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

Theatre Royal and Opera House - Royal Hippodrome - Pier Theatre - Congress 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