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Theatres and Halls in Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Crucible Theatre - Lyceum Theatre - Library Theatre - Abbeydale Picture House - Montgomery Theatre - Empire Palace - Adelphi Picture Theatre - Britannia Music Hall - Ecclesfield Cinema House / Essoldo - Grand Theatre - Hippodrome - Palace Theatre - Theatre Royal / Regal Cinema, Attercliffe - Theatre Royal, Tudour Street - Playhouse - Regent / Gaumont - Surrey Music Hall

Also see - York Theatres

Crucible Theatre, Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 1DA

Above - Postcard for the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, was built at a time when Sheffield had lost all its major Theatres and had only one small venue left in operation, namely the Library Theatre (See Below). In 1969 work began on a new Theatre for the City, The Crucible, with a thrust stage and a steeply raked auditorium with a capacity of 900. Attached to the Theatre is a small Studio Theatre with a capacity of 400.

The Crucible is now one of Britain's touring venues and a Producing House in its own right, and is also famous for being the home of the World Snooker Championship, screened on TVs all over the world every year.

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For more details on all of Sheffield's current Theatres and shows click here...

Lyceum Theatre, Tudor Street, Sheffield, S1 2LA

Above - The Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield from a postcard sold in aid of the Lyceum Theatre Appeal - Courtesy Save London's Theatres Campaign.

The Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield was built by the Theatre architect W. G. R. Sprague in 1897 and is now the only complete Sprague Theatre in the Provinces. The Lyceum was built on the site of the former City Theatre with a grand auditorium built on three levels, Stalls, Circle, and Balcony and a capacity of 1,099.

The Lyceum was one of Sheffield's major Theatres until 1968 when, like so many others at the time, it was converted for Bingo use. This was not a success however and in 1972 the owners submitted a planning application for demolition of the building. This thankfully was refused and the Theatre was put up for sale but there was little interest, partly because of the new Crucible Theatre which had been built next door. The Lyceum remained dark for many years and its future looked bleak. Some work was done on the building however in order to preserve its structure from dry rot.

Right - Programme for 'Charley's Aunt' at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield for the week beginning Monday the 14th of November 1921.

In 1990 the Lyceum was given a reprieve when Sheffield became home to the World Student Games. The stage house was rebuilt, the main entrance was moved, dressing rooms were improved, and the auditorium was completely restored so that the Lyceum was finally back in business again after two decades of neglect. The Theatre reopened in December 1990.

Above - A Matchbox Model Van with a Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield banner.

The Lyceum Theatre is now Sheffield's major touring house but is also home to Sheffield's home grown productions too.

For more details on Sheffield's current Theatres and shows you may be interested in This Site...

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Library Theatre, Tudor Place, Sheffield

The Library Theatre, Sheffield was built as a Lecture Theatre inside an existing building next door to Sheffield's Lyceum Theatre (See above). The Theatre was used as an air rade shelter during the war but in 1947 some dressing rooms were included so that the hall could become a legitimate Theatre. Due to its small stage and less than adequate sight lines however the Theatre was redesigned in 1961 when a proscenium arch was added, the stage enlarged, foyer spaces were added, and the auditorium raked.

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Abbeydale Picture House, Abbeydale Road, Sheffield

The Abbeydale Picture House, Sheffield was built as a Cinema with stage facilities and was opened by the Lord Mayor of Sheffield on the 20th December 1920 with a capacity of 1,500. From 1928 the Theatre was used as a Cine Variety house but in 1930 it was converted for Talkies. The Theatre closed in 1975 and became an office furniture showroom and warehouse but it was awarded a Grade II listing in 1989 because so much of the Theatre was still intact.

For some years the Abbeydale has been home to the Bar Abbey and the Abbey Snooker Club but in 2003 the Friends of Abbeydale Picture House was formed and the Theatres future looks a little brighter.

Visit the Abbeydale Picture House Website here...

Montgomery Theatre, Surrey Street, Sheffield

Above - The Montgomery Hall - Courtesy The Sheffield Christian Education Council

The Montgomery Theatre in Surrey Street Sheffield was built as a meeting hall for the Sheffield Sunday Schools Union (now known as the Sheffield Christian Education Council) in memory of James Montgomery in 1886. It was used as a Theatre apart from a break during the war when it was used by the government. Following a fire in 1971 it was refurbished as a traditional style Theatre. It is a small friendly theatre with 427 seats on two levels. Many Amateur Dramatic Societies and Dancing Schools still consider Montgomery Theatre as their home and the theatre hosts several amateur operatic and dancing school shows each year as well as a couple of pantomimes and several end of year shows for some of the Sheffield Schools.

Text and image Courtesy The Sheffield Christian Education Council who own the Montgomery Theatre.

