When you’re looking for ideas as to what to see in the West End, consider all your options carefully. The fantastic musical “We Will Rock You” at the Dominion features the stirring music of rock group ‘Queen’. Alternatively, if you love a good cliff-hanger, the classic “The 39 Steps” should do the trick.

Meanwhile, if reality TV and the search for stars to appear in ‘The Sound of Music’, ‘Grease’ and ‘Joseph’ has whetted your appetite – if so, make sure you secure a ticket for one of these un-missable shows. Or for something a little more traditional, opt for a trip to a stirring opera such as Verdi’s ‘Aida’ or maybe a trip to the ballet in Covent Garden.

The beauty of London’s West End, however, is that so much is packed into such a small area: theatres, hotels, restaurants, pubs, and shops are all conveniently located close together – making it a great place to visit for an action-packed break. Also, many restaurants in the West End offer a special value menu for theatre-goers wishing to eat before attending their selected performance, especially in the area around Leicester Square – so remember to take advantage!

Theatre breaks are not just a summer activity, but can be enjoyed all-year round. Moreover, London’s tumult of activity never ceases, so you’ll be able to see the sights whether you visit in the height of summer or the depths of winter. With many historic attractions, such as Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster, plus far more besides, you will never be stuck for attractions to appreciate. Plus, many of the other marvellous sights of the country’s capital are just a short journey away from the West End, including London’s newly crowned number one tourist attraction – The London Eye.

And no visit to London would be complete without a spot of shopping! Hot-spots such as Oxford Street, Regents Street, Carnaby Street and Knightsbridge are all ripe for a spot of retail therapy. From chain stores to exclusive designer shops you’ll find them all, but remember to get back to your hotel in plenty of time to change for curtain-up!

Perhaps your ideal theatre break involves adding romance to your theatre break with a stay in an intimate boutique hotel in London with your partner, or maybe you just want to plump for a budget hotel. Either way by booking a hotel in the West End you’ll never be far away from the spotlight.

It is hard to find regular tickets to Broadway shows but an even more difficult task is to find last minute theatre tickets. Many people find themselves in the Big Apple unexpectedly and most tourists are satisfied until they have watched a show on the Broadway.

Getting Last Minute Theatre Tickets

If you are in NYC and need last minute theatre tickets, there are several methods through which the tickets can be obtained. Most tourists find it easy to secure the day of the performance tickets from the TKTS booths that are operated by the Theatre Development Fund. Most tickets are offered at a discount ranging from 25-75% of the face value. One of the TKTS booths is in Times Square and the other is located at the Lower Manhattan Theatre Centre at South Street Seaport. The booths have a list of the shows for which tickets are available with them.

You can also check if the show that you wish to watch has any rush or standing room only tickets. Some shows have a lottery conducted about 3 hours prior to a performance and winners are awarded tickets at great discounts. To avail that, you need to be present to collect the tickets personally.

If you are desperate for last minute theatre tickets, you should try and find if there are any discount tickets available at the box office. These tickets are offered at a discount as they offer obstructed views. Standing room only tickets come at a discount too, but you have to watch the show standing at the back of the theatre.

You can also find last minute theatre tickets by waiting at the box office for returned tickets as well as the day-of-the-performance tickets. There is no guarantee that you will get the tickets but there is no harm in trying.

The local scalper can get you the tickets too. You may find them at online auctions as well but they come with a risk as you have no way of knowing if the tickets that you have paid for are genuine or not. You may end up denting your pockets for a fake ticket!

The best place to get last minute theatre tickets is from an authorized ticket broker. They have a huge inventory and can get you last minute theatre tickets even for shows that have been sold out! You can go online and make your request or give them a call. They will secure the tickets and have them delivered to you as soon as possible (hours prior to the show). The tickets that a registered broker can procure for you are genuine and come with a guarantee. You need not fear about getting counterfeit tickets.

