The Midland Hotel Theatre, Manchester

Manchester Theatres Index

Above - A Postcard depicting the auditorium and stage of the Midland Hotel Theatre - Courtesy Maurice Friedman, British Music Hall Society.

The Midland Hotel Theatre, Manchester was opened on Wednesday the 16th of March 1904 with Mary Moore's Company performing the play 'Mrs. Gorringer's Necklase'. The following week the German Comedy Company from London appeared at the Theatre.

Right - An Advertisement for the opening of the Midland Hotel Theatre, Manchester in 1904 - From the Manchester Courier, 9th of March 1904.

The Theatre, which was situated in the 1903 built Midland Hotel was first conceived as a Concert Hall but converted for theatrical use in 1904, it could seat 860 people in some comfort.

This was quite a short lived Theatre but was home to a number of famous people whilst it was open including the now renowned Magician David Devant who made his last performance at the Theatre in January 1920 shortly before it closed. The Theatre was rumoured to perhaps be converted into a Super Cinema in 1920 and it did show films during this period but this never came to fruition in the end and instead the space was put to other uses.

The last production I can find at the Theatre was an Amateur production by the Midland Institute Dramatic Society who were scheduled to play 'When we were Twenty One' at the Midland Hotel Theatre in January 1922. Whether this actually took place though I have been unable to find out. Certainly no other productions were mentioned in the press after this.

Left - A Postcard depicting the Foyer of the Midland Hotel Theatre - Courtesy Maurice Friedman, British Music hall Society.

The Midland Hotel itself however, is still open for business today and has, since it first opened in 1903, been a much loved venue for visitors to Manchester for over 120 years. The Midland Hotel is today a Grade II Listed Building, you may like to visit the Hotel's own Website here.

If you have any more information about this Theatre, or have programmes or images you are willing to share please Contact me.

Above - A Postcard depicting the auditorium and stage of the Midland Hotel Theatre - Courtesy Maurice Friedman, British Music hall Society.