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Theatre Heritage and Conservation Statement

The Blackpool Grand Theatre - National Theatre of Variety

Built 1894, Architect Frank Matcham

The Grand Theatre, Blackpool is one of Britain’s premier heritage theatres:

Listed Grade II*, the Grand is in the top 8 per cent of all listed buildings in England, and one of only thirty listed buildings in Blackpool. We are one of only nine large theatres listed Grade II* or above, north of London.

The Grand Theatre is a product and symbol of the late nineteenth-century boom in theatregoing and the expansion of live entertainment at Blackpool, Britain’s biggest show town after London’s West End. This monument to pleasure is a very special form of ‘public space’. More than most theatres of whatever age, the Grand’s post-Baroque neoclassical architecture creates an emotionally charged atmosphere in which over 200,000 theatregoers each year learn about life, culture, politics and romance, through what is shown and implied almost on stage. The popular entertainments, dramas, operas, circuses, ballets, dances, pantomimes and music presented at the Grand represent ideals, possibilities and pitfalls, whilst the opulent Grand Theatre housing them reflects a tangible expression of hope and dreams.

With Blackpool Tower and the Winter Gardens, the Grand Theatre is one the three crowning architectural achievements of Blackpool. The exterior is a visual landmark of the town centre; whilst inside, architect Frank Matcham’s decorations and four-tier 1,100-seat intimate auditorium creates an atmosphere of festive spirit for what is also a cultural landmark. Going to the Grand Theatre is almost as important as the shows people come to see: from the moment theatregoers arrive to collect their tickets, there is a sense of something special, a feeling that to step inside is to enter another time and place...

Today, the Grand is owned by a community organisation, Blackpool Grand Theatre Trust Limited, which reopened the theatre in 1981 following the gargantuan volunteer efforts of the Friends of the Grand who saved the theatre from the brink of demolition. They refused to believe that life in Blackpool would be better without this wonderful theatre.

Since then, restoration work has continued without ever closing the theatre. Significant work to date has included a reinstatement of the cast iron, glazed marquee on the theatre’s entrance, the addition of small shop-kiosks on the west elevation (that provide much needed income), the cleaning and repairing of stonework and the dome, the creation of a new Stalls Bar, covering of Matcham Court to make an all-weather patio, the conversion of the annexe to an 80-seat studio theatre, restoration of beautiful stained glass windows that are now triple glazed, and several interventions to improve disabled access and provide new lavatories. In 1995, the Grand was awarded £680,000 from the Arts Council National Lottery and £63,000 from English Heritage, the majority of these grants being spent on repairs to the structure of the building. Throughout the past twenty-five years, the theatre has been ably assisted by its architects, Mackeith Dickinson & Partners of Blackpool that built the Blackpool Opera House in 1939 and is led today by Gordon Mackeith. Project management has been undertaken in-house by Licensee Neil Thomson.

In 2001, a three-phase Glorious Grand Restoration scheme and public appeal was launched. The generous assistance of the Heritage Lottery Fund, together with the Friends of the Grand and several trusts and foundations propelled the completion of Phase One in 2002: the (partial) renovation of the auditorium, including re-gilding of ornate plasterwork, restoration of ceiling and proscenium arch paintings, and new house curtains. Fundraising for Phase Two of the scheme is now in progress. Funded by further appeals under the umbrella of The Sam Lee Appeal, the work will, we hope, be completed in summer 2007. This will include re-carpeting of the entire house, re-seating of the auditorium, period wallpapers and new access for disabled patrons. For Phase Three restoration, there are more excitements ahead, as we investigate circulation spaces, the original layout of the vestibule and mosaic flooring, the relationship of the theatre to the shops on Church Street, and much more!

A description of the Grand Theatre, 1980

This theatre must rank as one of the finest that Matcham designed and, very fortunately, it survives intact. It cost £20,000 in 1894. The exterior, in brick with stone dressings, is relatively plain, except for the entrance on the corner of Corporation Street. This is in stone and has two main storeys with arched doorways and windows flanked by pilasters. The attic storey is crowned by a dome, clad in copper fishscale tiles, which rises from behind curly gables.