You just have to make an online payment and then make plans to enjoy a memorable evening at the Great White Way. If your friends are coming for a visit and you wish to treat them to a Broadway musical, then you can always find great tickets even at the last minute at an authorized broker’s website. So from now on, you can quit worrying about getting the tickets. Just relax and enjoy a great show by securing tickets from an authorized ticket broker.

Opened in 1910 after the old building was burned down, Theatre Royal Windsor is located directly across the road from Windsor Castle. History with regard to this theatre indicates that it was built in the high street in 1793. It was this theatre that was attended by George III when he was residing in the castle and he was provided with spacious armchairs and playbills printed on silk whenever he came to enjoy a play at the theatre. A fire in 1908 resulted in burning down the theatre which resulted in the destruction of main parts of the building. But the theatre lovers were lucky enough that they were able to see the same kind of setting in the new building which was an idea of the owner of the theatre to keep it similar to its old setting.

This theatre boasts of its position as the only unsubsidised producing theatre to operate all year round in Britain. It is also one of Britain’s leading theatres and is renowned for the quality of productions. Therefore theatre lovers have the luxury of witnessing the newest productions before they are shown in London’s West End and before they tour around the country. The success of this theatre lies on the fact that it launches a range of new schemes for both businesses and regular theatre lovers.

For those of theatre lovers a visit to Theatre Royal Windsor will guarantee a day of maximum entertainment. While you visit this intimate theatre make sure that you find Windsor accommodation at a comfortable Windsor hotel. One such recommended hotel with easy access to Theatre Royal Windsor is Millennium Uk.

With the main purpose of serving the Durham community by presenting films and live performance programming, Carolina Theatre of Durham is recognized as one of the best places to see movies in Durham and Chapel Hill area. It is the theatre that hosts most film festivals that come to the city such as the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, the Retrofantasma film series, the Escapism Film Festival, and the Nevermore film festival. Apart from the films the theatre has a wonderful surrounding that is further complementing.

With more space and comfortable seating this theatre is well frequented by local and foreign movie and theatre lovers. The theatre is run under the stewardship of a nonprofit organization named The Carolina Theatre of Durham Incorporated. An architectural firm named Milburn & Heister engaged in designing of the museum in the Beaux-Arts style.

Though dating back to 1926, the theatre began showing its movies in 1930.This complex has two cinema screens which can host 276 and 76 seats, while the main hall named as Fletcher Hall can facilitate seating arrangement for 1014. This theatre also offers facilities for receptions which can be held at the Kirby Lobby located in front of the Fletcher Hall, the Upper Balcony Lobby and the Connie Moses Ballroom. The Carolina Theatre’s offerings will certainly unlock your imagination and celebrate the rich cultural diversity in Durham region through cinematic and performing arts.

A holiday in Durham will not be completed without a visit to Carolina Theatre. In your trip to this city find Durham accommodation in a Durham Hotel. One such recommended hotel would be Millennium Hotel, which is located in Durham, North Carolina.

It’s a little like getting on a plane, the desire to get more seats in the auditorium than perhaps is comfortable in order to maximise revenue per performance. It’s logical and maybe in some of the older theatres previous generations weren’t as tall as us but whatever the case it still makes for theatre seats that are not as comfortable as they could be.

Living in Lancashire most of my theatre visits are in the county and I just have to tell you about the exception to the rule above that I recently found in Blackburn.

It came about through my wife’s business. She runs networking events for local entrepreneurs who are looking for business networking Lancashire and specifically along the M65 corridor. One of her venues in Blackburn is not so good so a change was in order and it was one of the members of her business networking groups that suggested looking at the Thwaites Empire Theatre.

I have to say that I was quite sceptical but one of the directors of the theatre was willing to show us round and throw in a free performance for us. We watched an excellent production of “Shearer Or Me” but it was the tour of the theatre that really brought the visit to life.

