Edinburgh February 1893

Benson made many visits during his career to Edinburgh, often for two week seasons, and always performed at the Royal Lyceum Theatre.  Like the Waterford Theatre, the Edinburgh  Royal Lyceum (named after Irving’s Theatre in London) is still operating as a theatre today, now with its own resident theatre company.  Benson first visited the Lyceum in 1888, five years after it had opened.  Yet another auditorium designed by the prolific C.J Phipps, the theatre reputedly cost £17, 000 to build.  

On February 15th 1893, Benson presented a week of plays including Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night,  Richard III and Hamlet as well as ‘Old English’ comedies, The Rivals and School for Scandal.  The following week was a full week of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  Benson had originally produced his ‘Grand Production’ of the Dream in 1889 for a six week season at the Globe Theatre where it had been very favourably reviewed by the national press.  The Pall Mall Gazette, in particular, praised Benson’s ambitious intentions: ‘There has been no ‘scamping’ behind the scenes at the Globe – no half measures in the matter of mounting.  On the contrary, the play has been put upon the stage with as much care as if it were intended run for a year.’  

Benson would go on to use the fact that this was a London production in much of his publicity for the play and would recruit local ‘elves and sprites’ from each town the production visited to be trained up for the performance.    Benson’s production obviously proved popular in Edinburgh, returning the following year for a further week’s performances.

Waterford, 1895

Given that so many of the theatres the Benson Companies visited became victims to fire, war, or the inner city developer, it is always wonderful to find a survivor!

The Theatre Royal Waterford is very much alive and well, and still operating as a theatre. What makes this even better is the fact that the theatre is such an old one: performances began there in 1787.  Benson's company made their first visit to Waterford in 1895.

According to its fascinating website, the Theatre Royal is 'the premiere venue in the South East of Ireland, plays host to the best national and international touring artists and companies and with the assistance of Waterford City Council and TheArts Council is increasingly seeking to mount its own productions for the people of the city and the region.'  It's a small venue, nowadays seating 430 patrons on three levels (although it would probably have held more in 1895!).

And what a stunning auditorium! Another one of C.J. Phipps's make-overs, it was recently refurbished  and given  a £4million face-lift. The auditorium is an elegant Georgian space, with horseshoe shaped balconies and a high proscenium.


I haven't been able find any period photographs of the theatre itself, which  includes an Assembly Rooms and the Corporation's Art Gallery. However, the postcards reproduced below were taken around 1900 and give something of the flavour of the city at the time, which, according to the  National Archives had an expanding population at this time.
  
According to the records I have, the Bensonians only visited seven times, all around the end of December or into January.  I've yet to unearth any repertory records for any of these engagements.  

I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't even really know where Waterford was until I started this project.  It's now on my 'bucket list' of theatres to visit!  

Belfast January 1892

During the 1880s, 90s and the early 1900s Benson and his Company could usually be found in Ireland during December and January, undertaking seasons which were sometimes several weeks long in Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Waterford and Londonderry.  At this time, of course, Ireland was not  divided  into the North and Eire.  In 1892, the Bensons were spending a second week in Belfast at the impressive Theatre Royal.  The theatre had been refurbished in 1881 after a disastrous fire and the interior was redesigned by the renowned theatre architect C. J. Phipps, (best known today for several West End theatres, including  Her Majesty's, home to Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera). 

At its re-opening The Era  noted  'Along the whole of the facade in Arthur-square a covered veranda or porch has been erected of iron and glass; so that the audience waiting for the opening of the doors will be protected when the weather is wet, and those coming in carriages will not have to cross a damp pavement previous to entering the theatre.'  The auditorium was sumptuous - a gold proscenium, a painted ceiling, enhanced by 'the rich colour of the wall-paper, of a warm Venetian red tone - while the hangings to the private boxes are of silk tapestry, a deep turquoise blue colour, embroidered with sprigs of flowers in colour. The whole scheme of colour has been very carefully arranged by the architect, and the paper and curtains have been specially manufactured for this theatre.'

The Company's programme for the week included Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, School for Scandal and - of course - Shrew, Merry Wives and Merchant of Venice!  Merry Wives came in for particular praise from the critic of the Belfast Newsletter  who felt 'No piece presented here in recent years approaches this production in the beauty of its treatment or the splendour of its mounting... Special scenery, abounding in beautiful effects and rare artistic treatment, special music and a delightful fairy ballet have been provided with the natural result that Mr Benson has afforded lovers of true comedy a treat at once unique and charming  The concluding act especially was beyond praise.'    

