Royal Manor Theatre is a

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

located in

Fortuneswell Fortuneswell is a village in Underhill on the Isle of Portland, in Dorset, England. It lies on steeply sloping land on the northern edge of the island, known as Underhill, where Chesil Beach connects the island to the mainland. Adjoining Fortunes ...

Isle of Portland An isle is an island, land surrounded by water. The term is very common in British English British English (BrE, en-GB, or BE) is, according to Lexico, Oxford Dictionaries, "English language, English as used in Great Britain, as distinct fr ...

Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset. Covering an area of , ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. Formerly a Methodist chapel, the building was later converted into the Royal Manor Theatre, which opened in 1978.

History

The Royal Manor Theatre Company (RMTC) were established in 1947 as the Portland Dramatic Society (PDS), a group of local residents who wished to return live theatre to Portland after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. The society originally used a variety of local venues across Portland and Weymouth, and occupied the Masonic Hall at Victoria Square between 1957-64. They went on to occupy the Jubilee Hall at Easton until 1970, but after the society failed to find a new home, they faced disbanding by the end of 1971. In 1972, the society were approached by Captain and Mrs. Chibnall, who were considering purchasing the disused Primitive Methodist church of 1869 in Fortuneswell. Offering the society use of the upper floor, a lease of £25 per year was agreed between the two parties, and conversion work began in late Summer 1972. After 11,000 hours of voluntary labour and £3,500 in costs, the Royal Manor Theatre was opened in October 1978. To coincide with the theatre's opening, the society changed their name to the Royal Manor Theatre Company. Later in 1980, Captain Chibnall decided to sell the building, prompting the theatre company to consider obtaining a bank loan to purchase it. After seeking advice from Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, an agreement was made for the council to purchase the building and then lease it to the company. Chibnall agreed to sell for £8,500, his original purchase price, plus the cost of improvements he had made. The transfer of ownership was completed in May 1980, while the Royal Manor Theatre Company later purchased the building from the council for the same price in 1982. The theatre company's first aim is to provide live theatrical entertainment of a high standard for the local community within easy reach of their homes. Another aim is to provide and improve education in all aspects of drama. The company's intentions have been recognised by the Charity Commissioners who granted them charitable status.

References

External links

Official Royal Manor Theatre website
{{Isle of Portland Isle of Portland Theatres in Dorset Buildings and structures completed in 1869 1947 establishments in England