The theatre was originally a cinema constructed in the early 1900s and packed it’s guests in on bench seats for a penny at the front, two at the back and a whole four pence for the balcony. It thrived until the advent of the television and also because it’s not ideally situated for the centre of Blackburn it fell on hard times and was eventually closed. The building lay derelict for many years until 1996 when it was acquired by a number of local businessmen with a vision to restore the theatre to it’s former glory.

Fortunately the men with the vision had plenty of business networking advice and went about securing funding from local businesses and the Blackburn family brewery Thwaites. Lot’s of hard work, five years of planning and £650,000 later and the Thwaites Empire Theatre was born complete with stage, orchestra pit, seating for 180 and of course a hospitality bar. I understand that part of the financial deal with Thwaites is that the theatre takes the brewery beer until the debt is paid off and to give you some idea of the magnitude of Thwaites generosity this won’t be paid off in my lifetime or probably yours. In fact I also understand that if the brewery now makes a bad business deal it’s referred to as a theatre deal!

The stalls used to seat 600 and now seat 180 so you can see how attention to customer comfort has taken precedence over the “bums on seats” mentality at other establishments and it was when sitting down that many people commented that this has to be the theatre with the most comfortable seats in Lancashire. The balcony was eventually completed in 2007 with further donations of £250,000 and to this day the theatre is run not for profit by volunteers.

It’s a beautiful theatre and well worth a visit and you never know, there maybe some business networking events being run there in the future.

The Moore Warren Theatre in the OKC metro area in Moore offers a superior movie going experience. With 14 luxurious auditoriums including two Grand Auditoriums with balconies to provide the upscale movie experience, the Warren Diner, Game Room, and other features, a visit to the Moore Warren Theatre in Oklahoma City isn’t only about watching the latest movies. It’s an experience of opulence and elegance. The first theatre in the world to offer all Digital Cinema and THX technology, the Moore Warren Theatre seeks to make the experience of watching a movie even more pleasurable for guests through technology, smart features, luxury, convenience and warm hospitality.

The balcony experience offered at the Moore Warren is quite unlike any other. It’s reserved for guests 21 years and above. Before the show begins, you can relax at the luxurious lounge. A full service bar is at hand. In the balcony, at-your-seat service is offered where you can order drinks, cocktails, and food while you watch the show.

The Warren Diner at the Moore Warren Theatre provides a retro atmosphere where you’re served food and desserts. Food can also be taken into the auditorium as you watch your movie. If all these don’t keep you occupied before your show, the Game Room certainly will. It features all the latest arcade and skill games.

The Moore Warren Theatre in OKC also makes special offers such as the Theatre for Two Package. Available at $65 and purchased through the Moore Warren Diner, the offer includes the best available balcony seats, two entrees, dessert, and two soft drinks.

Vacationers can camp at one of the great OKC hotels and go to the Moore Warren Theatre in the Oklahoma City metro area for an upscale theatre experience.

Prague is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, and the historic centre has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since 1992. For those wishing to experience the night-life, Prague offers a vast assortment of venues to suit most people’s tastes and is one of the cheapest places to go out in the EU. Perhaps the best reason to visit Prague however is to experience the theatre.

Prague’s strong tradition of theatre has played a significant part in preserving and developing the Czech cultural identity. Today the National Theatre consists of three artistic ensembles devoted to opera, ballet and drama, who alternate their performances between the historic buildings of the National Theatre, the Theatre of the Estates and in the Kolowrat Theatre. The venues select their repertoire from the rich Czech heritage as well as modern local and international works.

The National Theatre was opened in 1881 to honour the visit of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria. Despite experiencing a disastrous fire shortly thereafter, a national collection was quickly set up to rebuild it, and The National Theatre became one of the most important Czech cultural institutions, being maintained by the most distinguished personalities in Czech society. The theatre recently hosted a Gala Concert to mark the jubilee of its 125th season, which includes such works as ‘Norma’ by Vincenzo Bellini and ‘Carmen’ by Georges Bizet.

