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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 Theatre / Alexandra Music Hall - Adelphi Picture Theatre - Electra Palace / Cartoon / News / Classic Cinema - Britannia Music Hall - Ecclesfield Cinema House / Essoldo - Grand Theatre - Hippodrome - Palace Theatre - Theatre Royal / Regal Cinema, Attercliffe - Theatre Royal, Tudour Street - Playhouse - Regent / Gaumont - Royal Casino / Surrey Music Hall / Surrey Theatre |
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The Crucible Theatre, Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 1DA
Above - The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield in August 2011 - Courtesy Allan Hailstone.
Right - An early Postcard for the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield. 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. If you have any images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact me. |
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The Lyceum Theatre, Tudor Street, Sheffield, S1 2LA
Above - The Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield in August 2011 - Courtesy Allan Hailstone.
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 - A Programme for 'Charley's Aunt' at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield for the week beginning Monday the 14th of November 1921.
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. If you have any more images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact me. |
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The Library Theatre, Tudor Place, Sheffield
Above - The Library Theatre, Sheffield in August 2011 - Courtesy Allan Hailstone. 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. If you have any images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact Me... |
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The Classic Cinema, Fitzalan Square, Sheffield Formerly - The Electra Palace / News Theatre / Cartoon Cinema
Above - The Cartoon Cinema, Fitzalan Square, Sheffield in 1959, later to become the Classic Cinema - Courtesy Allan Hailstone. The Fitzalan Square Classic Cinema originally opened as the Electra Palace on the 10th of February 1911 and was built by George Longden and Sons Ltd., for Sheffield & District Cinematograph Theatres Ltd. The Theatre was designed by J. H. Hickton and H. E. Farmer and was constructed on the site of a former wooden building called Wonderland. The Electra could seat 670 people on two levels, stalls and one curved balcony, and also had a tea lounge on the balcony level and a restaurant in the basement. The Theatre was the first cinema in Sheffield to show continuous film performances, from 3 in the afternoon to 10.30 at night. The Theatre was altered in 1945 and reopened as the News Theatre. In 1959 it was renamed The Cartoon Cinema, see image above, showing continuos cartoon films and also news films. In 1962 the Theatre was bought by the Classic chain who covered the exterior with metal cladding and removed all the internal decorative plasterwork, the Theatre reopened as a Classic Cinema. The Theatre was closed on the 24th of November 1982 and after a fire in 1984 the building was demolished to make way for a retail store. Some of the above information on the Electra Palace was gleaned from the excellent Cinema Treasures Website. |
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The Abbeydale Picture House, 383 Abbeydale Road, Sheffield
Above - A Google StreetView image of the Abbeydale Picture House, Sheffield - Click to Interact 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 and 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 was home to the Bar Abbey and the Abbey Snooker Club but in 2003 the Friends of Abbeydale Picture House was formed and the Theatre's future began to look a little brighter. They restored the auditorium and built a new stage, and reopened the Theatre in September 2008. However, the community group's finances eventually failed and the building was repossessed by the bank and in late 2012 it was sold at auction for £150,000. A spokesman for the buyer said that the building 'was not financially viable' to be used as a Theatre again but added 'It's a lovely facility. The intention is to bring it back into public use.' |
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The 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... |
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The Empire Palace Theatre, Charles Street and Union Street, Sheffield Later - The Empire Theatre
Above - The Sheffield Empire - From a postcard.
Right - A Programme for the New Sheffield Empire Palace - Courtesy Peter Charlton. The New Empire Palace is the third of those magnificent buildings that have been designed by Mr Frank Matcham, who is the architect for the companies founded by Mr Moss, the other two being the New Empires at Birmingham and at Edinburgh. We are informed that Mr Matcham has in hand plans for two other Empires, one at Cardiff and one at Glasgow. The latter is to be erected on the old Gaiety site in Sauchiehall-street, and is expected to eclipse all similar buildings in the kingdom. The position of the New Empire at Sheffield is a very important one, being in the centre of the city, and close to the new Municipal Buildings. The front elevation towards Charles-street is of Italian Renaissance in design, and is of stone relieved by red brick. The centre facade consists of three arched openings, with a balcony on the first floor in connection with the smoking lounge. This building has above it a massive pediment with panels, introducing the title "Empire Palace," and emblems of the arts and music. Above this are figures holding a flambeau, which will be lighted at night.
