here. In the 1980s, it became a popular place for rock and pop concerts. Bands like U2, David Bowie, and Iron Maiden 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.
In 2005, the Rawhide Comedy Club took over the theatre. After two years of comedy shows, they started putting on plays all year round in 2007. Since then, the theatre has produced over 100 shows. These include popular local plays and fun Christmas shows like Scouse Pacific and The Scouse Nativity.
Contents
History of the Royal Court Theatre
The land where the Royal Court Theatre stands was once home to a water well in the 1100s. Later, in 1826, a circus owner named John Cooke bought the spot. He used it for circuses, plays, 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 changed into a regular theatre. It was then renamed the Royal Court. Over the years, different companies owned and managed the theatre. One important company was Howard & Wyndham Ltd. They brought many different types of shows to the Royal Court. These included plays, musicals, and pantomimes.
A big fire destroyed the theatre in 1933. But just five years later, in March 1938, rebuilding began. The new Royal Court Theatre opened its doors on 17 October 1938. It 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 theatre has a cool nautical theme, celebrating Liverpool's sea history. The basement lounge was even designed to look like the famous ship, the Queen Mary.
During World War II, many buildings in Liverpool were damaged. But the Royal Court Theatre stayed safe. Famous actors like Ivor Novello and John Gielgud performed there during the war. Richard Burton made his first stage appearance at the Royal Court. In September 1957, a young Judi Dench, who was 22, made her professional stage debut here. She played Ophelia in a play called Hamlet.
In 1980, two former taxi drivers decided to try something new. They started hosting rock and pop concerts instead of traditional plays. This was a big success! 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 music videos here in 1981. In 1983, the band Slade played their last UK concert with their original members at the Royal Court.
In 1990, the building was officially listed as Grade II. This showed how important it was to Liverpool's history and culture. In 2005, the Rawhide Comedy Club took over. After two years of comedy, they started producing plays again in 2007.
The Royal Court Today
Today, the Royal Court Theatre has a special setup in the Stalls area. It's like a cabaret, with tables and chairs. You can even eat dinner before the show! The theatre can hold 1,186 people.
Since 2007, the theatre has been busy producing its own plays. It has also had a lot of work done to make it even better. The latest big changes were finished in January 2018.
The theatre also runs a popular "Variety Lunch Club." For a small fee, people can enjoy lunch, tea, a singer, and a comedian. Over 1,200 people come to these shows each month! The Royal Court also offers free groups for the community. These include a [Community Choir] and a [Youth Theatre] for young people aged 11 and up.
The theatre has created many popular shows. Some of these are Council Depot Blues, The Royal, and Mam! I'm 'Ere. Their Christmas shows are also very famous, like The Scouse Nativity and The Scouse Cinderella.
Since 2018, Liverpool's Royal Court has received funding from the Arts Council. This helps them create even more amazing shows. In 2018, they also started Boisterous Theatre Company. This is Liverpool's only company focused on helping talented Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) performers.
Theatre Technology
Flying Systems
The theatre has a special system called a counterweight fly system. This system helps move scenery and lights up and down above the stage. It was recently updated to make it work even better.
Lighting Control
For many years, the stage lights were 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 and dimmers. The theatre has many different types of lights to create amazing effects.
Revolving Stage
During recent renovations, the theatre's original revolving stage was fixed up. This stage can spin around, which is very cool for changing scenes quickly. It's one of the biggest revolving stages outside of London!
Popular Shows and Pantomimes
Pantomime History
In the late 1800s, before TV and movies, 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. It used to be called Cooke's Royal Amphitheatre of Arts. Up to 4,000 people would come to see plays, operas, concerts, and circuses.
When it became the Royal Court in 1881, it started putting on an annual pantomime. These shows were very popular. They mixed music hall acts, funny songs, and lots of amazing special effects. The first Royal Court pantomime was Babes in the Wood. Later, a manager named Arthur Lawrence made the Royal Court's pantomimes super famous. Big music hall stars like George Robey and Harry Lauder performed in them. The Royal Court's pantomimes became some of the most well-known in Britain.
Arthur Lawrence once said that the 1906 pantomime, Aladdin, was a huge success. He said they made almost £2,000 a week, even though the theatre was supposed to hold much less! He also mentioned that everything for the pantomimes – scenery, costumes, jokes, and music – was made right there in Liverpool.
By the 1920s, music hall shows became less popular. The Royal Court's pantomimes also changed. After the fire and rebuilding in 1938, the first pantomime was Humpty Dumpty. Over the years, famous TV comedians and pop stars started appearing in pantomimes. But by the 1960s, facing tough competition, the Royal Court's pantomimes slowly faded away.
In 1997, pantomimes returned to the Royal Court. They put on Aladdin with famous actors. Since then, the Royal Court has continued to stage popular pantomimes like Cinderella, Babes in the Wood, and Dick Whittington. In 2006, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was a big hit.
Notable Recent Shows
The Royal Court Theatre has produced many memorable shows. Here are a few:
- ... and Slapheads (2003, 2009): A play written by local writers Len Pentin and Fred Lawless. It was performed with a cast mostly from Liverpool.
- Brick Up the Mersey Tunnels (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2016): This play with music by Dave Kirby and Nicky Allt was a huge success.
- Lennon (2010, 2013): A play by Bob Eaton about the life of John Lennon.
- You'll Never Walk Alone (2011, 2014, 2017, 2020, 2022): 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): A musical about The Liverbirds, an all-female band from the 1960s. The New York Times even made a short film about this show!
The Studio Space
In 2017, the theatre's basement was turned into a new performance area called The Studio. This space is perfect for smaller plays, music, and comedy shows. 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 include the Rawhide Comedy Club and shows by famous comedians like Paul Sinha.
The theatre also produces 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 people can hear new plays read aloud. Some of these plays have even moved to the main stage!