The Estates Theatre was built during the late 18th century in response to the Enlightenment school of thought regarding general access to theatre and how theatres demonstrated the cultural standards of a nation. The building itself was constructed in a Neoclassical style and remains one of the few European theatres to be preserved in its almost original state to this day. One of the Estates Theatre’s many claims to fame is its strong link with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who directed the world premiere of his opera ‘Don Giovanni’ there in October 1787. The Estates Theatre currently offers performances of ballets, dramas and operas with the focus of the opera company on the work of Mozart.

The Kolowrat Theatre was long part of the Theatre of the Estates’ administrative building, but was opened for performances in 1991 with a performance of Felix Mitterer’s ‘Visiting Hours’. The extensive loft has been sensitively restored and is mainly used for works of intellectual seriousness.

Tickets for performances are available online from several vendors and the venues’ ticket offices, but travellers are advised to book tickets in advance as performances can sell out quickly. Prague is serviced by the Ruzyne International Airport, a flight destination for most of the pan-European budget airlines. From there travellers can catch a bus, shuttle or arrange private transfer to get to their final destination with ease. Hotels in Prague can be booked online in advance, which is recommended, especially as prices for accommodation can be up to twice as high during peak season, which roughly runs from April to October.

So whether you prefer opera, ballet or drama, make the trip to Prague to experience the best that theatre has to offer.

In Britain, the repertory movement was a theatrical movement that originated in the early years of the twentieth century, was continued and developed between the two world wars, and became, after 1950, the prevailing form of theatrical organisation outside London. The earliest repertory companies were created and introduced as a protest against London’s domination of the theatres in the regions, along with a desire to counter-balance the commercial successes of the ‘West End’. My argument in this essay is that the time has come for a renewal of that protest in the face of a modern domination of British theatre by ‘The West End’.

By the second half of Queen Victoria’s reign, most people earned more money and worked shorter hours than ever before. This meant that for the first time, ordinary workers had enough leisure time to enjoy pastimes. By the mid-1800s, most of the large towns had several theatres, providing a range of ‘song-and-dance’ shows that entertained the whole family. By the 1860s, theatre became so successful that not only were they decorated to make them more comfortable with proper cushioned seats and carpet, but also matinées were introduced and the representational style of theatre was replaced with a new realism, pioneered on the continent by writers such as Ibsen. This meant box-sets were placed on the stage to create a proper room or rooms and the set would then be decorated with all the household items appropriate to that type of room; the set would appear exactly like a real-life room. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, theatres had stayed open many hours, often until midnight, showing tragedies, farces, pantomimes and other forms of entertainment that appealed to a mass audience. Theatres were not always the most salubrious places to visit. However, by the end of the century theatres were more attractive, stayed open for much shorter periods of time and the theatre programmes again consisted of just a single play. Banks and Marson (1998, p.45) claim that:

The court of Queen Victoria and so-called Victorian morality and attitudes affected the theatre. The Queen invited actors and companies to give ‘command performances’ at Windsor Castle;

thus the theatre became open and acceptable to all social classes, not just the lower classes of the earlier part of the century.

After the end of the Victorian period, things began to change significantly. Annie Horniman was “one of the most important forces in the shaping of twentieth century theatre in England” (Flannery, 1970, p.34), funding many worthwhile and critically acclaimed theatrical ventures and launching the careers of many famous figures in the world of drama. Annie was one of the key promoters of realism in the theatre in the UK, after observing with interest some of Ibsen’s plays. She also became aware of the number of repertory theatres in Germany and was keen to introduce into England the cultural value they brought. In her time Annie Horniman bought and renovated or financed several theatres that went on to achieve international recognition, as well as developing the modern repertory movement and enriching Britain’s dramatical culture, for which she was awarded an honorary MA. Most significantly, Horniman collaborated with W B Yeats on the establishment of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin as the first British repertory theatre in 1903. In 1907, she then bought the Gaiety Theatre in Manchester and redeveloped it as a regional repertory theatre. Harold Brighouse was another supporter of Manchester’s Gaiety and a prolific playwright of over seventy plays. Brighouse’s dominant style of writing was realism, and with Annie Horniman, was one of the first Britons to introduce and project this new style of theatre into British society. Brighouse, author of ‘Hobson’s Choice’, and other writers working in a similarly realistic style at the Gaiety became known as the Manchester School, which influenced the work of many other regional repertory theatres.

