Lace Market Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Lace Market Theatre is a small, independent amateur theatre, located in Nottingham
, England
. It is owned and operated by The Lace Market Theatre Trust Limited, which is a registered charity.
, founder of the Salvation Army, was a pupil. The building is now Grade II listed.
Tight funds meant that most of the conversion had to be carried out by the members themselves in their spare time. But what emerged was an auditorium seating 118 and space in the upstairs bar for studio performances for smaller audiences. All this was achieved in the space of a year. The aim was, and has remained to put on plays that were challenging for actors and the technical crews and ones which otherwise people would have to go to London to see.
Training by doing was always a part of the club and the concept of small scale productions in the bar area where first time directors could cut their teeth were introduced. These productions were known as "Fents" in homage to the textile history of the Lace Market
area.
In 1977, the opportunity arose to acquire more land and it was decided that, to facilitate fund raising, the Lace Market Theatre Trust should be formed. £40,000 was raised for a three storey extension at the rear and a further £40,000 was raised for its completion in 1984. The building was owned by the Trust and the Nottingham Theatre Club rented it from them.
While the Nottingham Theatre Club continued the policy of challenging drama, the trust began furthering the educational responsibilities of a charity by giving grants to students who were going on to drama school. At that point in time, drama students were only able to apply for discretionary grants from the LEA and these were in short supply.
By the year 2000 the Nottingham Theatre Club were again beginning to feel cramped. The extensive wardrobe moved into rented premises, first in St. Mary's Gate and then in Stoney Street in the heart of the Lace Market District.The Theatre is well known for its brilliantly run youth theatre (which have one many awards at the NANDA festival for the past few years) which is officially the best in Nottinghamshire due to winning the Reg Dury cup. The youth theatre is currently working on 'Much Ado About Nothing' to perform on the 1-4 April 2009. The play will be a huge success if it compares to last years superb 'A Midsummer Nights Dream'.
The Nottingham Theatre Club merged into the Lace Market Theatre Trust in 2003. New development plans are under way with the aim of creating a landmark amateur theatre for the region.
and Timothy West
were invited to become patrons of the theatre and this they both agreed to do. Joyce Redman
is also a patron to the theatre.
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is owned and operated by The Lace Market Theatre Trust Limited, which is a registered charity.
Origins
The Lace Market Theatre Trust developed from two amateur dramatic societies founded in Nottingham in the 1920s – the Nottingham Playgoers Club [1922] and the Nottingham Philodramatic Society [1926]. These amalgamated in 1946 to become the Nottingham Theatre Club and were based from 1946 to 1951 at the Nottingham Bluecoat School.Hutchison Street: 1951 - 1972
In 1951 the Nottingham Theatre Club moved to premises in Hutchinson Street which were much closer to the city centre. They stayed there until 1972, when they were ousted as part of the major slum clearance and redevelopment of the city during that decade. It was at this point that the members raised the money to buy an old dilapidated paint store in the Lace Market area of the city.Halifax Place
The paint store had originally been built in 1761 as a Chapel and later became a school, where William BoothWilliam Booth
William Booth was a British Methodist preacher who founded The Salvation Army and became its first General...
, founder of the Salvation Army, was a pupil. The building is now Grade II listed.
Tight funds meant that most of the conversion had to be carried out by the members themselves in their spare time. But what emerged was an auditorium seating 118 and space in the upstairs bar for studio performances for smaller audiences. All this was achieved in the space of a year. The aim was, and has remained to put on plays that were challenging for actors and the technical crews and ones which otherwise people would have to go to London to see.
Training by doing was always a part of the club and the concept of small scale productions in the bar area where first time directors could cut their teeth were introduced. These productions were known as "Fents" in homage to the textile history of the Lace Market
Lace Market
The Lace Market is an historic quarter-mile square area of Nottingham, England.Once the heart of the world's lace industry during the days of the British Empire, it is full of impressive examples of 19th century industrial architecture and thus is a protected heritage area...
area.
In 1977, the opportunity arose to acquire more land and it was decided that, to facilitate fund raising, the Lace Market Theatre Trust should be formed. £40,000 was raised for a three storey extension at the rear and a further £40,000 was raised for its completion in 1984. The building was owned by the Trust and the Nottingham Theatre Club rented it from them.
While the Nottingham Theatre Club continued the policy of challenging drama, the trust began furthering the educational responsibilities of a charity by giving grants to students who were going on to drama school. At that point in time, drama students were only able to apply for discretionary grants from the LEA and these were in short supply.
By the year 2000 the Nottingham Theatre Club were again beginning to feel cramped. The extensive wardrobe moved into rented premises, first in St. Mary's Gate and then in Stoney Street in the heart of the Lace Market District.The Theatre is well known for its brilliantly run youth theatre (which have one many awards at the NANDA festival for the past few years) which is officially the best in Nottinghamshire due to winning the Reg Dury cup. The youth theatre is currently working on 'Much Ado About Nothing' to perform on the 1-4 April 2009. The play will be a huge success if it compares to last years superb 'A Midsummer Nights Dream'.
The Nottingham Theatre Club merged into the Lace Market Theatre Trust in 2003. New development plans are under way with the aim of creating a landmark amateur theatre for the region.
Patrons
Shortly after the completion of the extension in 1984, Prunella ScalesPrunella Scales
Prunella Scales CBE is an English actress, known for her role as Basil Fawlty's long-suffering wife in the British comedy Fawlty Towers and her award-nominated role as Queen Elizabeth II in the British film A Question of Attribution.-Career:Throughout her long career, Scales has usually been cast...
and Timothy West
Timothy West
Timothy Lancaster West, CBE is an English film, stage and television actor.-Career:West's craggy looks ensured a career as a character actor rather than a leading man. He began his career as an Assistant Stage Manager at the Wimbledon Theatre in 1956, and followed this with several seasons of...
were invited to become patrons of the theatre and this they both agreed to do. Joyce Redman
Joyce Redman
-Biography:She was born in County Mayo, Ireland, to an Anglo-Irish family. She was educated by a private governess in Ireland, along with her three sisters. She was trained in acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art....
is also a patron to the theatre.