Building and location
The Theatre of 1771 was a fairly basic brick building of . It was on the east side of Meadow Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, near Leeds Bridge. In his ''Memoirs'' of 1790, Tate Wilkinson described it as "quite a palace."''Leeds Times'' 28 September 1867: "Local news" However ''History
Theatre or Theatre Royal
The Theatre was built in 1771 by actor-manager Tate Wilkinson (1739–1803). It was part of hisRoyal Theatre
Coleman developed the New Royal Theatre and Opera House (later the Royal Theatre) from the remains of the partly demolished Theatre Royal (previously The Theatre) in 1867. ''Johnson's New Guide to Leeds'' was happy with this building; it was "replete with every modern appliance, both before and behind the curtain." It had a simple frontage "of the Italian Style," and the ''Leeds Times'' described it thus:TheHowever, on 28 May 1875 the Royal Theatre was destroyed by fire, and it was never rebuilt.box A box (plural: boxes) is a container with rigid sides used for the storage or transportation of its contents. Most boxes have flat, parallel, rectangular sides (typically rectangular prisms). Boxes can be very small (like a matchbox) or v ...entrance is the central avenue; the foyer is lofty, spacious and well-lighted; the floor is inlaid with tesselated tiles; there is a large and handsome fireplace, with a radiating hearth-stove A stove or range is a device that generates heat inside or on top of the device, for - local heating or cooking. Stoves can be powered with many fuels, such as natural gas, electricity, gasoline, wood, and coal. Due to concerns about air pollu ...... and over the magnificent marblemantelpiece The fireplace mantel or mantelpiece, also known as a chimneypiece, originated in medieval times as a hood that projected over a fire grate to catch the smoke. The term has evolved to include the decorative framework around the fireplace, and ...is a large mirror; whilst exquisite statues line the niches on either hand. A large stone staircase leads to the grand tier. The ladies' saloon is a perfectboudoir A (; ) is a woman's private sitting room or salon in a furnished residence, usually between the dining room and the bedroom, but can also refer to a woman's private bedroom. The term derives from the French verb ''bouder'' (to sulk or pout ..., for here are ranged round luxurious settees ofmaple ''Acer'' is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the soapberry family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated si ...wood covered with silkvelvet Velvet is a type of woven fabric with a dense, even pile (textile), pile that gives it a distinctive soft feel. Historically, velvet was typically made from silk. Modern velvet can be made from silk, linen, cotton, wool, synthetic fibers, silk .... Abutting upon the saloon is the lavatory, which is replete with every comfort and convenience requisite for a public place of amusement. Immediately adjacent are the gentlemen's saloons, coffee rooms etc., which are to be fitted up in a very elegant manner. The dress circle is estimated to seat one hundred, and thebalcony A balcony (from , "scaffold") is a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade, usually above the ground floor. They are commonly found on multi-level houses, apartme ...one hundred persons; there are twenty private boxes, each of which will accommodate eight visitors, and these are provided with settees of silk velvet with spring cushions ... The pit is approached by a long and spacious corridor, and will provide ample accommodation for nearly eleven hundred spectators. The entrance to the gallery is from the back of the theatre, through Waterloo Street, and in this part of the house, seats have been provided for upwards of eleven hundred people ... The staircases are of stone, and, in the event of an alarm of fire ever taking place, there are several exits, so that the building can be cleared in an inconceivably short time. Every convenience has been provided for the accommodation of the visitors to the pit and gallery, each of which have their separate saloons, coffee-rooms etc. The decorations which are carried out by Mr Andrew Jackson, are of the most artistic and '' recherche'' description, Mr Coleman having been fortunate as to obtain them from designs of the decorations of thePalace of Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of Île-de-France, Île-de-France region in Franc .... The designs interracotta Terracotta, also known as terra cotta or terra-cotta (; ; ), is a clay-based non-vitreous ceramic OED, "Terracotta""Terracotta" MFA Boston, "Cameo" database fired at relatively low temperatures. It is therefore a term used for earthenware obj ..., and the elaborateproscenium A proscenium (, ) is the virtual vertical plane of space in a theatre, usually surrounded on the top and sides by a physical proscenium arch (whether or not truly "arched") and on the bottom by the stage floor itself, which serves as the frame ..., are from the studio of Mr Walker, of this town. Messrs Singleton and Tennant have provided all the ornamental and otherironwork Ironwork is any weapon, artwork, utensil, or architectural feature made of iron, especially one used for decoration. There are two main types of ironwork: wrought iron and cast iron. While the use of iron dates as far back as 4000 BC, it was th ...; the plumbers' work has been executed by Messrs Lindley and Johnson. Many other contracts have been carried out by other tradesmen in the town, and the whole building has been erected by Messrs Nicholson & Son, under the personal superintendence of the architect Thomas Angelo Moore, (of Thomas Moore & Son,Sunderland Sunderland () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is a port at the mouth of the River Wear on the North Sea, approximately south-east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the most p ...) . . . Complete as the building is in front, behind the stage it is really wonderful. There are upwards of twenty dressing and retiring rooms, in each of which hot and cold water has been laid on. The stage is simply marvellous. Every square inch of it takes up like the pieces of a child's puzzle. There are traps, slides, slotes, scruter work, counterweights and scores of other complicated arrangements which we do not understand, and cannot therefore attempt to describe. Suffice it that Mr Huby, the clever machinist, who has invented the stage, alleges that he can either draw up or sink down pieces of scenery thirty feet wide and thirty feet high. Hence, in pantomime time, we may expect to see groups of fairies floating about in mid air, descending from the heights above, or ascending from the abyss beneath. To add to effects of this kind, a magnificent gas apparatus has been laid on by Mr Smith, the celebrated gas engineer, from Birmingham, in addition to which an illuminating machine has been obtained in the shape of a new limelight apparatus, by means of which upwards of thirty different colours of lights can be thrown upon the stage at one time. Above the whole of the machinery is the lofty and commodious carpenter's shop. Over the roof of the pit, the large property store-room, and immediately adjacent the painting-room, which is, without exception, the very best we have ever seen; we doubt whether any metropolitan theatre has one equal to it. ''Leeds Times 28 September 1867''