Barry Jackson shared with Annie Horniman her belief in the repertory movement. He was responsible for opening the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, which offered a valuable springboard for young actors wishing to work in ‘professional theatre’; through his work in Birmingham, he was also financing and supporting four other theatre companies. In 1904, a small group of theatrical players travelled around an area giving performances of old plays such as, ‘Youth’. It was this group, the Pilgrim Players, that later developed, under Barry Jackson’s guidance and influence, into the Birmingham Repertory Company; soon small repertory companies were beginning to establish themselves all over the country.

Although uncommon in British repertory theatres, some companies employed a form of repertoire system. In theatre, a repertoire system can operate with a theatre putting on many plays, including musicals, ballets and operas, at any one time. It is different from a weekly (or three-weekly) repertory system in that each play will have a different cast from within the same company, and possibly a different technical team too, making each production quite separate and unique. There are many benefits to this system, such as better quality and an increased variety of productions. However, the repertoire system has drawbacks too, including increased production costs due to each show needing separate sets, props, costumes, actors and publicity, with frequent changes to be organised.

When the British repertory system was in its early period of great success, it used to be that even smaller towns supported a theatre. The resident company would present a different play each week, normally a revival from a range of classics, but occasionally, if given the chance, a new play – the rights for which would have been recently released after a West End or Broadway run. However, these companies were not known for producing and developing new, untried work. Generally, companies would include a ‘leading lady’ and a ‘leading man’, two younger actors who would generally play the romantic roles. There would also be a ‘character’ actor and actress who would usually play the older roles and possibly a ‘soubrette’ who would play the cheeky, mischievous roles, thus creating a resident cast of seven actors. Occasionally a ‘guest star’ would be brought into the company for a short run to boost audience attendance and help pick up ticket sales.

The process of weekly rep was very stressful and pushed both the actors and the technical team to their limits. Typically the plays put on were three act plays and so along with performing one play, perhaps seven times a week, they would also have to learn lines, run and block a second play in their time between performances. However, from the audience’s point of view, seeing so many more, different performances, nearby and cheaper than the West End, was a fantastic and exciting opportunity. Local communities would strongly support the actors and would treat them like celebrities. According to the article on ‘repertory’ in Wikipedia, “sometimes entire families would make a visit to their local rep as part of their weekly routine like going to church”. For many of the younger audience members, this became a base for their future recognition, acknowledgement and enjoyment of live theatre, and indeed, a base for their social and cultural sense of self. However, today the practise of a new play every week and a week’s rehearsal does not happen and the practise of rep is more likely to be seen in large cities in well known establishments such as Birmingham Rep where plays run for between three and six weeks. Now actors rehearse for at least three weeks and as a result, a better show is produced and performed. However, a variation of weekly rep can still be found in some places in the UK. For example, producer Charles Vance still produces a successful weekly rep in Sidmouth based on a rotation of twelve plays.

Local repertory companies were keen to ensure a regular, good quality production for their communities. However, due to the World War between 1914 and 1918, the development of repertory slowed so much, it almost ground to a halt. The repertory theatres that remained open and successful such as Birmingham and Liverpool, encouraged other theatres to open, and continued giving their own performances, even twice a night. However, despite other smaller repertory theatres opening, by 1950, the popularity of the old style repertory theatres was disappearing, being replaced by regional theatres. Following an act of parliament in 1948, which established the arts council, many new regional repertory theatres were built; these were better financed, provided better facilities and put on longer runs of plays and invested in new writing, although still in repertory.