The real importance of the theatre, however, lies in its magnificent auditorium. Few other examples can so well illustrate the vibrant exuberance and intensely theatrical atmosphere of Victorian theatre architecture at its best. The superb plasterwork was carried out by the Plastic Decoration Company of London. These balconies, of six rows each, sweep around towards the stage in a double curve, dipping downwards along the side walls, with the number of rows progressively reducing.

The balcony fronts are thickly encrusted with deeply-cut Baroque plasterwork. The device of reversing the curve of a balcony at the ends enabled Matcham to bring the side seats closer to the stage without impairing sightlines. In this respect he was more successful than C.J. Phipps, whose balconies more often followed a traditional horseshoe plan which, when applied to several rows of seats rather than to rings of boxes, inevitably gave rise to problems with sightlines at the sides.

The balconies at Blackpool are partly cantilevered and partly supported on iron columns. In Matcham's later theatres, when the use of cantilevers had developed, it was possible for balconies to become deeper, with their fronts consequently closer to the stage. In order to maintain good sightlines it was necessary to reduce the curve of the balcony. Although this allowed larger seating capacities without increasing the volume of the auditorium, it proved detrimental to theatrical atmosphere.

At Blackpool the balconies are terminated on each side by an oriel-like stage box at dress circle level. These have splendid canopies which rise up above the gallery front and are crowned by curved pediments which support three cavorting cupids. The proscenium opening has an imposing roundarched frame with openwork plaster 'frills'. The spandrels of the arch contain large paintings of the muses. The oval ceiling is opulently decorated with painted panels of composers by Messrs Binns of Halifax.

- Brian Walker, (ed.), Frank Matcham, Theatre Architect, Belfast,
Blackstaff Press, 1980, pp. 125-126.

For details of other Blackpoool historic buildings, including theatres such as the Opera House and Palace Theatre, see the Blackpool4me project. This has begun digitising the Central Library’s historical photographs and publishing them at www.blackpoolimagegallery.org.uk

Conservation Statement

The preparation of a conservation statement for a building of architectural significance seeks amongst other things to establish the professional standing and context of the building's architect. In this instance however, the work of Frank Matcham is established and recognised as being of both national and indeed international significance. On that basis it is not the intention to repeat the information concerning his career as this is available elsewhere.

Frank Matcham (1854-1920) designed or significantly reconstructed over 150 theatres within the British Isles and is Great Britain's most prolific theatre architect of all time. Furthermore his theatres are now recognised as being iconic designs, which, above all worked superbly creating evocative performance spaces that are still much loved by the theatre-going public of the twenty-first century.

The rescue of the Grand Theatre from possible demolition driven by local people passionate about the building serves as a perfect illustration of how to 'save' a theatre. This act of salvation can now be seen as a natural move to protect our heritage, yet at the time it was visionary. The work that has been carried out to date on the building has been of high quality, with much informed discussion and research. The external cast-iron canopy which now adorns the main elevation is a perfect illustration of the success to date.

An opportunity now exists to undertake exceptional restoration taking advantage of the recent advances, knowledge and discoveries about Frank Matcham's work. When the programme of restoration began in the 1980s knowledge about Matcham was still very limited. Restoration of Matcham's Opera House, Buxton (1903), Gaiety Theatre & Opera House Douglas (1900), London Coliseum (1904) has delivered a wealth of new material which can now been drawn upon. Omissions and unintentional mistakes were made in the 1980s. The Trust recognises this and now seeks to rectify these issues. Authentic decoration by definition must encompass original wallpapers, seating, carpets, brassware and glazing, ultimately delivering a true Victorian atmosphere created with a single strategic decorative vision.

It can clearly be stated that the Grand Theatre represents one of the most complete and important Matcham 'survivors'. The word complete is used in this context to define a wholesome, and detailed survival incorporating original decorative glass, door furniture, ironmongery, light fittings etc. The level of surviving detail raises the importance of the building, and provides a crucial indication of what the theatre might have theatre looked like when it first opened in 1894.

It is now time to develop a cohesive restoration and conservation strategy which unravels understands and explains the evolution of this extraordinary and magnificent theatre this is hoped to take place with sufficient funding to take place over the next five years.

The following links are to organisations that assist the promotion or support the protection of theatres and their architectural status.

The Theatres Trust www.theatrestrust.org.uk
The Theatres Trust is a statutory body established by The Theatres Trust Act 1976 to 'promote the better protection of theatres'. The Trust has a UK-wide remit and must be consulted by all planning authorities before they issue any decision on a planning application or development involving land on which there is a theatre.

