History of the Theatre Royal

The 19th and early twentieth century was a time of violent crime and ways to rectify this were constantly being explored. The working day had recently been shortened for children under fourteen, causing concern to some mill owners as to how the youngsters would spend their time. They envisaged teenage gangs and a wave of crime as a result of just two hours free-time in the evening. Some opposed the changes vehemently, while others decided it was time to provide more education and leisure. It is known that most crime was physical abuse of some type but it was also an age where young Constables had to prove their worth by stating how many arrests had been made - no further details, so spitting received as much attention as burglary.

Throughout this early age of technology Philanthropists were growing, from the ranks of those worried mill owners to provide schools, libraries, swimming pools, educational institutions - such as Hyde's Mechanics Institute and, of course, Theatres.

Planning permission to build a new theatre in Hyde was passed by Hyde Town Council in 1901 and work begun, with the theatre opening in November 1902; licensed as a theatre, not merely a Playhouse for vaudeville acts. The opening play was a Victorian French melodrama, which could have been dubbed rather above the taste of the ordinary working people of the area. This was followed by Shakespeare and other classics, during this age of philanthropy when the fear that education would seriously deplete the workforce, had died down. Shakespeare, as the proscenium arch proclaims, was not beneath the understanding of the working class.

"The site provides frontage for the new structure on all four sides, thus rendering it practically isolated. The auditorium consists of the pit, with the rows of seating accommodating 600 persons; the pit stalls with eight rows will seat three hundred persons; the dress and rear circles, in six rows provide chairs for 300. The gallery and amphi contain twelve rows, with capacity for 800 persons.

The dress circle is reached from the entrance hall in the centre of the front by a wide staircase ending in a spacious landing, off which, is a small foyer leading to the front and side circles and two private boxes. The pit is entered from the main front by two short corridors and the pit stalls by a separate corridor running along the side of, but apart from, the pit, these two portions of the auditorium being served by six means of exit. The amphi and the gallery have each two entrances from the front street by means of two self-contained staircases, which would in the case of emergency be ample to ensure perfect safety to its occupants.

Refreshments will be served in spacious saloons situated in all parts of the house.

R. Dean Ltd., Birmingham. The lighting is by means of gas, assisted by limelights for stage effects etc. The heating and ventilation have been well considered, and an installation of sprinklers, fire appliances etc. have been provided. Messrs Campbell and Horsley of Manchester were the architects and Messrs S. Robinson and Sons of Hyde, the contractors".

The Mayor said in his speech... "there was provided not only better accommodation but better plays would be given by better players. But that depended upon themselves [addressed to the audience] whether they came there and frequented the Theatre as it should be frequented - as an educating medium" ... "The Theatre would be made not only to amuse them and enable them to spend a pleasant hour; but that its trend would be towards good and to the education and elevation of the people. He hoped that all the more because there were large numbers of people week by week [presumable reference to the earlier Theatre Royal]. The Theatre must of necessity form a distinct part of the life of the people".

After the Mayor's opening speech the play Little Jim was performed before the audience including a balcony packed full of dignitaries.

"Little Jim is a French play called 'Le Petit Muet' by Henri Karoul adapted by Arthur Shirley and Ben Landeck. The decision to stage this play was made by the management of the Theatre, produced by Mr J.F. Elliston's company"...

the article continues to announce ten further plays booked for the Theatre, all professional companies which include Julius Caesar, Othello and School for Scandal showing how absolutely determined the Town Council were to educate the town.

In 1911 moving pictures came to the area and the 230 seat Alexandra Cinema and its first floor Victoria Billiard Hall was built alongside the Theatre Royal to address the demand. However, three years later, the Theatre Royal had to purchase a screen, which could be moved to accommodate live shows, owing to the demand for cinema theatres. It was a new era when footage of the first World War was shown. Though, generally, the news was aimed at stirring more loyalty and winning more troops, it was only a thin disguise. It was the start of being in touch with events worldwide.