Regional repertory theatre in Britain was at its most important and influential between the 1950s and the 1980s. During this period the number of repertory theatres increased and the movement offered a good solid base to teach actors their trade, often acting as a preparation for professional theatre. This enabled many actors, such as Imelda Staunton, Judi Dench and Ian McKellen, who all began their careers in repertory theatres, as did Laurence Olivier, Peggy Ashcroft, Edith Evans and Ralph Richardson at Birmingham Rep between the wars, to go on to achieve universal recognition for their acting abilities.

The financing of the early repertory theatres was found privately, either through wealthy patrons such as Annie Horniman and Barry Jackson, or by local support. This meant that the companies were dependent either on the public’s continual support or on a patron having enough money to keep them running for a long period of time. This left many companies in an unstable position; the money could disappear at any time and the group would dissolve. However, the importance of keeping morale high during the Second World War was recognised by government funding for the first time, through what would become the Arts Council. This resulted in an increase of financial assistance for repertory companies after 1945.There was also a noticeable growth in local funding for resident companies or ‘regional theatres’ through the 1948 Act authorising expenditure on the arts, from the local rates, by local councils.

The years between the 1950s and the 1970s were some of the richest for dramatical culture in Britain with a wide variety of productions. Not only were the classics performed, as we see in today’s professional theatres, but also many of the plays produced, both in and out of the West End, were contemporary, with playwrights such as Willy Russell, John Osborne and Harold Pinter bringing a new meaningful depth to British theatre. Regional repertory theatres enabled a wide variety of new writers to develop an interesting range of drama, often with a local or a social and political theme.

A feature of the work of Peter Cheeseman… at the Victoria Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, has been… historical documentaries of local interest, using idiomatic speech and researched by his own group of actors. (Goorney, undated)

In contrast, the same theatre was the early training ground for the famous comedy writer, Alan Ayckbourn. On the stage today, there are fewer plays being written to be performed specifically in professional theatres, again reducing what could be a very rich theatrical culture.

The vast development of the regional theatres throughout the 1960s and 1970s was followed by a huge decline in the 1980s. Cutbacks in funding meant that seasons had to be cut back and some of the studio theatres were closed completely. The closing and disappearance of repertory theatres is due to the year-on-year reduction in funding, whether it be funding from the local communities, the regional arts boards, or from central government, the financial support is simply being denied to them. The increasing difficulty for theatres in finding sponsorship and benefactors to fund their work is resulting in lowering wages, reducing cast and company sizes and restricting budgets, all of which have a clear effect on the final performances; a reduced quality production is the outcome. This has become a concern for many politicians. In February 2003, Robin Harper, MSP for the Green Party, challenged the Scottish Executive over the funding of Scottish theatre, saying, “Core funding for the Scottish Arts Council has been at a standstill, causing many theatre companies to suffer financial hardship, and their capacity to stage productions to be severely restricted.” Repertory theatre depends upon money and support from local and national government; failure to provide sufficient support will mean that repertory will not survive and Britain will loose a key educational and entertainment resource. In a Lords’ debate on 14 July, 1998, Lord Jenkins of Putney quoted Sir Cameron Mackintosh, a leading commercial theatre producer in Britain, saying:

The reason that British theatre is the envy of the world – both artistically and

financially – is that public money was invested in revitalising regional theatre from the 1950s onwards… most UK theatres outside the West End were built, saved or funded by public money. (Lords Hansard, 1998)

Bill Alexander (1998) wrote to The Independent newspaper about the benefits of good funding from his experience at Birmingham Repertory Theatre, saying that good finance:

…will see us almost double the number of performances and productions… launch Birmingham’s only venue for new writing… produce more work for children and family audiences, double our investment in education and community activities… and bring a rich programme of large-scale work to our main stage.

