Palace Theatre, Mansfield
Encyclopedia
The Palace Theatre in Mansfield
, England
first opened in 1910 as a cinema
. It was later converted to a live theatre, which has been its primary function ever since. The theatre was completely renovated and refurbished in the 1990s and now stages a varied programme of events including dance
, drama
and music
. It is a popular receiving house for professional stage shows including national tours of plays and musicals from the West End
. The theatre is owned and operated by Mansfield District Council
.
The Palace Electric Theatre opened on Tuesday 13 December, 1910. It was the first cinema in the town and only showed silent films at first. In 1949 the cinema was converted to a live theatre, featuring famous names such as Larry Grayson
, Steve Lawrence and Hilda Baker.
Mansfield District Council bought the theatre for £11,500 in 1953 and have been responsible for it ever since. After commissioning renovation work, the council reopened the theatre as 'Mansfield Civic Hall' with the first performance in the 'new' theatre being "School for Spinsters" by Chesterfield Repertory Company.
In 1963, nearly all of the foyer and façade were rebuilt to give the theatre a new look. In 1968, a public competition offered a prize to rename the theatre. Many suggestions were made, but it was decided that the 'Civic Theatre' was the most appropriate, although this later changed to the 'Palace Theatre' the building's original name.
As part of a project to make the Palace Theatre a major touring venue for the North of England, the theatre closed for major redevelopments in 1997. During the seven month period in which it was closed, many areas of the theatre were demolished, with all of the building being completely renovated. The project cost over £2.9 million.
As a result of the works, the Palace Theatre has been designated as a regional mid-scale touring venue, meaning that it caters for an audience within a 40 minute drive-time. Along with physical improvements to the theatre, programming of the venue has also been revised to offer a broader range of events suited to its new status. To complement the amateur and professional variety shows performed at the theatre, it now stages a wider range of professional performances including classical music, opera and contemporary dance.
Mansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....
, 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...
first opened in 1910 as a cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
. It was later converted to a live theatre, which has been its primary function ever since. The theatre was completely renovated and refurbished in the 1990s and now stages a varied programme of events including dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
and music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
. It is a popular receiving house for professional stage shows including national tours of plays and musicals from the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
. The theatre is owned and operated by Mansfield District Council
Mansfield (district)
Mansfield is a local government district in Nottinghamshire, England. According to the 2001 UK census, its population was 98,181.Unlike most English districts, its council is led by a directly elected mayor, currently Tony Egginton, an independent...
.
History
The Palace Electric Theatre opened on Tuesday 13 December, 1910. It was the first cinema in the town and only showed silent films at first. In 1949 the cinema was converted to a live theatre, featuring famous names such as Larry Grayson
Larry Grayson
Larry Grayson , born William Sulley White, was an English stand-up comedian and television presenter of the 1970s and early 80s...
, Steve Lawrence and Hilda Baker.
Mansfield District Council bought the theatre for £11,500 in 1953 and have been responsible for it ever since. After commissioning renovation work, the council reopened the theatre as 'Mansfield Civic Hall' with the first performance in the 'new' theatre being "School for Spinsters" by Chesterfield Repertory Company.
In 1963, nearly all of the foyer and façade were rebuilt to give the theatre a new look. In 1968, a public competition offered a prize to rename the theatre. Many suggestions were made, but it was decided that the 'Civic Theatre' was the most appropriate, although this later changed to the 'Palace Theatre' the building's original name.
The Palace Today
As part of a project to make the Palace Theatre a major touring venue for the North of England, the theatre closed for major redevelopments in 1997. During the seven month period in which it was closed, many areas of the theatre were demolished, with all of the building being completely renovated. The project cost over £2.9 million.
As a result of the works, the Palace Theatre has been designated as a regional mid-scale touring venue, meaning that it caters for an audience within a 40 minute drive-time. Along with physical improvements to the theatre, programming of the venue has also been revised to offer a broader range of events suited to its new status. To complement the amateur and professional variety shows performed at the theatre, it now stages a wider range of professional performances including classical music, opera and contemporary dance.
The Redevelopment
- The orchestra pit was extended and redesigned to accommodate more musicians and provide improved sound quality, with some acoustic adjustments made to the auditorium
- The wings were extended to provide a greater back-stage space - this was essential to the development as it enables the theatre to receive larger scale sets and shows
- A 60 feet (18.3 m) high fly tower was built above the stage - this allows traditional backdrops to be used more effectively
- The proscenium arch was widened to enhance the greater stage space
- New seats were installed, providing greater leg room and comfort and improved access for disabled patrons
- The foyer and public spaces were fully refurbished and modernised
- A lift and ramp were installed to enable easy access to all areas except the balcony
- New spaces were created to facilitate the use of the theatre for corporate entertainment, training and workshops
- A computerised box office system was installed
- A new, contemporary façade was built