Here is a selection of photos from the archives. If you have photos, paintings, articles or other things from the Theatre's past, we'd love to see them.
Photos from the earlier years of the Theatre, including a fabulous 1901 image from the Tyree Studio Collection.
Before the Restoration
Before the restoration the stage was raked, and there was a centre aisle in the stalls. Backstage was described as a rabbit warren.
During the Restoration
Everything from the proscenium arch back was demolished and rebuilt. The million dollar restoration included a new fly tower, dressing rooms and rehearsal space. The new stage is flat rather than raked.
After peeling back many layers, the auditorium received a lot of love, with original colours and wallpaper recreated to match what was uncovered. The seats in the dress circle were restored, and four period chandeliers installed.
The foyer went through a major reorganisation, with the stairs, office, bar and doors into the auditorium all repositioned.
Since reopening in 2010, the Theatre Royal has been an incredibly well used and much loved space.
After 10 years of the harsh Nelson sun, the facade had to be repainted to protect and preserve the old wood. Investigations were undertaken to try and discover what the original exterior colours were, and in 2021 the facade of the building was painted in what are thought to be the 1878 colours.
