New Theatre Royal Lincoln

The New Theatre Royal Lincoln is a theatre in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England.

New Theatre Royal, Lincoln
AddressClasketgate
Lincoln
England
DesignationGrade II
TypeReceiving house
Capacity475
Construction
Opened1893
ArchitectBertie Crewe and W.G.R. Sprague
Website
http://www.newtheatreroyallincoln.co.uk/

The present theatre, initially called the New Theatre Royal, was built in 1893 to the designs of Bertie Crewe and W.G.R. Sprague.[1] After an explosion and fire in 1892 had destroyed the previous Theatre Royal on the site, built in 1806. The 1806 theatre was, in turn, a rebuild of an earlier theatre of 1764 on Butchery Street, now called Clasketgate. The structure of the building remained the same until 1907, when the present frontage, foyer, and lounge were added,[2] spinning the orientation of the entrance to face Clasketgate. A 2010 refurbishment of public non-auditorium space restructured and modernised the foyer and bar areas. The building is Grade II listed.

The New Theatre Royal Lincoln was renamed to the Theatre Royal Lincoln and then later changed back the New Theatre Royal Lincoln in 2016 when the theatre was taken over and refurbished after the previous management folded.

From 1893 to 1954 the theatre was run by a succession of leaseholders and managers[1] presenting popular plays, musicals, music hall stars and film. In 1954 it became a weekly repertory theatre under the Lincoln Theatre Association until bankruptcy in 1976, after which it was taken over by Paul Elliot Entertainments in association with Chris Moreno. Under Elliot it became a producing house for its own shows, and a design and production facility for various UK theatre pantomimes, national tours and cruise-ship shows, and a continuing venue for amateur dramatic companies. Chris Moreno became sole manager and lessee in 1993.

In 2009 the local authority, Lincoln City Council, withdrew its ongoing subsidy which led to a threat of closure,[3][4] and to scrutiny of how council funding had been used.[5] Bids from amateur dramatic, church and community groups, and local entertainment businesses to take-over the theatre's lease were unsuccessful.[6] The theatre survived[7] and was taken over by ID Productions,[8] using it as a base for its touring shows. Theatre Royal's professional theatre offer is now largely as a receiving house for UK theatre tours and musical acts.

During the Second World War, The Theatre Royal was popular with RAF personnel within the county, particularly Guy Gibson.[2]

Sir Patrick Stewart’s debut as a professional actor, as Morgan in Treasure Island, was at the Theatre Royal.[9]

During September 2002, author and former politician Jeffrey Archer, while serving part of his gaol sentence at North Sea Camp prison, worked backstage at the theatre.[10][11][12]

In November and December 2003, Theatre of Dreams, a series of four fly-on-the-wall documentaries built around profiles of four employees at the Theatre Royal, was aired on BBC2.[13][14]

In 2009, reality TV personality Jade Goody played the 'Wicked Witch' in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but had to pull out through illness.[15]

On 18 March 2011, Lord Chancellor Kenneth Clarke visited the theatre as part of the campaign in the May 2011 referendum on the Alternative Vote (AV) system in UK parliamentary elections.[16]

References
  1. Theatres Database The Theatres Trust: Theatre Royal Lincoln; retrieved 5 April 2011
  2. "New Theatre Royal Lincoln" lincsprt.com; retrieved 5 April 2011
  3. "Theatre Royal in Crisis" Lincolnshire Echo - this is Lincolnshire, 27 September 2008; retrieved 5 April 2011
  4. "Curtains for the Theatre Royal" BBC features; retrieved 5 April 2011
  5. "Ailing theatre's right to tax cash revealed" Lincolnshire Echo - this is Lincolnshire, 30 October 2008; retrieved 5 April 2011
  6. "100 bids to save theatre fail to impress director" Lincolnshire Echo - this is Lincolnshire, 13 December 2008; retrieved 5 April 2011
  7. "Full spring season at saved theatre" Archived 2009-01-31 at the Wayback Machine Lincolnshire Echo - this is Lincolnshire, 20 January 2009; retrieved 5 April 2011
  8. "Curtain-up on new theatre management" Archived 2011-05-27 at the Wayback Machine Lincolnshire Echo - this is Lincolnshire, 2 October 2009; retrieved 5 April 2011
  9. Patrick Stewart biography Archived 2011-07-27 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 5 April 2011
  10. "'Theatre job' for Archer" BBC News, 15 August 2002; retrieved 5 April 2011
  11. "Jail move for Archer" London Evening Standard, 17 October 2002; retrieved 5 April 2011
  12. "Jailed novelist gets job at theatre" The Beaufort Gazette; retrieved 5 April 2011
  13. "Exit dreams, stage left" Dempster, Sarah The Scotsman 18 November 2003; retrieved 5 April 2011
  14. Theatre of Dreams Archived 2012-10-12 at the Wayback Machine msn.com; retrieved 5 April 2011
  15. "Poorly Jade Goody forced to quit panto role" the Mirror, 3 January 2009; retrieved 5 April 2011
  16. "Lord Chancellor Kenneth Clarke visits city to campaign against the Alternative Vote" Archived 2011-04-03 at the Wayback Machine Lincolnshire Echo - this is Lincolnshire, 19 March 2011; retrieved 5 April 2011

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