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Theatres in Bradford, Leeds, Sheffield and YorkBradford Of the "big four" cities, Bradford is the least well-provided for in terms of theatres, although there are many other places which would be happy with its three well-known houses. Large scale touring shows are catered for by the Alhambra, which, like many theatres of a similar age, is a grade II listed building. It has two auditoria: the main house holds 1464 and the studio 200, rather on the large side for a studio venue. Small-scale touring is catered for by the Theatre in the Mill, a venue belonging to the University of Bradford. It seats 140 and is used as a receiving house for small-scale tours when it is not in use by university groups. The other theatre in Bradford is, unusually in this survey, owned and run by an amateur company. The Priestley Centre for the Arts is, however, an unusual amateur venue, for it features film as well as theatre. It is, in fact, really an arts centre, with a diverse programme. It has two houses: the main house seats 290, unusually large (although not, obviously, unknown) for an amateur theatre, whilst the studio, which is set aside for student and experimental productions, seats 70. Leeds Whilst York has always been the "capital" of Yorkshire, Leeds is undoubtedly its commercial centre and chief city. This is reflected in the variety of theatre provision. There are five professional theatres in Leeds - or rather, four and a half, for one presents amateur productions as well. The largest is the Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House, a national touring house, which has three auditoria: the main house seats 1550, the Assembly Rooms 600 and the Studio 160. Better known nationally, however, is the City Varieties Music Hall, the venue for the long-running television series (now defunct), The Good Old days, where chairman Leonard Sachs used to present a plethora of plentious pulchritude, or even a teaming torrent of tempting talent, for our delight and delectation. This 531-seater is now a receiving house of national tours. The Leeds Civic Theatre, with 521 seats, takes both amateur productions and professional tours, whilst the Studio Theatre, which belongs to Leeds Metropolitan University, has a policy of promoting comtemporary theatre. The jewel in Leeds' theatrical crown, however, is the West Yorkshire Playhouse. Built in 1998, it has rapidly earned itself the reputation of being one of the most exciting and forward looking producing theatres in the country. It has three houses: the Quarry Theare is the main house, seating 756, whilst the Courtyard Theatre will takes 356 and the Rehearsal Room will take 150. It's a rep theatre which also takes touring shows. As well as producing its own shows, it also works with other theatres, including the RNT, on co-productions. Its artistic director, Jude Kelly, has established herself as one of Britain's leading directors. Sheffield Sheffield, of course, has always been famed for its cutlery manufacturing, and, like many similar towns and cities, has been hit by the decline in UK-based manufacturing industry. A significant part of its regeneration has been the development of its cultural industries (in its "Cultural Quarter"), amongst which are many companies experimenting at the interface between the performing and the visual arts. It also has a strong theatre tradition. The Lyceum is the city's national touring house, seating 1099, whilst the Library Theatre, a 260-seater studio venue, takes small-scale touring and other productions. The Merlin Theatre, an arts centre, has three auditoria: the Merlin itself, with 205 seats, the 110-seater Arnold Freeman Hall, and Tintagel House, very small at 49 seats. What the West Yorkshire Playhouse is to Leeds, the Crucible is to Sheffield. A producing theatre with a national reputation, it has a main house of 980 (very large for a theatre of this type) and an equally larger than usual studio, which seats 400. York York, the spiritual centre of the county, has three theatres,only two of which are well-known. They are the Grand Opera House a receiving house which seats 1028, and the Theatre Royal, which is a producing house seating 863. York also boasts one of the few private theatres in the UK, the Joseph Rowntree Theatre. The Rowntree name, of course, is big in York, for here Joseph Rowntree built his chocolate empire. The theatre which bears his name seats 420 and is used much of the time by amateur companies, but it is available for hire by professionals. Theatre in the Yorkshire and Humberside Arts Region: an Introduction Articles Indices: |
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