| The Playhouse | |
|---|---|
| Address | High Street |
| City | Weston-super-Mare |
| Country | England |
| Architect | Hans Price (original building) |
| Capacity | 664 seat |
| Opened | 1946 |
| Rebuilt | 1969 |
| www.theplayhouse.co.uk/ | |
The Playhouse is a 664 seat theatre in Weston-super-Mare, England that hosts a largely entertainment based programme of shows all year round including 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.
The following is a list of recent annual pantomimes: