Lyceum Theatre (Crewe)
Encyclopedia
The Lyceum Theatre is an Edwardian theatre
in Heath Street, Crewe
, Cheshire
, England. It originated as a converted Roman Catholic Church in 1876. The church was replaced in 1887 by a purpose-built theatre, which burnt down in 1910. The theatre was rebuilt the following year, and was refurbished in 1994. It continues in use as a theatre, as of 2011 managed by Crewe and Nantwich
Borough Council. The theatre is constructed in brick, and adjacent to it is a block containing the entrance and offices. Its interior contains decorated plasterwork
.
immigrants working on the local railway. In 1876 the congregation moved into a larger church in the town. The site was acquired by Thomas Cliffe, a local farmer, and he gave permission for Henry Taylor, a local printer, to convert the church into a theatre. Taylor wanted to have a "proper" theatre on the site and later built the New Lyceum Theatre, which opened on 21 November 1887. It cost £5,000 (£ as of ) and seated 1,250 people. It was re-fitted in 1908 and changed its name to the Opera House. On 11 March 1910 the theatre was destroyed in a fire, and it was decided to rebuild it on the same site. The new theatre was designed by Albert Winstanley, it seated 850, and opened on 6 October 1911. In the early 1930s it was acquired by Terence Byron, who also owned theatres elsewhere in the country. It was bought in 1955 by Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council who formed a management trust in 1964. It operated, with a varying degree of success, as a repertory theatre
. During this time actors and actresses who later achieved fame gained experience in the theatre; these included Glenda Jackson
, Richard Beckinsale
, Judy Lowe, and Linda Bellingham. In 1982 the management of the theatre moved back from the trust to the Borough Council. The Council redecorated the theatre in 1992, and installed new seating, and in 1994 £1.5 million was spent in rebuilding the facilities in the front of the house and remodelling the gallery.
as a Grade II listed building on 6 July 1976. It is constructed in Accrington-type brick
with a slate
roof. It is three storeys high and has a gable
d façade
, divided into five unequal bays
. To its left is a two-storey, four-bay building incorporating the entrance and containing offices. Inside the theatre is an auditorium
with a dress circle, gallery and boxes. The front of these is decorated with plasterwork
, including cartouches
and reclining figures. There is more plasterwork decoration on the proscenium arch
and the ceiling rose.
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
in Heath Street, Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England. It originated as a converted Roman Catholic Church in 1876. The church was replaced in 1887 by a purpose-built theatre, which burnt down in 1910. The theatre was rebuilt the following year, and was refurbished in 1994. It continues in use as a theatre, as of 2011 managed by Crewe and Nantwich
Crewe and Nantwich
Crewe and Nantwich was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district with borough status in Cheshire, England. It had a population of 111,007...
Borough Council. The theatre is constructed in brick, and adjacent to it is a block containing the entrance and offices. Its interior contains decorated plasterwork
Plasterwork
Plasterwork refers to construction or ornamentation done with plaster, such as a layer of plaster on an interior wall or plaster decorative moldings on ceilings or walls. This is also sometimes called pargeting...
.
History
The theatre stands on the site of a former Roman Catholic Church that had been built to serve IrishIrish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
immigrants working on the local railway. In 1876 the congregation moved into a larger church in the town. The site was acquired by Thomas Cliffe, a local farmer, and he gave permission for Henry Taylor, a local printer, to convert the church into a theatre. Taylor wanted to have a "proper" theatre on the site and later built the New Lyceum Theatre, which opened on 21 November 1887. It cost £5,000 (£ as of ) and seated 1,250 people. It was re-fitted in 1908 and changed its name to the Opera House. On 11 March 1910 the theatre was destroyed in a fire, and it was decided to rebuild it on the same site. The new theatre was designed by Albert Winstanley, it seated 850, and opened on 6 October 1911. In the early 1930s it was acquired by Terence Byron, who also owned theatres elsewhere in the country. It was bought in 1955 by Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council who formed a management trust in 1964. It operated, with a varying degree of success, as a repertory theatre
Repertory
Repertory or rep, also called stock in the United States, is a term used in Western theatre and opera.A repertory theatre can be a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation...
. During this time actors and actresses who later achieved fame gained experience in the theatre; these included Glenda Jackson
Glenda Jackson
Glenda May Jackson, CBE is a British Labour Party politician and former actress. She has been a Member of Parliament since 1992, and currently represents Hampstead and Kilburn. She previously served as MP for Hampstead and Highgate...
, Richard Beckinsale
Richard Beckinsale
Richard Arthur Beckinsale was an English actor, best known for his roles as Lennie Godber in the popular BBC sitcom Porridge and Alan Moore in the British sitcom Rising Damp....
, Judy Lowe, and Linda Bellingham. In 1982 the management of the theatre moved back from the trust to the Borough Council. The Council redecorated the theatre in 1992, and installed new seating, and in 1994 £1.5 million was spent in rebuilding the facilities in the front of the house and remodelling the gallery.
Architecture
The theatre was designated by English HeritageEnglish Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II listed building on 6 July 1976. It is constructed in Accrington-type brick
Accrington brick
Accrington bricks, or NORIs were a type of iron hard engineering brick, produced in Huncoat, Accrington, Lancashire, England from 1887 to 2008...
with a slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof. It is three storeys high and has a gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d façade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
, divided into five unequal bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
. To its left is a two-storey, four-bay building incorporating the entrance and containing offices. Inside the theatre is an auditorium
Auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
with a dress circle, gallery and boxes. The front of these is decorated with plasterwork
Plasterwork
Plasterwork refers to construction or ornamentation done with plaster, such as a layer of plaster on an interior wall or plaster decorative moldings on ceilings or walls. This is also sometimes called pargeting...
, including cartouches
Cartouche (design)
A cartouche is an oval or oblong design with a slightly convex surface, typically edged with ornamental scrollwork. It is used to hold a painted or low relief design....
and reclining figures. There is more plasterwork decoration on the proscenium arch
Proscenium
A proscenium theatre is a theatre space whose primary feature is a large frame or arch , which is located at or near the front of the stage...
and the ceiling rose.