Left - A Variety Programme for the Sheffield Empire in 1911 - Click to see the entire Programme. A suite of offices to the left of the entrance is conveniently situated for the management, and a private staircase is arranged so as to enable the manager to get to all parts of the house in a few seconds. The upper circle, which contains about six rows of seats at the back of the grand circle, is approached by means of a separate staircase to the right of the entrance, and this part of the house is well arranged, and the sight lines are perfect. There is a wide passage way at the back of the top row of upper circle seats, which is continued at the same level along the sides into large open-arched lounges over the private boxes. At the rear of the upper circle is a raised lounge with an ornamental balcony front, and from this lounge, through a wide opening, flanked with columns with ornamental pediment over, may be reached the grand smoking saloon, which is lofty and of magnificent proportions. Through the casement windows of this may be approached the outer balcony, looking on to Charles-street, already alluded to. The pit is entered from Union-street. This part of the building is lofty and well ventilated, and is fitted up with comfortable seats. At the back is a raised lounge, and in front pit-stalls are placed with raised promenades at the sides. The seats are upholstered in rich velvet, and the floors carpeted. The fauteuils occupy the space in front of the orchestra. There are six rows of luxuriously fitted up tip-up chairs, and at the sides are raised lounges and alcoves with fountains and rockeries, with palms and ferns. The whole of this part of the house is carpeted and fitted with tip-up seats. A large smoking saloon is provided at the side of the fauteuils, richly upholstered and fitted with settees, the whole being beautifully decorated. There are no less than seven exits on the ground level - five from the grand circle and upper circle and four from the gallery. These are all direct, and the passages and staircases are fire-proof, while the doors are fitted with Briggs' panic bolts. The auditorium has been designed on the cantilever principle, a clear and uninterrupted view of the stage being obtained from all parts. The safety of the public has been well considered, and every preventative against accident by fire has been provided in the shape of hydrants, iron doors, and an asbestos fireproof curtain, which entirely divides the stage from the auditorium. |
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Above - The Auditorium of the Sheffield Empire - From the Moss Empires Jubilee Brochure of 1949 The ventilation has received more than ordinary attention, the fresh air being conveyed into the building by tubes and inlet ventilators. The vitiated air is extracted by shafts formed in the ceilings; and, in addition to this, the architect has provided a large sliding-roof in the centre of the auditorium domed ceiling, which can be worked off on tram lines when required. The stage is a large one, being 33ft. deep and 64ft. wide, with property-rooms and scene-docks in conjunction. It is fitted up with the necessary traps and bridges, and the usual stage machinery. The grid is placed high enough to take up all scenery. The dressing-rooms are numerous, and fitted with hot and cold water. They are contained in a block of buildings at the rear of the stage, being divided from the same by brick walls, and the only openings are fitted with iron doors. The entrances to the auditorium, the stage, and the dressing-rooms are heated by hot-water pipes and coils, and the whole building is lighted by electricity. The whole of the raised plaster decorations have been carried out from the architect's designs, and Mr Matcham has certainly excelled himself. He has adopted a bold Flemish treatment, involving much grandeur of design. The ceiling is divided up by life-size figures playing different musical instruments. They are artistically modelled, and from them spring arches forming a series of panels, over which is a boldly-moulded and enriched cornice surrounding the sliding-roof. From this a series of twenty polished brass electric light pendants is suspended with loops between, and around the outer circle of the ceiling similar pendants occur, throwing a beautiful soft light on the chaste enrichments. The lower part of the centre ceiling is formed into coffered arches with panels running up and forming a base for the figures. These are richly panelled, and the background is painted with sky and birds. In front of the whole a balcony is continued round the entire ceiling, with pedestals containing vases and forms supported by cupids. The ceiling is artistically painted in accordance with Mr Matcham's design, "A Dream of a Carnival," introducing sprites, pierrots, demons, and dancers. Over the stage opening is a painted panel representing "Music and Dancing," and the coves along the sides of the ceiling are very artistically treated with shaded scroll design. The remainder of the decorations, including the boxes and gallery fronts, are carried out in the same bold, artistic way. The ceiling is supported by eight finely designed and decorated columns, the lower parts being of marble. The proscenium opening is flanked with similar material, and a raised decoration is carried around the whole proscenium and along the front of the stage, giving the appearance of a picture frame. The building is luxurious in its upholstery, the floors of the best parts of the house being laid with thick carpet, and the boxes and stage opening being fitted with embossed green bronzed plush draperies.' The above text in quotes was first published in the ERA, 26th of October 1895. The Empire Palace Theatre