A trip to Bath should where possible include a visit to see a show at the Theatre Royal. If you live in or around the city after using Estate Agents Bath company www.pritchards-bath.co.uk to find your perfect home, you are probably well aware of the theatre. Here are some little snippets of information or those of you who may not have visited this beautiful place.
The Theatre building itself is thought to be over 200 years old and is probably one of Britain’s’ oldest theatres. Today you can still see a whole host of shows on each year including dramas, comedies, dances and operas amongst many other activities that take place. There is a seating capacity for around 900 people with three different theatres on the site including the Main House, Ustinov Studio and The Egg.
The main entrance was built by one of Bath’s most renowned architects, Thomas Greenway in 1720 and the beautiful architecture of the building with its arches, ornaments and pilasters can still be clearly seen today. It is a Grade II listed building and its welfare is overseen by English Heritage (as are all listed buildings). Meaning that permission must be sought for many alterations and works that may affect the façade or any of the historical integrity of the building.
The Ustinov Studio is named after the acclaimed actor Peter Ustinov and was built at the back of the original building back in 1997. It was originally established to be a place for youth theatre and small touring groups to perform and enhance their art. A programme, also named after the actor, was established and the venue started to attract other performances such as comedy and classical concerts and well as productions established by the in-house talent. Many high-profile performers such as Bill Bailey have performed in this studio. In recent years some refurbishment has taken place in the studio to allow it to cater for the more technical performances.
The Egg was created in 2005 again at the rear of the existing building. It was established as a children’s theatre and specifically produces a programme of works that are suitable for children and families to attend. This is where the new youth theatre productions are held along with regular workshops for children. There is also a family friendly café on the site. The premise behind the Egg was to encourage children to attend the theatre in an environment that was appealing to them and not intimidating in the way some large theatres can be.