The Theatre Royal continued to entertain the public through happy times, the depression and a second World War, whilst giving the opportunity for the lower classes to enjoy famous stars, at affordable prices. Such stars included Enrico Caruso and Richard Tauber and Laurel & Hardy (not recorded but who probably visited while touring Manchester) and daring comedian Frank Randle, along with the stars of many touring companies - names unfamiliar today, names such as Olive Kilner, a star of her time. Some of these visits are not authenticated but are classed as within living memory*. The young Julie Andrews visited in the early fifties when her mother and stepfather appeared in concerts. She 'played' at being a star - staff had to raise and lower the curtain as she danced across the stage - learning to be one of Britain's greatest divas.

When the screen was in place along came all the great films of each era, when everyone wanted to visit America and own a car. During the thirties cinemas were built to deal with this lust, in the most amazing style. A person could enter to be flooded with sunshine by a huge lamp; or to view elephants and tigers in relief on the walls and briefly relax in India.

During this era of change, many Victorian and Edwardian cinemas were altered beyond belief to cater for the modern Art Deco style. Some lost all their original features; some fortunate ones had their gilded plasterwork boarded over but the Theatre Royal was left in its original style with its original features untouched. Changes which did occur, such as widening the aisles, were beneficial and still are today.

By the 1950s there were eight cinemas and theatre/cinemas in Hyde and crime was reduced in favour of leisure and learning, because people did benefit from their theatres. The Theatre Royal was offering sport such as boxing and wrestling and circus with elephants, tigers and escopologists! In fact the stage was strengthened for the elephants by the replacement of the wooden supports by brick. A change which would, later in its history, defy fungal invasion.

In the 1960s live theatre was declining in favour of cinema, still affordable to every 'with-it' teenager, but the amateur Operatic and Musical Societies were in their hey-day with many a well-known star cutting their teeth in their productions. And what wonderful productions too; they could only be called professional, given its meaning of expertise and hands-on experience.

In Hyde the Theatre Royal offered the largest stage in the area, the finest auditorium and a fly gallery offering the means to employ the best scenery and swiftest scene changes available. It was not the only theatre to offer such facilities but is now the ONLY one remaining in the area; such buildings as the Davenport in Stockport having been reduced to ashes.

In 1972 live entertainment ceased at the Theatre Royal Hyde and a part of the stage and two dressing rooms were used to accommodate a second cinema. At the same time other theatres and cinemas began to close leaving people to travel, mainly to Manchester, for live shows. In 1952 the Alexandra Cinema had been purchased by the charitable Festival Association to accommodate the smaller local amateur dramatic groups from Tameside and Stockport and is still going strong today, showing what the voluntary sector can do. Hyde Musical Society and Hyde Light Opera moved next door into the former cinema, performing miracles with their productions, with the greatly reduced stage facilities, whilst having to turn away their followers from the smaller auditorium. Romiley Operatic Society, from over the border in Stockport, made their home the Davenport Theatre Stockport, until its closure followed by demolition, then moved to the modern, circular Romiley Forum until the Plaza Cinema in Stockport was saved from demolition, re-opening after use as a bingo hall, with some provision for live productions.

In 1992 the Theatre Royal cinemas closed completely The reason was fraud beyond the knowledge of the London owners and the theatre manager, which led to closure as a liability. At one point people were still coming to the pictures sitting with their coats on, and even hugging hot water bottles, because the heating had been cut off due to non-payment of the bills. They continued, however, to support their last local cinema.

Seventeen years since the then owner placed the Theatre Royal on the market it still stands, unfortunately suffering increasing decay, but still exuding the same thrill whenever you go inside. Over the years it has been looked after by the dedicated former chief projectionist, who has worked there for fifty years and has certainly not yet decayed, and people now come to Heritage Open Days to tour from the foyer, right up to the Fly Gallery.

In 2000 the Theatre Royal was given listed building status and a Building Preservation Trust formed to save it. It was registered in 2001 with Companies House, as Theatre Royal Onward. using the wording of the Hyde Coat-of-Arms. In 2002 Theatre Royal Onward became a registered incorporate charity and, in the Theatre Royal’s centenary year, a new era of its history began