Destruction of the Theatre Royal, Leeds The Theatre Royal, Leeds, the property of J. Coleman, was last night completely destroyed by fire. Fortunately the performance last night had been concluded, and the large audience had been dispersed scarcely five minutes before the fire was discovered. About twenty minutes to eleven flames were suddenly seen issuing from the high building forming the stage portion of the theatre. An alarm was at once given, and in a short time the fire brigade from the Town Hall and the fire brigades connected with the insurance offices were on the spot. Meanwhile the flames had burst forth in the most alarming manner, threatening destruction not only to the theatre itself, but to the thickly clustered dwelling-houses in the adjoiningThe site is now empty except for a bus shelter and trees.courts A court is an institution, often a government entity, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and administer justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law. Courts gene .... Thehose A hose is a flexible hollow tube or pipe designed to carry fluids from one location to another, often from a faucet or hydrant. Early hoses were made of leather, although modern hoses are typically made of rubber, canvas, and helically wound w ...connected with the theatre had been brought into use immediately on the fire being discovered, but those using it were soon compelled to retreat to the outside of the building. Burningscenery Theatrical scenery is that which is used as a setting for a theatrical production. Scenery may be just about anything, from a single chair to an elaborately re-created street, no matter how large or how small, whether the item was custom-made or ...and timber rained down upon the stage, and soon filled the spacious auditorium with suffocating fumes. Some minutes before the arrival of any of the brigades, the flames, bursting through the roof, shot in terrible grandeur into the sky. The public-houses and other places of resort were just at this time closing, and in a few minutesBriggate Briggate is a pedestrianised principal shopping street in Leeds city centre, England. Historically it was the main street, leading north from Leeds Bridge, and housed markets, merchant's houses and other business premises. It contains many h ..., Leeds Bridge, and the narrow streets converging upon Hunslet Lane, in the vicinity of the theatre, were crowded with many thousands of spectators. It was obvious from the first that the entire structure was doomed. Showers of sparks falling upon the roof of the auditorium soon set fire to this portion of the premises. Slight as the wind was, it was sufficient to fan the flames, travelling in the direction of the principal entrance in Hunslet Lane. Within an hour from the discovery of the first outbreak the entire building was one mass of flame. Seeing the utter hopelessness of attempting to save anything within the theatre itself (some loose properties in the front hall appeared to be all that was recovered) Mr Henderson, the chief constable, and Mr Baker, the superintendent of the Corporation Fire Brigade, wisely concentrated their efforts upon protecting the neighbouring property. By twelve o'clock the flames seemed to have exhausted all that was really in the theatre. The damage, at a rough estimate by Mr Coleman, thelessee A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the user (referred to as the ''lessee'') to pay the owner (referred to as the ''lessor'') for the use of an asset. Property, buildings and vehicles are common assets that are leased. Industrial ..., is said to amount to between £30,000 and £35,000. This is partially covered by insurance spread over a number of offices. Seven or eight years ago the theatre, which was originally opened in 1771, was partially rebuilt, considerably enlarged, and generally improved. The scenery,dresses A dress (also known as a frock or a gown) is a one-piece outer garment that is worn on the torso, hangs down over the legs, and is primarily worn by women or girls. Dresses often consist of a bodice attached to a skirt. Dress shapes, silhoue ..., andproperty Property is a system of rights that gives people legal control of valuable things, and also refers to the valuable things themselves. Depending on the nature of the property, an owner of property may have the right to consume, alter, share, re ...are described as having been exceedingly valuable. All are destroyed. In addition to the scenery and dresses required in the representation of '' The Two Orphans'', there was an accumulation of the most valuable scenery, which had been painted as the requirements of different seasons called for it by the most eminent scenic artists. These it will be impossible to replace. As to the origin of the fire, the accounts of some of those who were in the building at the time when the flames were first discovered seem to point to the property room. The fire originated in the neighbourhood of the '' flys'' or immediately above them, all concur in stating; and also that the first intimation of the fire was the falling onto the stage of portions of scenery, the upper parts of which were in flames. The actors and actresses and others who were engaged at the theatre lose the whole of their properties, which they had left in the building at the conclusion of last night's performance.''Bradford Observer, 29 May 1875''''Bradford Observer'', 29 May 1875: "Fires"
Performances
The Theatre was not a full-time theatre. Opening hours were six to seven pm, usually in May to July only, with three or four performances per week. This arrangement filled the gap while London theatres closed in summer, and famous actors could appear here, for exampleOn Wednesday last was open'd in this town, the new Theatre, with the Comedy of ''A Word to the Wise'', to a numerous and polite audience, who express'd the greatest satisfaction at the moral tendency of the piece, and the merit of the performers. Mr Wilkinson (proprietor of the new Theatre in this town) has subscribed fourOn 20 June 1817, during the performance of The Tragedy of Jane Shore by Nicholas Rowe, leading actor Mr Cummins died. Playing the part of Dumont he fell down on stage and instantly expired of ossification of the heart. The performance was of course terminated at this point. On 15–19, 22 and 23 September 1834, Ching Lau Lauro played here.Playbill for Theatre, Leeds, Monday 22 September 1834. See :File:Ching Lau Lauro 1834.jpg Over this period he presented hisguineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where m ...annually, to the General Infirmary.''Leeds Intelligencer, 30 July 1771''
References
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