Today, the situation with theatres has much reverted to how it was pre-repertory, with the ‘regional’ theatres predominantly producing amateur productions, occasional touring productions and one-night entertainment shows such as music evenings and dance shows. In contrast the West End is dominated by Shakespeare and musicals – many of which are the work of Andrew Lloyd Webber – with only very few theatres presenting plays, and those that do are long-running and change infrequently. Television has become the dominant medium at the expense of live drama. Without repertory theatres there are very limited opportunities for actors to develop their talents and train and learn their craft, thus resulting in the whole of the British arts system wilting and being reduced to a very primitive and unpolished existence. As Lord Rix said in the House of Lords, on 14 July 1988, “Regional theatre is the birthplace of most new work and the training ground for our industry.”

Film and television have been an increasingly dominant medium for drama and acting over the last fifty years with many actors who had been professionally trained in theatre, turning to work ‘on the big screen’, a career change that pays more and brings greater public admiration and acknowledgement. However, film and television do offer a lot, especially for those who cannot afford to go to the theatre regularly; a wide range of classics and dramas are constantly being reproduced on film and aired on television, making it possible for the majority of the population to have some experience of cultured drama.

It is inevitable that the experience of watching television at home, alone or in a small group, watching a film in a cinema in the company of a larger audience and being part of an audience at a live production in a theatre are not the same. The improvement in cinemas, both physically and in terms of technology, has lead to huge revival in cinema going in Britain in recent years. Watching, for example, a comedy or a horror film with a large audience around increases the individual’s pleasure and involvement in the film, because it is easier to laugh out loud when others are laughing around you too, and when one person jumps or screams, others feel the tension too. However, the performance on film is fixed and cannot react to the mood of the audience.

The unique quality of live drama is not only that the performance of the actors changes and develops from performance to performance, but also the involvement of the audience with the production adds an extra dimension to the experience for both actor and audience. The most obvious form of this is in the ever-popular Christmas pantomime. However, in more subtle ways, the same is true for all live productions in the theatre. This interaction is the key force that enables you to understand what is the purpose and underlying meaning behind the play. We need theatres in Britain that present a rich variety of drama from both contemporary and classic sources and from a range of different cultures. As Goorney (undated) suggests:

A popular theatre cannot be built solely on the basis of contemporary plays concerned with the political or social ills of our society. The plays inherited from the great theatres of the past, the Greeks, the Elizabethans, the Commedia dell’arte and the Spanish theatre of Lope de Vega, are the heritage of all people and must not remain, as at present, the privilege of the few.

I believe there are many good reasons why we need more repertory theatres today, perhaps most importantly because they encourage, prepare and train young actors and dramatists for professional theatre so thoroughly, presenting a more experienced and better trained actor to the public. This has worked for hundreds of actors over the years, many of whom have gone on to become Britain’s finest dramatic performers. There is no point training the best stage actors if there is no demand or opportunity for them to exercise their dramatic performing skills. The whole community is impoverished if we are not able to be challenged, entertained and educated by the experience of seeing meaningful scripts brought to reality by skilled and exciting actors. As Goorney (undated) says, “…Art generally, including theatre, exists to enrich our spirit, to inform and extend our horizons…” In the past, regional repertory theatre has been at the heart of that experience and I believe it is time for it to be so again.

Bibliography

Alexander, Bill. 1998. Rep must look to the future, not live in the past, The Independent, July 3, 1998

Arts and Humanities Data Service 2005 Birmingham Repertory Theatre Archive Database http://ahds.ac.uk/performingarts/collections/birmingham-repertory.htm

Baker, F (Ed). 1998. The Annie Horniman Papers, Manchester: John Rylands University Library

http://archives.li.man.ac.uk/ead/search/eadSearchHandler?operation=full&recid=gb-0133-aeh

Banks, R A and Marson, P. 1998. Drama and Theatre Arts, London: Hodder and Stoughton

The Birmingham Repertory Theatre 2007 Birmingham Rep

http://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/core_asp/gen_faq.asp#24

Chambers, Colin (Ed). 2002. The Continuum Companion to Twentieth Century Theatre, London: Continuum

Goorney, H. (Undated). Political Theatre in Britain 1928-1986

http://www.wcml.org.uk/culture/hgepilogue.htm

Hayman, Ronald. 1973. The Set-up, London: Eyre Methuen

Flannery, James W. 1970. Miss Annie F. Horniman and the Abbey Theatre, Dublin: Dolmen Press

