The Floral Pavilion is a theatre in the seaside town of New Brighton, on the

Wirral Peninsula Wirral (; ), known locally as The Wirral, is a peninsula in North West England. The roughly rectangular peninsula is about long and wide and is bounded by the River Dee to the west (forming the boundary with Wales), the River Mersey to t ...

in England. Situated on the

promenade An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide cle ...

overlooking the

River Mersey The River Mersey () is in North West England. Its name derives from Old English and means "boundary river", possibly referring to its having been a border between the ancient kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria. For centuries it has formed part ...

, it presents a mix of comedy, music and children's shows including a

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...

. The original theatre opened in 1913 as an open-air summer theatre within the Victoria Gardens. In 1925 it was covered by an iron and glass roof and during the mid-1960s it was largely rebuilt, with a full metal roof. The theatre closed in 2007 and was demolished as part of the town's £60 million Neptune Project redevelopment plans. The building was rebuilt to a new design and reopened in December 2008. The first act to perform at the venue after reopening was

Ken Dodd Sir Kenneth Arthur Dodd (8 November 1927 – 11 March 2018) was an English comedian, singer and occasional actor. He was described as "the last great music hall entertainer", and was primarily known for his live stand-up performances. A life ...

, who has had a long association with the Floral Pavilion, making his first appearance in 1940. As well as an enlarged theatre auditorium, seating over 800, the complex also provides for conference facilities and a large multi-purpose lounge area.

References

External links

Official website: Floral Pavilion Theatre
Theatres in Merseyside 1913 establishments in England New Brighton, Merseyside Buildings and structures in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral {{UK-theat-struct-stub