Richmond Theatre

The present Richmond Theatre, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, is a British Victorian theatre located on Little Green, adjacent to Richmond Green. It opened on 18 September 1899 with a performance of As You Like It, and is one of the finest surviving examples of the work of theatre architect Frank Matcham. John Earl, writing in 1982, described it as: "Of outstanding importance as the most completely preserved Matcham theatre in Greater London and one of his most satisfying interiors.".^[1]

History

The theatre, originally known as the Richmond Theatre and Opera House, is structured into the familiar stalls, dress and upper circles, with four boxes at dress level. The auditorium is a mixture of gilt detailing and red plush fabrics, covering seats and front of circles.

In the early 1990s the theatre underwent a major overhaul overseen by the designer Carl Toms. This included a side extension giving more space for the audience and includes a 'Matcham Room’.

Its interior and exterior has been used as a movie set in many films (e.g. Evita, Topsy-Turvy, Finding Neverland - doubling as the Duke of York's Theatre) and TV programmes (e.g. Jonathan Creek). The theatre is now part of the Ambassador Theatre Group and has a weekly schedule of plays and musicals, usually given by professional touring companies. Pre-West End shows can sometimes be seen. There is a Christmas and New Year pantomime tradition and many of Britain's greatest music hall and pantomime performers have appeared there.

References

• Guide to British Theatres 1750-1950, John Earl and Michael Sell pp. 134–5 (Theatres Trust, 2000) ISBN 0-7136-5688-3

External links

• Richmond Theatre official website