Lords Hansard 1998. Provincial Repertory Theatres http://www.publications.parliamnet.uk/pa/ld199798/ldhansrd/vo980714-16.htm

National Museum for the Performing Arts 2007. Drama Tour: 1900-1945 http://www.peopleplayuk.org.uk/guided_tours/drama_tour/1900_1945/repertory.php

The Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch 2007. The Queen’s Theatre (1975-present day)

http://www.queens-theatre.co.uk/aboutus/billetlane.htm

Scottish Green Party 2003. Green MSP Challenges Executive Over Theatre Funding

http://www.scottishgreens.org.uk/site/id/3736/title/Green_MSP_Challenges_Executive_Over_Theatre_Funding.html

Wikipedia 2007. Repertory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repertory

The ETC offers a fantastic view from every seat (about 200 or so by my guestimations), and also has surprisingly good acoustics for that space. What makes the venue even better is the building itself…it is a gem and has all sorts of architectural details for you to enjoy (if you’re in to that sort of thing).

As for the show we saw ‘Rabbit Hole’ which is the winner of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Best New Play and a Tony Award-winning drama. The show was great and the seats were full…at the end the audience gave a standing ovation for the great performance. The ETC is a great theatre that has a strong history and is nationally known.

I highly recommend a visit to the ETC. It is a good alternative to the movies and the show lets out with plenty of time to go out drinking afterwards. The ETC offers student discounts, as well as, senior discounts. You can now also buy tickets online…and if you want to see ‘Rabbit Hole’ then you better hurry because its time runs up this Sunday.

When the theatre first opened on Oct. 15, 1930, the super-cinema was called the New Victoria Cinema and played a George Arils film in Old English, which was based on a John Galsworthy stage play. The Apollo Victoria was equipped with a theatre organ, which was played opening night by Reginald Foort. Aside from the films shown, the theatre also offered variety shows to the public. Soon after the theatre’s opening, the management diminished the number of variety shows and began to specialize in film showings and the occasional performance by big bands. In June 1939, the cinema became one of three sites in London used to present The Epsom Derby in live, experimental transmissions.

The theatre closed temporarily, due to World War II, from September 1940 to May 1941, but did not suffer any serious damage and reopened quickly thereafter. In the 1950’s, plans were made to demolish the theatre, but these plans fell through the venue was used for a combination of live shows, films, and ballet.
Live at the Orange Peel and Tennessee Theatre
In November 1975, the cinema played its final show, a double showing of “Legend of the Werewolf,” starring Peter Cushing, and “Vampire Circus,” starring Adrienne Corri. The theatre was closed after this showing, and underwent extensive renovations. It reopened in 1981, renamed the Apollo Victoria Theatre, and specialized in presenting concerts, the first of which was performed by Shirley Bassey. Other musical acts shown during the early 1980’s include Bucks Fizz, Dean Martin and Liza Minelli. During this time, the theatre also began staging musical theatre performances.

Theatrical performances in the last two-and-a-half decades or so include “The Sound of Music,” which ran from Aug. 17, 1981, to Sept. 18, 1982; “Camelot,” running from November 1982 to February 1983; “Fiddler on the Roof,” which ran from June to October 1983; 1984’s “Starlight Express,” a show which required the theatre to undergo interior modification to allow roller-skating performers to skate through the audience, running for an extremely successful 18 years; Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Bombay Dreams” in 2002; “Saturday Night Fever,” shown in 2004, “Movin’ Out,” a musical based on the songs of Billy Joel, in 2006; and Stephen Schwartz’s “Wicked,” which is playing currently and which began its run Sept. 27, 2006. “Wicked,” has proven to be exceptionally successful for the theatre, as it pulled in £761,000, a record-breaking amount, during the first eight performances of the show and has, to date, grossed more than £50 million in London.

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