A Brief History of The Theatre Royal Bath
“Theatrical Performances, when conducted with Decency and Regularity, have always been esteem’d the most rational Amusements, by the Polite and Thinking Part of Mankind. Strangers, therefore, must be greatly surpris’d to find at Bath Entertainments of this sort in no better Perfection than they are, as it is a Place, during its Seasons, honour’d with so great a Number of Persons, eminent for Politeness, Judgment and Taste; and where it might reasonably be expected (next to London) the best Theatre in England” – John Hippisley, 1747, from a proposal for the building of a new theatre in Bath.
1705 Bath’s first theatre was built by George Trim, a small and cramped theatre which made little or no profit.
1738 Thirty years later the theatre was demolished, to make room for a building that was to become the Mineral Water Hospital. A few plays were perfomed, during this time, at Simpson’s Rooms.
1723 ‘The New Theatre’, in Kingsmead Street, opened – closing for the last time in 1751. Just before its closure the Prince and Princess of Wales patronised the theatre.
1750 A new theatre, in Orchard Street, opened on 27th October , with a performance of Shakespeare’s Henry IV.
1768 By a special act of parliament a royal patent was granted. Bath has a Theatre Royal for the first time, also the first outside London. The theatre’s repuation was growing, and a season in Bath was as important for famous actors as a London billing.
1804 Plans for a new and improved theatre in Beaufort Square are made.
1805 Orchard Street theatre closed, to be converted into a Catholic church in 1809. Today it is the Masonic Hall.
Just one year from its conception, the new building was completed. It was designed by George Dance, professor of architecture at the Royal Academy. The theatre opened on 12th October 1805 with a performance of Richard III.
1820 – 1850 Attendance and ticket sales at the theatre declined, closure was threatened on several occasions.
1862 On the 18th April the Theatre was destroyed by fire. Plans were immediately made to build a new theatre on the old site. Read a contemporary newspaper article about the fire
1863 The new theatre opened in March. It was designed by C.J. Phipps. ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’ was performed on the opening night. Ellen Terry played Titania.
1902 Extensive refurbishments, including a fire-proof curtain, additional entrances and a staircase. This was mainly due to the Royal Patent having expired, and it was renewed with the approval of the Lord Chamberlain.
1905 The theatre’s centenary year. Henry Irving made his farewell performance.
1914 Plans were made for extensive structural repairs. These were postponed due to the outbreak of the First World War.
1940 – 1945 The Theatre Royal thrived during the Second World War, surviving the extensive bombing of Bath during the blitz.
1979 The theatre was purchased BY JEREMY FRY to be run as a non-profitmaking concern – a registered charity.
1980 An appeal was launched to raise funds for much needed renovations. Peter Hall, director of the National Theatre, announced plans to make Bath the National base for middle-scale productions, once the work was completed. It was estimated that the work would cost around £1.8 Million.
1981 The curtain came down in June on Joan Plowright and Paul Eddington in the National Theatre’s production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. Renovation work begins.
1982 The Theatre Royal, as we now know it, re-opened on November 30th, after a complete renovation of backstage facilities, new fly tower and lighting system under the guidance of architect Donald Armstrong. International theatre designer Carl Toms gave his services to transform the auditorium. The re-opening gala performance , attended by Princess Margaret, was A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as it had been in 1863. The cast of this Royal National Theatre production included Paul Scofield, Susan Fleetwood, Marsha Hunt, Jack Shepherd and Tony Haygarth.
1989 Peter Ustinov presented a fundraising evening for what was to become the Ustinov Studio.
1997 The Ustinov Studio Theatre opens with a Gala Performance of A Grand Knight Out, spearheaded by Sir Peter Ustinov. The new theatre was funded by the Ustinov Appeal and the National Lottery and designed by John and Elizabeth Bury.
1998 The first Bath Shakespeare Festival staged
1999, July 17th The curtain comes down on Private Lives, a Royal National Theatre production starring Juliet Stevenson and Anton Lesser. Refurbishment of the Theatre’s auditorium and technical facilities begins.
1999, August 17th The theatre reopens after the installation of new seating, the strengthening of the balcony floors and a new lighting board. The curtain comes up on The Triumph of Love, an Almeida Theatre Company production. The cast includes Helen McCrory and Tony Haygarth (who had appeared in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1982!)
2003 The first Peter Hall Company Season takes place
2005, 12th October The Theatre Royal celebrates its 200th anniversary with a Theatre Royal Bath Production of Sheridan’s The Rivals.
2005, 23rd October The brand new egg theatre for children and young people opens to the public for the first time.
2006, 2nd December The curtain comes down on the Ustinov’s own production of Outlying Islands, and the Studio closes for refurbishment.
February 2008, The Ustinov reopens with its own production of Breakfast With Mugabe. Radically redesigned, the new Ustinov includes a welcoming new bar and foyer area, improved access facilities, a new seating level in the auditorium and improved backstage facilities.
*This is a brief overview of the theatre’s history, for those interested in a more in depth study we recommend ‘The Theatre Royal at Bath’ by William Lowndes, published by Redcliffe Press LTD, ISBN 0 905459 49 0 and or Past, Present, Future: A Recent History of the Theatre Royal Bath by Anna O’Callaghan which is available from the theatre foyer, priced £7.50 or by post at £9 (including postage and packing – UK only).