Theatre Royal, Hanley facts for kids

The Theatre Royal, Hanley was a famous theatre located in Stoke-on-Trent, England. It had a very long and interesting history.

The Theatre Royal, Hanley: A Journey Through Time

The First Theatre Building (1852-1870)

The story of the Theatre Royal began on November 25, 1852. It first opened as the Royal Pottery Theatre. This building was on Brunswick Street in Hanley. Before becoming a theatre, it was a meeting hall for a group called the Chartists. Even earlier, it was a Methodist chapel.

James Rogers was the first person to run this theatre. It became very popular. Because of its success, the building was made much bigger in 1857. It could then hold 1,400 people.

The Second Theatre Building (1870-1887)

The first theatre building was taken down in 1870. A brand new theatre was built in its place. This new building was called the Theatre Royal and Opera House. R. Twemlow designed it, and it cost about £4,500. This theatre was much larger, able to hold 3,600 people.

The front of this building can still be seen on Brunswick Street. It is now the entrance to a nightclub. James Elphinstone took over running the theatre in 1872. His family managed the theatre for many decades.

The Third Theatre Building (1887-1949)

In 1887, the theatre was rebuilt again. James Elphinstone got plans from famous theatre architects. These architects were Charles J. Phipps and Frank Matcham. A new main performance area was built next to the old theatre. The old theatre building was then used as the stage.

At first, people still entered from Brunswick Street. Later, a new entrance was built on Pall Mall. This entrance is still visible today. In 1894, Frank Matcham did more work. He made the performance area even bigger. He also added electric lights to the theatre.

For many years, the theatre showed different types of performances. These included plays, operas, and musical comedies. By the 1920s, variety shows became the main attraction. The theatre was also famous for its "Hanley Babes." These were young girls from local dance groups. They performed in the theatre's yearly pantomime.

Sadly, on June 2, 1949, a fire destroyed the stage and performance area. This happened early in the morning. The fire occurred while the Sadler's Wells Ballet was performing there.

The Fourth Theatre Building (1951-2000)

A New Beginning (1951-1961)

Work began in 1950 to build a new theatre. It was built on the site of the old, burned-down one. Edward Foresaw and George Greaves designed this new building. It could hold 1,800 people on three different levels. The first show in the new theatre was on August 14, 1951. It was the national tour of the musical Annie Get Your Gun.

Over time, fewer people went to the theatre. This was partly because television became popular. In 1961, the owners, Mecca, changed the theatre into a bingo hall. However, local amateur drama groups could still rent the space. In 1966, a casino opened on the stage. This stopped the drama groups from using the venue.

Later Years and Closure (1981-2000)

Mecca stopped the bingo operations in 1981. A local group then bought the theatre. After some small repairs, it reopened in December 1982. The first show was the pantomime Babes in the Wood. The theatre did quite well in the 1980s. It put on many shows, including Cabaret. It also hosted the famous UK tour of The Rocky Horror Show.

However, the theatre faced money problems and management issues. There were many legal problems and changes in who ran it. The nearby Regent Theatre received money for repairs. In 1996, a local businessman named Mike Lloyd bought the Theatre Royal. He started a full renovation and renamed it 'The Royal'.

This effort also did not last. The building was sold off and emptied in 2000. A company called Luminar Leisure bought it. Today, the building houses two nightclubs.