Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond

The theatre was built in 1788 as one of a number of circuit theatres owned by Samuel Butler. It eventually closed in 1848 when it was divided horizontally to become a wine vault in the pit, and general auction room above.

In the 1940's it was "rediscovered" and recorded by Richard Leacroft and Richard Southern, with its original structure of boxes, gallery and proscenium still largely intact. It is now recognised as the most important surviving provincial Theatre in the development of the English Playhouse, being the only one of the 340 or so built in the Georgian period to have survived largely unaltered. It is Listed Grade 1.

Following extensive repair and renovation work it
reopened as a theatre and museum in 1963 and continues to present over 60 productions a year, together with a permanent exhibit of its important theatrical collection.

In the mid 1990's Allen Tod, with a design company, Blue, carried out extensive alterations to the museum and a re-interpretation of the collection, and installed a new ventilation system in the auditorium.

Arts Council Lottery funding has been secured, and construction work is proceeding on a completely new front of house development together with a refurbishment of the auditorium and back stage area to secure its future as a working theatre into the next century.

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