The Playhouse, Weston-super-Mare
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| The Playhouse | |
| Address |
High Street
|
|---|---|
| City | |
| Country | England |
| Architect | Hans Price (original building) |
| Capacity | 658 seat |
| Opened | 1946 |
| Rebuilt | 1969 |
| www.theplayhouse.co.uk/ | |
 |
Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (January 2007) |
The Playhouse is a 658 seat theatre in Weston-super-Mare, England that hosts opera, ballet, comedy, music and pantomime performances.
In 1946, an old market building, designed by local architect Hans Price, was converted into a 500 seat theatre.[1] For the next 18 years this theatre, The Playhouse, provided the town with a great variety of entertainment and played host to stars including Frankie Howerd, Bob Monkhouse and Ken Dodd. On 21 August 1964, a fire destroyed most of the theatre and the unsafe structure had to be demolished. In 1969, at a cost of £230,000 a new theatre opened and has been in continuous use ever since. The stage measures 59 feet (18 m) by 28 feet (9 m) and can be extended by covering the orchestra pit.
On 6 June 2007 the theatre staged the world première of Houdini - The Musical,[2] which is based on the life of Harry Houdini, the famous escapologist. The musical includes Houdini's famous trick the Chinese Water Torture Cell.
[edit] Pantomime
The following is a list of recent annual pantomimes:
- 1996 - Jack and the Beanstalk starring Keith Harris with puppets Orville the Duck and Cuddles the Monkey
- 1997 - unknown
- 1998 - Aladdin starring Stefan Dennis
- 1999 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarves starring Anne Charleston
- 2000 - Cinderella (cast not known)
- 2001 - Jack and the Beanstalk starring Antonio Fargas, Paul Moriaty and Katy Reeves
- 2002 - Peter Pan starring Derek Griffiths and Sonia.
- 2003 - Aladdin staring Peter Amory, Bindya Solanki and John Pickard.
- 2004 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarves starring Bernie Clifton, Danielle Nicholls and Kim Hartman
- 2005 - Cinderella starring Jimmy Cricket as Buttons, with children's TV personalities Lucinda Rhodes-Flaherty and Jacqueline Boatswain.
- 2006 - Dick Whittington starring Jez Edwards, Anna Kumble and Shaun Williamson.
- 2007 - Jack and the Beanstalk starring Bruce Jones and Sue Hodge.
- 2008 - Peter Pan Timmy Mallett.
[edit] References
- ^ Theatre history. The Playhouse, official website. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.
- ^ Tour dates. Houdini - The Musical. Retrieved on 2007-06-06.
[edit] External links
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