The Bensons would be frequent visitors to the Theatre Royal until its closure and redevelopment as a cinema in 1915.  It finally closed its doors and was demolished in 1961,  Its theatrical rival, Frank Matcham's Grand Opera House, would be rather luckier, narrowly escaping the developers and surviving the bomb damage of the Troubles, to become Belfast's touring theatre today. 

Theatre Royal Birmingham

Another 'lost' theatre: The Theatre Royal Birmingham was in New Street and stood on the site now occupied by Superdrug and Bella Pasta, just up from the fabulous Piccadilly Arcade.  There have been four theatres on this site, and Benson's company toured to the last two. Benson visited the old Theatre Royal in 1887 but subsequent visits seem to have been to the Prince of Wales Theatre, a former music hall which was on Broad Street, on the site now occupied by the Symphony Hall.  The new Theatre Royal  was built on the site of the old in 1904 and Benson would go on to visit this building many times. The Theatre Royal finally closed in December 1956 and was demolished to be replaced by a totally souless commercial building  I must have walked past this plaque so many times without seeing it!

Glasgow's 'Royalty'

In the wake of the dreadful Glasgow School of Art fire this week, I've been in Glasgow, exploring the area of the city now known as the Theatre District.  Glasgow was well served for theatres and Music Halls in the late 1890s and 1900s and  Benson was a frequent visitor - I've tracked 44 separate visits to the city, but there may well have been more.

Initially, the company played the 'Royalty' on the corner of Renfield Street and Sauchiehall Street, part of the Central Halls building.  The theatre itself, built in 1879, was one of the first to be designed by Frank Matcham.  Benson's Company often stayed for two week seasons until 1909, when the Royalty became a repertory theatre.  The Royalty was very close to the Pavillion Theatre and the Theatre Royal as well as the huge Empire Theatre, just across the road. 



By 1914 The Royalty had become The Lyric

Renamed The Lyric, the theatre eventually became a cinema before being damaged by fire in 1953.  Although rebuilt, the whole building was demolished in 1959. 

Sauchiehall Street must originally have looked as impressive as Buchanan Street does today, a thriving street  of department stores, tea rooms places of entertainment. (I'd like to think that the Bensonians occasionally frequented the Willow Tea Rooms.  Maybe they also walked uphill a few blocks to see the new School of Art building, which was finished in 1909.  I'm not sure if Toshie and Margaret were Shakespeare fans, but maybe they went to see the Bensons?  It's a nice thought!)

ON TOUR week beginning 21st May 1888, The Royalty, Chester.  This venue was one that the Benson Company returned to on at least 21 occasions up until 1932.  Opening in 1882, it closed as a theatre in 1966, demolished in 2001.  A hotel now stands on the City Road site.  These photographs of the interior date from the 1940s and 1950s.

The Cheshire Observer for Saturday 26th May described Benson as 'a most gifted actor...whose abilities are most particularly adapted for the exposition of  the highest flights of tragedy...supported in his efforts by a company of much talent.'  During the week they performed Hamlet (Mon), Romeo and Juliet (Tues), Merchant of Venice (Wed), Othello (Thurs), The Merry Wives of Windsor  (Fri) and Richard III (Sat) with Othello singled out for particular praise.  This was the final date in their touring season before a long summer break.

Why The Merry Shrews of Venice?

The story goes that one of Benson's company came up with this as an ironic answer to the question 'What play are you performing tonight?'   The made-up title incorporates the names of the three most frequently performed of F. R. Benson's Shakespeare productions: The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Taming of the Shrew and The Merchant of Venice. All three were highly successful on tour and often opened or closed a week's performances. When I tried to think of a title for this blog, it seemed ideal!

ON TOUR THIS WEEK IN 1889: Her Majesty's Theatre, Carlisle. 
from The Carlisle Patriot: May 10th 1889
ADVERTISEMENT : Pronounced last night by the Audience to be 'The Finest Exponent of Hamlet ever seen in Carlisle'  Prices as usual.  Book early to avoid disappointment.

Her Majesty's Theatre, Lowther Street, Carlisle.  Demolished 1979