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

The Empire Theatre / Empire Palace Theatre, Charles Street and Pinstone Street, Sheffield

Above - The Sheffield Empire - From a postcard.

The Empire Theatre, Sheffield was built by the renowned Theatre architect Frank Matcham and opened on Monday November the 4th 1895. The Theatre was demolished in 1963.

This theatre was a big one, a Matcham house with over two thousand seats and on a prime city centre site. The stage area was bombed during the war whilst a performance was taking place and some of Henry Hall's band who were topping the bill that week were killed and injured.

The manager during the fifties was Johnny Spitzer an enormous man. He lived at the Grand Hotel where he had a special deal. He used to have numerous large meals sent over from the hotel during the day and would sit in his office in front of the television set on his desk that was switched on all the time and eat them. The staff wondered what would happen if ever Val Parnell the managing director walked in. He did one day and the assistant manager went into the office to find both Val and Johnny sitting in front of the television and both eating enormous meals.

Maurice Dixon was musical director and presided over an excellent thirteen piece orchestra. The stage manager was Ernie Fenton and his son the first dayman, they were both smashing people and I had many a lovely week there.

Right - Sheffield Empire Programme 1911 - Click for entire Programme

One week I was getting the show out on Saturday night. The bill toppers were Donald Peers and Jimmy James. Jimmy came down onto the stage and called me over to the prompt corner. He asked me to lend him a tenner for his train fare to the next town.

Left - Programme for the New Sheffield Empire Palace - Courtesy Peter Charlton.

What did you do with the £250 I paid you yesterday I asked him, this was a lot of money
in the mid fifties. I owed it all at the bookies Jimmy replied. He was a great gambler and went bankrupt through it. He suffered a stroke whilst on a summer season in Skegness and could not work any more. He had no money so a benefit performance was organised for him at the Prince of Wales theatre in London but the proceeds had to be put into a trust that Jimmy did not have personal access to because he would have gambled it away. He was however one of the nicest comics I ever worked with.

Right - A caricature sketch of Mr Leo Matthew Stewart, one time Acting Manager of the Sheffield Empire - Courtesy Chris Bond whose wife is Stewart's Great Grandaughter, Chris says that Stewart moved to Sheffield sometime after 1901 and died in 1918.

The Empire was sold for its prime site value and closed in the late fifties and demolished. Johnny Sptizer was promoted to head of publicity for Moss Empires but still continued to live at the Grand Hotel and eat enormous meals.

Above Text from Moss Empires Theatres in the fifties written for this site by Donald Auty.

The Last Musical Director at the Sheffield Empire was Maurice Newton ( Not Dixson) He was loved by visiting artistes and was always willing to rewrite their band parts which were often almost unplayable. - This info was kindly sent in by Alan Chudley.

The Adelphi Picture Theatre, Vicarage Road, Attercliffe, Sheffield

Above - The Adelphi Theatre, Sheffield - Courtesy Lavonne Wiencek

The Adelphi Picture Theatre, in Vicarage Road, Sheffield was designed by the architect W. C. Fenton and opened for business on the 18th of October 1920.

The exterior was built from red brick with terra-cotta enhancements to the main facade. The auditorium was built on two levels, stalls and one circle, with a seating capacity of 1,350, and a projection room at the back of the stalls.

Right - The former Adelphi Picture Theatre, South Shields in a photograph taken in October 2009 - Courtesy Rob Cordon

The Theatre was the subject of some restoration and redecoration in the late 1930s but after bomb damage during the second world war, and a brief closure of one month, the building was furthur renovated in 1946.

The last film presentation at the Adelphi, which had always been an independent Cinema, was a showing of 'The Karate Killers' and 'The Rounders' on the 28th of October 1976.

The Adelphi then became a Bingo Club for many years until it closed in the mid 1990s. It was then converted into a nightclub where live bands also performed on occasions, but closed down in late 2006.

The Adelphi is a Grade II Listed building.

Above - The former Adelphi Picture Theatre, South Shields in a photograph taken in October 2009. The photo also shows the original Burton's menswear premises next door to the Theatre - Courtesy Rob Cordon

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Britannia Music Hall, Sheffield

The Britannia Music Hall, Sheffield was built in 1869 and demolished after a fire in 1992.

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Ecclesfield Cinema House /Essoldo, Sheffield

The Ecclesfield Cinema House opened on the 1st of January 1921.

The Cinema closed on the 7th of February 1959 and was totally emptied within a month.

The Cinema was demolished in June 1970.

This information Courtesy Nigel Womersley.

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Grand Theatre / Bijou Theatre / New Star Theatre, Sheffield

This Theatre was built in 1904 and demolished in 1939.

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Hippodrome Theatre / Gaumont Cinema, Sheffield

The Hippodrome was built in 1907 by Bertie Crewe and demolished in 1963.

