Pavilion Theatre

Pavilion Theatre may refer to:

See also

Weymouth Pavilion

Coordinates: 50°36′32″N 2°26′49″W / 50.609°N 2.447°W / 50.609; -2.447

The Weymouth Pavilion, formerly the Ritz, is a theatre in Weymouth, Dorset. The complex contains a 988 seat theatre, 600 (maximum) capacity ballroom known as the Ocean Room, the Piano Bar restaurant, Ritz Cafe and other function and meeting rooms.

Originally constructed in 1908, it was destroyed in a building fire in 1954 and the current theatre was built in its place in 1958. The theatre was owned and operated by Weymouth & Portland Borough Council until 2013 and is now operated by a not-for-profit Community Interest Company. The theatre is located at the end of The Esplanade between Weymouth Harbour and Weymouth Beach. The Jurassic Skyline is also located in this area.

History

The Pavilion (1908 - 1949)

By the beginning of the 20th century, Weymouth was becoming increasingly popular as a seaside resort. The large demand for entertainment was put forward to Weymouth and Melcombe Regis Borough Councillors. Many people believed that if Weymouth was to flourish as a first-class resort, a venue was urgently required and so by 1906, the decision was made to built the Weymouth Pavilion. The site chosen was at the southern end of the Esplanade, and this caused some objections to be made, including that it was a location too far from the railway station and that the area was particularly exposed to bad weather. Despite this, the plans went ahead and the area was reclaimed from the foreshore. In 1907, an architectural competition was launched to find a design, and in October that year, the winning design from an anonymous hand was chosen. It included an auditorium with stalls and gallery seating, an Oriental café and outside verandahs. The building's frame was of steel with the main fabric of wood. The construction began in early 1908 and was completed that year at a total cost of £14,150, including land reclamation.

Pavilion Theatre (Bournemouth)

The Pavilion Theatre and Ballroom, located in the Westover Road in Bournemouth, is a venue for year-round entertainment. Built in the 1920s, it retains its splendour and elegant styling and is Bournemouth's regular home for West End stage shows, Opera, Ballet, Pantomime and Comedy as well as for corporate presentations and dinner dances, product launches and small conferences.

Owned by Bournemouth Borough Council and managed by BH Live, the Pavilion operates alongside its sister venue, The Bournemouth International Centre.

Advocated as early as 1859, proposals for a Pavilion building incorporating a concert room, reading rooms and cafes were first authorised by the municipal authorities in 1892. The architectural competition was won by a young and unknown firm of architects called Home and Knight. On 19 March 1929, the building was opened by HRH The Duke of Gloucester. It had cost £250,000.

Initially the Pavilion's main auditorium was not called a theatre, but a Concert Hall, and within a few years it became apparent that it has had shortcomings in presenting staged productions. As a result, in 1933 the stage was enlarged, both in depth and height, and it was reopened as a theatre in July 1934. Numerous further alterations have been undertaken since, including the addition of two storeys to either side of the main entrance in the early 1950s, and the replacement of the large fountain in the forecourt by a smaller one in 1968. In 1998 the building was listed Grade II and its future has therefore been protected.