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The New Theatre was built by R. H. Sharp and originally opened as the Assembly Rooms in 1834.

The building was gutted internally and converted to a Theatre by W. B. Wheatley and Robert Cromie in 1939 and renamed the New Theatre. This new Theatre had one balcony and a box either side but the balcony was far from the stage and the auditorium was considered to be unnaturally wide. However in the late 1960s the stage was deepened and the orchestra pit enlarged, whilst at the same time the auditorium was improved with new seating.

Right - Late 1940s Programme for 'Message for Margaret' at the New Theatre, Hull - Click to see Entire Programme.

In the 1980s the original entrance and portico were glazed in so that FOH areas could be enlarged and enhanced. The Theatre is now Grade II Listed and has a capacity of 1,189.

EDITORIAL.

BY ORDER OF THE GOVERNMENT-(NON-POLITICAL)

From The 'Message for Margaret' programme shown above.

We endeavour-nay, it is our policy-in the Theatre, to be nonpolitical in outlook because we realise that most, if not all, of our patrons have a political consciousness of their own and if any one of these differ materially, or idealistically, from ours we might, instead of reconciling the conflict of opinion, succeed in alienating from ourselves the support which would be ours, if our respective outlook was identical or, at least, non-partisan, and so far as the Theatre is concerned, survival is more important than the possession of an exclusive political doctrine.

Right - Commemorative Lapel Pin to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the New Theatre, Hull in 1989.

Our first hypothesis is that the Theatre has no politics and, therefore, is non-political. The fact that it comprises many individuals who each possess deep rooted political convictions does not invalidate the general truth of the thesis because these convictions are subjugated for a period of time-the period and time of daily employment-to a greater common interest-the interest of living which is the determining factor in formulating any policy, not least, a theatrical policy.

Our second hypothesis is that, collectively, an audience has no politics and, therefore, is non-political. Here again, the fact that the individuals that comprise an audience each have a political conviction of their own precludes the possibility of an audience-unless it be a highly specialised group of people-having identical political opinions. If the political expressions of an audience are heterogeneous in character-like the actors on the stage all speaking together and in different languages-then it cannot be said to speak as one voice politically and, therefore, because it has no specific political conscience, collectively, an audience can be said to have no politics.

Left - Programme for 'Robinson Crusoe' at the New Theatre, Hull in December 1966 - Courtesy Tom O'Connor.

If these two hypotheses are correct, then it is equally correct to assume in theory, if not in fact, that neither-the Theatre the Audience nor the Audience the Theatre-can offend each other and, therefore, with full knowledge that all hypotheses are subject to Constant review and are considered valid for just so long as they "work" we will expose the core of our philosophy by stating the following:

Because of the over-confidence of a preoccupied Government - we, and you, of proven non-political views imply any Government - the abnormal behaviour of the prophetic mind of a Cabinet Minister - we both refer to any Cabinet Minister-we are made to experience the life of a couponless antarctic Eskimo minus his freedom, his furs, his igloo and his blubber. But, in order to assist a deserving Government - we mean, of course, any Government - in planning the future Utopia, where no-one will work and wages will be high, but more immediately to prevent starvation, from next week onwards, our times of performances will be as follows:- Nightly at 7-15, Thursday and Saturday at 4-15 and 7-30. Someone said somewhere, once, "cum labor omnia vincit " but, we think it was meant as a joke.

PEPPINO SANTANGELO.
From The 'Message for Margaret' programme shown above.

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