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The Theatre Royal in Manchester, England, opened in 1845. Situated next to the Free Trade Hall, it is the oldest surviving theatre in Manchester.〔〔 It was commissioned by Mancunian businessman John Knowles who wanted a theatre venue in the city. The Theatre Royal operated as a theatre from 1845 until 1921, when it closed in the face of growing competition from the Palace Theatre and Opera House. The building has since been converted numerous times for use as a cinema, bingo hall and nightclub. As of 2012 it is unoccupied. ==History== Manchester appears to have two previous Theatre Royals before the current building was constructed in 1845. The first opened in Spring Gardens on 5 June 1775 and operated on that site until the expiration of the proprietors' lease in 1807. The second Theatre Royal opened in Fountain Street on 12 July 1807 and was destroyed by fire on 7 March 1844.〔 John Knowles took over the management of this second Theatre Royal some time before the fire, at a time when the theatre in Manchester was at its lowest ebb.〔'Index to the report from the Select Committee on Theatrical Licenses and Regulations', 1866, House of Commons Parliamentary Papers, vol. XVI.1, p. 217.〕 Knowles set up a strong stock company and proved himself a very capable, though somewhat authoritarian, theatre manager. However, following the 1844 fire the proprietors of the theatre in Fountain Street refused to rebuild it. At a public dinner in his honour in July 1844, Knowles was presented a plate "in acknowledgement of his energetic and successful efforts to revive national drama in Manchester".〔'Dinner to John Knowles, Jun, Esq', ''The Manchester Guardian'', 17 July 1844, p. 5〕 Knowles told the gathering that if they could get no one else to build a theatre then he would do it himself. As a result, Knowles bought the patent rights and set about finding a site for the new theatre. Knowles had always been an admirer of theatrical performances and he was anxious to see their renovation in this, his native town. He desired to see the revival of the legitimate drama, and the plays represented in a manner duly worthy of them.〔 Knowles found a new site for his theatre on Peter Street. He demolished the Wellington Inn and Brogden's Horse Bazaar. Knowles employed Francis Chester and John Gould Irwin as the architects for his new theatre. In preparation for the building of the new Theatre Royal, Knowles and Chester went to London and visited most of the metropolitan theatres, noting their areas, internal forms, acoustic capabilities, etc.〔'The New Theatre Royal, Peter-Street', ''The Manchester Guardian'', 2 October 1844, p. 5〕 With a cost of £23,000, the new Theatre Royal opened to an audience of 2,500. Precautionary measures against fire were taken by placing a tank on the roof capable of holding 20,000 gallons of water, which was connected by pipes to the stage and the green room. Its programme that night included Weber's ''Oberon'' overture, Douglas Jerrold's "Time works wonders" and an elaborate ballet spectacle "The Court Ball in 1740". Knowles's schedule of productions was intensive – in one season there were 157 performances at which two and sometimes three plays were performed. The popularity of the theatre grew. Charles Dickens, John Leech and George Cruickshank were amongst notable people who appeared at the theatre. The theatre was dedicated to Shakespeare and Knowles installed a Carrara marble statue of the playwright above the entrance. It was Manchester's finest outdoor statue. In 1875, after years of success, Knowles severed his connections with the theatre, disposing of it to a limited company for £50,000. In 1972 the theatre became a bingo hall, then a disco hall following the addition of various lighting bridges and rigs. The 1845 exterior façade is virtually intact, and the building retains the balcony from 1875. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Theatre Royal, Manchester」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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