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Theatres and Halls in Eastbourne, on England's South Coast

Theatre Royal and Opera House - Royal Hippodrome - Pier Theatre and Music Pavilion - Congress Theatre - Devonshire Park Theatre

Royal Hippodrome Theatre, Seaside Road, Eastbourne

Formerly The Theatre Royal and Opera House

Above - The Royal Hippodrome, Eastbourne in its original guise as the Theatre Royal and Opera House in 1902 - From 'The Playgoer' 1902 - Courtesy Iain Wotherspoon.

The Theatre Royal and Opera House, Eastbourne was built by C. J. Phipps for George Loveday and opened on Thursday the 2nd of August 1883. It ran successfully until 1904 when on October the 31st after a benefit for the manager, Mr Samuel Lloyd, the Theatre closed down for extensive refurbishment and conversion into a Variety Theatre.

Right - Poster for Horatio and Arthur Lloyd at the Theatre Royal, Eastbourne in 1886, just three years after the Theatre opened, in Arthur Lloyd's 'Two Hours Genuine Fun.' The poster is one of a large collection of original Lloyd Posters collected since the mid 1800s by members of the family and found recently after being lost for 50 years. To see all these posters click the Poster Index here...

The newly refurbished Theatre reopened on the 5th of December 1904 as the Eastbourne Hippodrome with a capacity of 1,500. The Theatre was later renamed The Royal Hippodrome, the name it retains to this day.

Left - The Auditorium of the Theatre Royal, Eastbourne in 1902 - From 'The Playgoer' 1902 - Courtesy Iain Wotherspoon.

Right - Programme for The Royal Hippodrome, Eastbourne in 1960.

By the late 1980s, the Theatre was becoming tired and so were the audiences. Plans were put together for its demolition but local opposition in the early 1990s and a restoration fund headed by Russ Conway, who then lived in the town, raised sufficient funds to have the proscenium arch and boxes of the Theatre restored. This led to the Theatre being Listed and its future secured. The Theatre currently seats 643 and you may like to visit its own Website here...

Above - Auditorium of the Royal Hippodrome, Eastbourne in 1989 - Courtesy Ted Bottle

Within sound of the sea - The Theatre Royal, Eastbourne - From the Playgoer 1902.

The Theatre Royal, Eastbourne occupies a fine site in the centre of the town. Since Mr. J. L. Toole opened it some seventeen years ago the theatre has passed through various stages of progression until at the present time it can claim to be one of the prettiest and cosiest theatres to be found in the south, and its "money capacity" is greater than any other place of amusement in the town.

With these advantages, backed by the personal care, energy, and enterprise of Mr. Samuel Lloyd, who has lately purchased the property, this house will commence what in all probability will prove to be a prosperous career.

Left - Poster for 'All Smiles' at the Royal Hippodrome Theatre, Eastbourne - Courtesy Stephen Wischhusen.

In the centre of the extensive front of the theatre an ornamental portico marks the main entrance, palms, flowers and pictures brighten the lofty vestibule, and a draped female figure holds aloft an electric light to guide patrons up the broad, richly carpeted staircase to the dress circle. The interior is very compact and comfortable, and from every seat a good view of the stage may be obtained.

The upholstering is in peacock blue plush. The general decoration is carried out in cream and gold. The ceiling is painted to represent the sky, the expanse of blue being relieved by white fleecy clouds, and the whole is illuminated by tinted pendant electric lights.

Above text from 'The Playgoer' 1902 - Courtesy Iain Wotherspoon.

This new book by Mark Jones and John Pick which describes in detail "The Sensational Story of Eastbourne's Royal Hippodrome" - formerly Eastbourne Theatre Royal is highly recommended. The books sets the story against a social history of the town and contains a Foreword by Peter Longman, director of The Theatres Trust. Click the cover to buy the book at Amazon.co.uk.

Arthur Lloyd is known to have performed in Eastbourne 1886

Horatio Lloyd is known to have performed in Eastbourne 1886

Devonshire Park Theatre, Compton Terrace, Devonshire Park, Eastbourne

Above - An early 1900s postcard depicting the Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne.

The Devonshire Park Theatre was originally built by Henry Currey who was also the architect who designed St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, and the seventh Duke of Devonshire's own architect. The Theatre was built in 1884 on land which was given by the Duke of Devonshire and formed part of a complex of buildings which would not be completed until 1891. The first building constructed on this land was the Wintergarden which was built in 1876, then came the Theatre in 1884, and finally the Indian Pavilion in 1891, all constructed by the Devonshire Park and Baths Company.

The Devonshire Park Theatre opened on Whit Monday, 1884 and the ERA published a review of the Theatre in their 7th of June edition saying: 'For some time the want of a theatre or dramatic hall in connection with Devonshire Park, Eastbourne, has been a source of considerable inconvenience. It is true that the Pavilion has been utilised, but this building was never intended for such a purpose, and its acoustic defects have considerably marred the attractiveness of the entertainments from time to time given therein. The directors have therefore erected at the south eastern corner of the grounds, adjoining Hardwick-road, a suitable theatre, complete in every detail, which was duly licensed on Monday, the 26th ult., and was brought into use on Whit Monday.