This theatre was one of several large Hippodromes opened by Tom Barrasford in direct opposition to Oswald Stoll, then managing director of Moss empires, and his own Stoll Tour. Barrasford died in 1910 and the Sheffield Hippodrome became part of Walter De Frece's "Variety Theatre's Controlling Company", which in 1921 became part of the London Variety Theatres, they went bankrupt in 1928 and were taken over in 1929 by General Theatres Corporation, part of Gaumont British Cinemas. In 1933 Gaumont British came to an agreement with Moss Empires,which resulted in the Hippodrome becoming a Gaumont Cinema thus removing deadly competition from the Empire.

This info was kindly sent in by Alan Chudley.

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Palace Theatre, Attercliffe Road, Sheffield

Formerly The Alhambra Theatre

Above - The Palace Theatre, Attercliffe, Sheffield - Courtesy Maurice Friedman, British Music hall Society

The Palace Theatre was built in 1896 by Martin & Blomfield Jackson. It was reconstructed in 1933 and demolished in 1961.

'The Palace Theatre Attercliffe was in the Attercliffe road about 300 yards down from Burton's Corner, this was the variety house, which closed on 27th June 1955 with a revue; "Strip, Sauce and Spice" Both this and the Theatre Royal (See Below) were at one time Mc Naughton Theatres.

The Palace Attercliffe was opened by Frank McNaughton on 3rd January 1898, as The Alhambra. The theatre was not sucessful under Mc Naughton and was later renamed the Palace and was sold off to J.Allan Edwards of Derby in 1907. The Theatre was sold off again to the Roberto Brothers and converted into a cinema in 1913 .

Much later ( Possibly late 1920 or early 1930s) it was sold to a local architect, Mr Walker, whose sons Speed and Jack reopened it as a Variety house. The architect of the Palace was A Bloomfield Jackson and the Theatre had a seating capacity of 1,600.

I knew it as a number two variety house with many strip shows. Frankly the Palace left much to be desired. It was the bain of touring stage managers; the stage was only 16 feet deep and very badly equiped, the dressing rooms were very poor, however on the plus side the audiences were great from a performers point of view which had an atmosphere like the Met in the Edgware Road and the Glasgow Pavillion, and the eight piece Palace orchestra was renowed for its excellence. The top price in the 1940s was only two shillings. The Palace had many characters on its staff.'

The text above in quotes was kindly sent in by Alan Chudley.

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Theatre Royal, Pinfold Lane, Attercliffe, Sheffield

Later - The Regal Cinema

Above - A Photograph of the Theatre Royal, Attercliffe Sheffield - Courtesy Maurice Friedman, British Music hall Society

The Theatre Royal Attercliffe was about 100 yards from Burton's Corner in Staniforth Road. This later became the Regal Cinema. This theatre and the Palace Theatre (See Above) at one time were both Mc Naughton Theatres.

The Theatre Royal, Attercliffe opened on the 26th of July 1897 with; "No Cross, No Crown" as the Peoples Palace and became the Regal cinema in the 1920s. The Theatre was in Pinfold Lane ( now know as Staniford Road) and was just around the corner from the Palace. Both Theatres have been demolished.

The Theatre Royal was at one time a Mc Naughton House. This became the Regal and when I saw it in the 1950s it had a neon sign Regal on it. My notes record that the outside was very similar to the Theatre Royal Winchester, particularly the Glass and Iron canopy, although in the case of Winchester the wording was Royal Theatre and not Theatre Royal.

This info was kindly sent in by Alan Chudley.

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The Playhouse, Sheffield

The Playhouse was built in 1958 but has since been demolished.

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Regent / Gaumont, Sheffield

The Regent, later known as the Gaumont, was built in 1927 by W. E. Trent and demolished sometime after 1985.

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The Surrey Music Hall, Sheffield

Above - The Surrey Theatre on fire - From The Illustrated London News of 1865.

The Surrey Music Hall was built in 1851 and was demolished after a fire in 1865.

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The Theatre Royal, Tudour Street, Sheffield

The Theatre Royal, Sheffield was altered in 1901 by the renowned Theatre architect Frank Matcham when the stage was enlarged, new dressing rooms added and eclectic lighting was installed . The Seating Capacity was around 2,500 and the Proscenium opening was 28 ft with a Stage depth 39ft.

Right - Advertisement for 'Sherlock Holmes' at the Theatre Royal, Sheffield in November 1921 - From a Lyceum Theatre Sheffield Programme.

The Theatre Royal was burnt out in December 1935 and demolished the following year.

This info was kindly sent in by Alan Chudley.

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For more information on Sheffield's entertainment history you may like to visit the Sheffield Cinemas, Theatres & Music Halls Forum here.

Many of the details and dates for past Theatres in Sheffield were gleaned from the Theatres Trust Guide.