As well as providing help and advice on theatre planning issues, architecture and design to theatre managements, government agencies, local groups and grant-making bodies the Trust is a body which campaigns generally on behalf of theatre buildings. The Grand Theatre is a Corporate Friend of The Theatres Trust.

The Blackpool Civic Trust www.blackpoolcivictrust.org.uk/
The Blackpool Civic Trust was formed in 1975 (when the campaign to rescue the Grand Theatre from demolition was beginning). Its purpose is to encourage and support the town of Blackpool and its people. Its objectives and aims are to stimulate a sense of civic pride, to promote high standards of planning and architecture and to secure the preservation, protection and improvement of features of historical or public interest.

The Victorian Society www.victorian-society.org.uk/
The Victorian Society is the national society responsible for the study and protection of Victorian and Edwardian architecture and other arts. It was founded in 1958 to fight the then widespread ignorance of nineteenth and early twentieth century architecture.

Association of British Theatre Technicians www.abtt.org.uk/
The ABTT is a membership organisation for the theatre industry, serving its members by informing, advising and stimulating them through meetings, publications and its advisory services. Regarded as the voice of the industry, it influences regulations, runs training courses and organises an annual trade show. The Grand Theatre is a member of the ABTT.

Cinema Theatre Association www.cinema-theatre.org.uk/
The CTA was founded to study and appreciate the important heritage of cinema buildings. It campaigns for the preservation of the finest historic examples and encourages an interest in all cinema buildings, from the earliest Picture Palaces to today's multi-screen complexes. In Blackpool, the Odeon Cineama is one of the finest Grade II Listed cinemas in Britain, now sensitively restored as the home Funny Girls.

English Heritage www.english-heritage.org.uk/
English Heritage is the Government body for the historic environment in England. Responsible for protecting the best of the country's legacy of historic buildings, landscapes and archaeological sites for the benefit of this and future generations.

Frank Matcham Society www.frankmatchamsociety.org.uk/
The Frank Matcham Society was established in 1994, following the centenary of the Theatre Royal, Wakefield that was built in the same year as the Grand Theatre, Blackpool. It is a membership organisation whose aims are to encourage and carry out research into the life and works of Britain's most prolific theatre architect, and whose members visit and develop links with all the surviving Matcham theatre buildings. We have welcomed members of the Frank Matcham Society to Blackpool on several occasions.

League of Historic Amercian Theatres www.lhat.org
Founded in 1976, the League of Historic American Theatres is an international not-for-profit membership association. LHAT is a network of people who appreciate the cultural and architectural heritage of historic theatres and who work locally and nationally to rehabilitate them to serve communities throughout North America and abroad. Members of the League collaborate with one another, share their expertise and provide inspiration, information and a broad perspective to those working in the field of historic preservation.

The National Piers Society www.piers.co.uk
The National Piers Society exists to promote and sustain interest in the preservation and continued enjoyment of Seaside Piers. The seaside piers around the coast of Britain stand as a powerful reminder of the achievements of Victorian engineers and entrepreneurs. At Blackpool, the North Pier has been subject to enormous media interest following the decision not to stage a summer season in the Theatre for 2006.

Association of Historic Theatres in Europe www.perspectiv-online.org/
Historic theatres such as the Blackpool Grand are an outstanding part of European cultural heritage. Whether you enjoy performances, or explore them as ‘museums’, whether they are open to the public or private property: here the history of Europe comes to life in an enchanting form. In order to secure these treasures for future generations, Perspectiv – the Association of Historic Theatres in Europe was established in 2003. The Association encourages and supports the conservation and restoration of historic theatres, promotes exchanges between these theatres and everybody interested in them, and undertakes research in conservation. Members of the Association are historic theatres built between 1500 and about 1900.

Also of interest:

Backstage: searching theatre collections and archives www.backstage.ac.uk
Backstage provides a single point of entry for finding and searching performing arts collections in the United Kingdom. It is converting the catalogues of existing specialist performing arts collections into electronic format, in order to develop a national performing arts clump allowing cross-searching at item level. Backstage works closely with the Theatre Museum (at the moment, based in London) and the Society of Theatre Research, to produce an online version of the Directory of Performing Arts Resources as an integral part of the gateway. The principal collections at Blackpool are those of the Grand Theatre and a massive amount of material housed at Blackpool Winter Gardens.