The new dramatic hall is approached by a carriage drive from Hardwick-road. Ascending two or three steps we reach the entrance hall, which has a domed roof; in the centre is a small sunlight, which illuminates the whole area. On each side of the hall, which we may herto mention is handsomely carpeted, are one or two small retiring rooms, and on one side the ticket office. Ascending another short flight of steps, the corridor branches of in two directions, one leading to the orchestra stalls and the other to the balcony stalls. All fear of draughts is avoided by portiere draperies. We notice just within the draperies a handsomely-fitted buffet and restaurant, and in another part a snug smoking-room for gentlemen, handsomely furnished with lounges and settees.

On the ground-floor are the orchestra stalls, 211 in number, while above are the first circle seats. Each seat is a comfortable arm-chair, covered with damask in cream and old gold, with cushioned arm rests and moveable seats. The pit is behind the orchestra stalls, and is somewhat contracted. It will only accommodate about 150 persons. The seats are separated from each other by iron partitions. Above the first balcony is a second, which will serve as an amphitheatre or gallery, and is a most commodious and extremely comfortable part of the house.

Owing to the excellent arrangement of the interior, the whole of the stage will be visible from every seat in the house. There are no side galleries, customary in most theatres. In the centre of the roof is a sunlight, from which pear-shaped medallions radiate, bordered with gold. The ground is a light silver grey, enlivened by light crimson or lake. The front of the balconies are decorated in the same style, and the whole building has a most chaste and elegant appearance. There is a handsome buffet for the pit and amphitheatre, quite distinct from the stall buffet.

The pit and amphitheatre have separate entrances at the sides of the building, and every arrangement has been made to enable the house to be cleared in a few minutes in case of fire. All the staircases and approaches are fireproof, and water is laid on in every part, which can be made available at a moment's notice. In fact, every precaution has been adopted to make the hall in all respects as safe from danger as possible.

Leaving the front of the stage, we pass through some fire-proof doors to the mysterious regions below. Here we find ourselves in a perfect labyrinth of peculiar machinery, used for dramatic purposes - traps to send sprites flying into the air, or to raise fairies to earthly regions. The building is lit with gas, and both the sun and foot lights are constructed on the flash principle, so that in an instant the theatre can be bathed in light or shrouded in darkness. Behind the stage is a spacious green-room, and a number of commodious dressing-rooms, all carpeted, and properly furnished, for the convenience of the ladies and gentlemen engaged on the stage.

Under the most brilliant auspices the new Thespian temple was opened on Monday evening. The house may literally be said to have been crowded from floor to ceiling with a fashionable and critical audience. The honour of giving the opening performances had been accorded to Mr G. M. Wood's Garrick Comedy company, and the selection turned out a very happy one. The programme opened with a comedietta entitled The Day After the Wedding, and next came "An Original Address," which was spoken by the author, Mr G. M. Wood. This gentleman performed the duty imposed upon him in an admirable manner, the address being well written and exceedingly appropriate to the occasion. After this followed the play of the evening, Mr G. M. Wood's version of David Garrick, which was well gone through and cordially approved.'

The above text in quotes was first published in the ERA, 7th of June 1884 - Courtesy BF.

By 1900 the Theatre seems to have become rather unloved, an article in the ERA of the 24th of November that year remarks on the plain auditorium and failed productions, although a visit by Winston Churchill did revive the place for one night at least. The ERA says: 'Eastbourne audiences evidently prefer their entertainments cast in a more serious form than is usually presented at the Devonshire Park Theatre. Many theatrical companies have failed to be attractive at ordinary prices - owing to the fact that the auditorium is nothing much better than a large room, which sadly wants decoration and is without even a private box - whereas Mr Winston Churchill on Monday afternoon packed the theatre from floor to ceiling at nearly double charges for admission. The audience was fashionably passive, and listened with sedate attention to the distinguished lecturer. Mr Churchill is not an orator, and he has a slight lisp, but his voice is clear and carrying. In his views on the war he blames no one, and apportions praise only here and there; in fact, criticism is carefully avoided.' - The ERA, 24th of November 1900 - Courtesy BF.

The above situation seems to have spurred on the owners to have the Theatre remodeled and so in 1903 the Theatre was redesigned by the renowned Theatre Architect Frank Matcham who incorporated Henry Currey's original balconies whilst extending them to the proscenium and adding two boxes on either side. The balcony fronts were redecorated with a more 'flamboyant' plasterwork, and the proscenium made rectangular. The original ceiling of the auditorium was also enhanced with Matcham's well known flair for decoration. A lucky survivor, the Theatre remains today in this 1903 Frank Matcham form and is Grade II Listed with a seating capacity of 936.

You may like to visit the Theatre's own website here.

If you have any more images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact me.