opened on Monday November the 4th 1895 as a Variety Theatre and was built for Moss Empires with a vast auditorium capable of seating 2,500 people in great comfort. The Theatre would later drop the 'Palace' part of its name and be known simply as the Sheffield Empire. Despite being a variety Theatre it was already showing so called 'animated pictures' as part of the entertainment as early as 1896. The Theatre was closed in June 1927 for a six week redecoration, and then in July 1933 it was closed again for alterations and redecoration, and a new Bio Box was constructed at roof level for Follow Spots and film projection. On the 3rd of August 1942 a major fire destroyed the Empire's stage and was only prevented from destroying the rest of the Theatre by its safety curtain which was down at the time. The Theatre then remained closed for rebuilding the stage and refurbishment for more than a year but reopened on the 6th of September 1943. During the war the Theatre lost one of its two turrets which capped the towers on either side of the facade, and the buildings which had previously been situated either side of the Theatre were also destroyed. The Theatre was closed on the 2nd of May 1959 after being sold to a developer and was demolished just two months later in July 1959. The site was used for the construction of shops which are still there today. |
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The Empire Theatre, Sheffield by Donald Auty
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 - 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. 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. 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. 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. |
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The Adelphi Picture Theatre, Vicarage Road, Attercliffe, Sheffield
Above - The Adelphi Theatre, Sheffield - Courtesy Lavonne Wiencek
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, Sheffield 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 and still stands today. However this building should not be confused with the formerAdelphi Theatre in Furnival Road and Blonk Street, later the Alexandra Music Hall. |
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Above - The former Adelphi Picture Theatre, Sheffield 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 If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact Me... |
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The Britannia Music Hall, Sheffield The Britannia Music Hall, Sheffield was built in 1869 and demolished after a fire in 1992. If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact Me... |
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The 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. If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact Me... |
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The Grand Theatre / Bijou Theatre / New Star Theatre, Sheffield This Theatre was built in 1904 and demolished in 1939. If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact Me... |
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The 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. If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact Me... |
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The 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. If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact Me... |
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Above - An early Photograph of Attercliffe Road, Sheffield - Courtesy Lavonne Wiencek |
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The 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. If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact Me... |
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The Playhouse was built in 1958 but has since been demolished. If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact Me... |
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The Regent / Gaumont, Sheffield The Regent, later known as the Gaumont, was built in 1927 by W. E. Trent and demolished sometime after 1985. If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact Me... |
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The Surrey Theatre, 66 Westbar, Sheffield Formerly - Youdan's Royal Casino - The Surrey Music Hall
Above - The Surrey Theatre on fire - From The Illustrated London News of 1865. There was a place of entertainment on Westbar, Sheffield in 1849 called the Royal Casino, whose proprietor was Thomas Youdan. The Casino was not actually a casino but a Music Hall putting on a variety of acts nightly, except Sundays. Youdan had spent a great deal of money on improving the original premises when he took it over and the place soon became very popular with Sheffield's public. The Royal Casino opened on Saturday March the 17th 1849. In 1850 the building was redecorated and altered again to include a tier of boxes in the auditorium, and the name was changed to the Surrey Music Hall for its reopening on Monday September the 9th 1850, still under the management of Thomas Youdan. However it wasn't long before Youdan changed the name again, this time to the Surrey Theatre. Sadly the Theatre was destroyed by fire on April the 1st 1865. The Illustrated London News printed a report on the fire with a brief history of the building in their April 1st 1865 edition saying: [It] is rather curious that the destruction by fire of the well-known original Surrey Theatre, in the Blackfriars-road, should have been followed so soon by that of its namesake at Sheffield. This building, or cluster of buildings, called a music-hall when it was first opened about fifteen years ago, had been greatly enlarged by