Crown Theatre, England

The Crown Theatre is a collapsing British entertainment venue. It was built at the end of the 19th Century, and today is an exceptionally dilapidated state of repair. The roof has collapsed, and the floor is rotting and splintering. It appears the Crown Theatre’s days are numbered, as planning permission has been granted to demolish the building and to build around 80 flats on the site. The facade is likely to be retained, but everything else will disappear.

The theatre would have been upholstered in blue and gold crushed velvet, with heavy plush curtains obscuring the stage between performances. There were numerous dressing rooms, equipped with an electric bell so the actors could call for assistance with their costumes or make-up.

The stage area was demolished years ago, and the opening sealed up with breezeblocks. The stage was over 60ft wide, and around 25ft wide across the proscenium opening. The proscenium arch was once decorated with paintings depicting Shakespearean scenes, but sadly these no longer remain.

History of the Crown Theatre

Shakespearean drama and revue were originally performed here in the early days, from the early 1900s until the 1930s. The theatre was built in the Baroque style, with seating spanning four levels inside the auditorium. There is a stalls level on the ground floor, and then three circles. The upper levels are supported by simple and slender columns. This venue would have seated 2500 people, all of which would have had an uninterrupted view of the stage area. The theatre was heralded is one of the “prettiest in the north” in newspapers and tabloids.

The theatre was converted into a cinema in the 1930s, where it enjoyed the golden ages of cinema until the 1960s. Like many British cinemas, attendance numbers began to dwindle and the Crown was converted into a bingo hall. As you look at the stage, a bingo-related board can be seen to hang from the proscenium arch.

Life as a bingo hall ended in the 1980s, and the Crown Theatre has been derelict ever since. A large fire destroyed the roof in the mid-2010s, and exposure to the elements has left this once grand venue in ruins.