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Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square, Manchester

Manchester Index

The Grade II Listed Royal Exchange was originally built as the Cotton Exchange in 1874 by Mills and Murgatroyed, and was extended in 1922, doubling its size. The building was bombed in World War II and although restored the exterior was rebuilt on more simple lines.

In June 1996 an IRA bomb did considerable damage to the Cotton Exchange which was actually shifted several inches on its foundations by the force of the explosion. Remarkably although the building was declared unsafe the Theatre, which was built on shock absorbers, survived intact.

A Lottery grant of £14m was obtained in the same year and the building was reconstructed. Into the bargain a new small Studio Theatre was added with a capacity of 120. The Studio Theatre has its own foyer and bar.

The Theatres Trust Guide says of the current Royal Exchange Theatre: 'In order to create the theatre the architects devised a ‘theatre module’, 21m in diameter, suspended from four of the giant piers which support the roof of the Exchange. The seven-sided theatre is constructed of steel and glass with seating rising all around a central acting area. This is an intimate space with a diameter of 70ft and a height of 45ft. It could well claim to be the best and most innovative theatre space created in Britain in the twentieth century.'