Mr. Youdan, the proprietor, and fitted up for theatrical entertainments. Extensive alterations were made last year; the stage was widened, and extended backwards a clear space of sixty feet, while the gallery was made to accommodate 1500 persons. This gallery was of immense strength; and an additional tier of boxes was built, resting upon ranges of hollow iron columns; but, unfortunately, from the very nature of the case, the employment of a vast quantity of wood was inevitable. Scarcely anything more inflammable in the way of buildings can be conceived than the Surrey Theatre was at its re-opening. Row upon row of wooden seats in the pit; tier upon tier of wooden "boxes," covered with light curtains and drapery of various kinds; and the spacious galleries, all of wood, with innumerable jets of gas and great chandeliers, rendered it a matter of certainty that if a fire did break out it would set every effort to extinguish it at defiance. Beneath the stage was a "mezzanine" floor, and here again was an amazing accumulation of inflammable material; and above the stage, in the "flies," were the usual mechanical appliances for working the scenes. Mr Youdan had added to the other attractions of the place a museum, which was in the basement story near the theatre, and was well stocked with a collection of curious and valuable articles. On the same floor was a large and handsome room for dancing. The entrance-hall, when it ceased to be used as a bar for the sale of beer, was converted into a picture gallery, and was lighted by several very handsome glass chandeliers of the same description as the much larger one that was suspended from the centre of the roof of the main building. The alterations completed, the theatre was confessedly one of the largest and handsomest in the country, and its reopening drew immense audiences for a time. The fire broke out last Saturday morning at half-past two o'clock. The performance of Friday evening had finished about eleven, and at midnight all the gaslights were extinguished, but it is surmised that some part of the woodwork, probably in the "flies," had been ignited during the performance of the grand fire scene in the play of "The Streets of London," which had been performed there every night for a fortnight past. In less than five minutes the flames burst out of the roof at the rear of the building, and began to spread with such rapidity that the neighbouring houses in Westbar, Spring-street, and Rick's-lane were in great danger. Many of the people living in these houses fled in haste, without even staying to put on their clothes or attempting to save any portion of their furniture. The police and fire-engines were promptly at hand; but, though the fire was prevented from extending beyond the theatre itself, it was impossible to do more. The external walls being solidly built, no such disaster as that which cost the life of Mr. Lorimer at Edinburgh, is to be recorded on this occasion. The fire burnt itself out between four and five o clock, leaving a mere carcass of the building. Our Illustration, from a sketch taken at the bottom of Westbar-green, will give some idea of the scene at the time of the conflagration.' The above text in quotes was first published in the Illustrated London News April 1st 1865. Thomas Youdan went on to reopen the old Adelphi Theatre in Furnival Road as a replacement for the destroyed Surrey Theatre, it reopened as the Alexandra Music Hall on the 13th of October 1865, more details below. If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact Me. |
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The Alexandra Music Hall, Furnival Road and Blonk Street, Sheffield Formerly - The Adelphi Theatre After the fire which destroyed the Surrey Theatre in 1865 Thomas Youdan went on to purchase the former Adelphi Theatre in Furnival Road and Blonk Street, Sheffield and reopen it as a music hall called the Alexandra Music Hall, it opened on the 13th of October the same year. The Adelphi Theatre was built in 1837 and designed by Egan, and is said to have been based on Astley's ampitheatre, capable of staging circus acts. The Adelphi had been closed for some time however when Youdan took it over, and he had to do a substantial amount of work on the building to make it habitable for his eager public, and at great expense too. It was reported in the press of the time that the Alexandra Music Hall could accommodate 3,000 to 4,000 people when it reopened. The Alexandra was in business for many years but finally closed in 1914 and was subsequently demolished. This Adelphi Theatre should not be confused with the later Adelphi Picture Theatre in Vicarage Road which opened in 1920. If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact Me. |
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The Theatre Royal, Tudour Street, Sheffield
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. There are some images of the Theatre Royal before and after the fire by doing a search here. Some of the above info was kindly sent in by Alan Chudley. If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact Me... |
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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. Archive newspaper reports on this page were collated and kindly sent in for inclusion by B.F. |
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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
Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield was built by the Theatre architect 
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. 
The
Empire Theatre, Sheffield was designed by the renowned 
This
theatre was a big one, a 
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
Theatre Royal, Sheffield was altered in