The Friends of Real Lancashire www.forl.co.uk
The Friends of Real Lancashire are concerned to promote the true identity and heritage of Lancashire which has been extremely confused in the minds of some people, especially those working in the broadcasting and newspaper industries, since the local government reorganisation of 1974. The Grand Theatre is a member of the Friends of Real Lancashire. Lancashire Day is 27th November.

American Vaudeville Museum www.vaudeville.org
There is no UK museum dedicated entirely to Variety, although The Theatre Museum, London, contains several collections on light entertainment. The American Vaudeville Museum at Boston - that publishes Vaudeville Times and might foreshadow a distant project for the National Theatre of Variety at the Grand Theatre - has a fascinating website, including features, research methodolgies, book listings, details of vaudeville theatre buildings and profiles of several transatlantic stars, many of whom performed at Blackpool.

Note: "Vaudeville" is a United States term from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, being a popular, enjoyable entertainment made up of varied, usually unrelated acts: skits, songs and dances, comic routines, magic acts etc. Hence "vaudevillian". It is similar to "Music Hall" and "Variety" in Britain.

History Matters - Pass It On www.historymatters.org.uk
History Matters is a campaign supported by the National Trust, English Heritage, the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Houses Association, Heritage Link, the Civic Trust and the Council for British Archaelogy. The campaign’s aim is to raise awareness, build support and encourage involvement in our heritage.

The Winter Gardens Morecambe www.thewintergardensmorecambe.co.uk
In nearby Morecambe, once a rival seaside resort to Blackpool, there is another fantastic theatre, the Victoria Pavilion (1897) that was part of the Winter Gardens. Now under the ownership of Morecambe Winter Gardens Preservation Trust Limited, a campaign for restoration and new usage is gaining momentum. Blackpool Grand Theatre Trust applauds the longstanding work of their Friends and wishes them great success in reopening the theatre for concerts, conferences, theatre and dancing. Like the Grand, the Victoria Pavilion is a vital part of regeneration. Grand Theatre chairman David Coupe, and theatre auditors Coope Badman & Co have been involved with incorporation of their new non-profit limited company and charity registration. We commend the foresight and vision of their Friends, who have an excellent website.

The Stockport Plaza www.stockportplaza.co.uk
Another gem in the North West is the Stockport Plaza, a super-cinema and Variety theatre – and another excellent website. Grade II* Listed, the building has survived almost intact and is nationally recognised as the best surviving example of a 1930s super cinema in the north of England. Described by The National Trust as 'a building of national importance in the history of the twentieth century', it is now owned by The Plaza Trust that is progressing restoration. Like Blackpool, Stockport town centre is undergoing regeneration. Their local authority believes that a thriving Plaza will propel the development of the town centre's evening economy. Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council intends that this cinema-cum-theatre become the centrepiece of their new town 'plaza' under an ambitious £500m town centre revamp. The Grand Theatre, Blackpool is also a role model of how the social and economic impacts contribute to the resuscitation of a town centre!

The Theatre Royal, Hyde www.theatreroyalhyde.org.uk
The Theatre Royal, Hyde is an Edwardian, purpose-built theatre, built 1902, seating 1,200; architects Campbell and Horsley, Manchester. The Theatre Royal Onward Limited is a building preservation trust campaigning to purchase, restore and reopen this Grade II listed theatre as a home for amateur companies and middle-scale professional theatre. The Friends of the Grand and the Blackpool Grand Theatre Trust applaud their fundraising efforts and wish them every good fortune in their Herculean task of returning this fine theatre to community use.

The Grand Theatre, Lancaster www.lancastergrand.co.uk
The closest heritage theatre to Blackpool Grand is the same-named playhouse at Lancaster. Built 1782, it has undergone several reconstructions, including an alteration by Frank Matcham in 1897 that lasted until a fire necessitated rebuilding the interior in 1908. The Georgian shell remains, and there is lots of restrained plasterwork inside! Like the Blackpool Grand, this Grand Theatre is an ornate gem. It's run by Lancaster Footlights Club and presents many excellent small-scale, intimate touring productions. (Although we note that Freddie Starr now favours it over the Blackpool Opera House and the North Pier!).