History

The Kings theatre was the brain child of John Walters Boughton who was the managing director of the Portsmouth Theatre Company. He kept the project secret from the committee, possibly because of the delicate problem of purchasing the required property. They were finally informed of the project at a meeting on 13th June 1906, were the Company reimbursed Boughton and contracted Frank Matcham as the architect and the theatre was built by Corke in 1907. Matcham's unique design overcome the problem of the peculiar shape and took 13 months to build. The main foyer stands on the site of Ebenezer Perkin's grocery shop in Albert Road, Southsea. An added problem was that the stage area was built over a water spring. Even today on occasion the area below the stage has to be pumped out.

Architecture

Matcham's design for the Kings theatre wasn't one of his best and the signs of decadence in the style are apparent. The auditorium, however is still impressive. The main colours were cream and gold with seating in green plush in 1907 and now it is red and gold with red seating plush. According to the Portsmouth Times, busts of famous people circled the dome; included were Shakespeare, Dickens, George Eliot, Mozart, Beethoven. These have disappeared and in their place is a painting, the change happened probably during the redecoration in the 1920's. The ceiling fresco in the foyer, also executed at the time portray the features of two local beauties of the day. The alabaster proscenium arch is crowned by a cumbrous cartouche, supported by putty; in all a somewhat unbalanced feature that was becoming too frequent at the time of the construction. The stage has a rake, which runs down towards the orchestra pit.

Below is a price list of 1908 and how many could be seated 1907.

Cost of seats in 1908:-                                            Seating in 1907:-

Lower Boxes      ½ Guineas                                    Stalls                     460
Upper Boxes      2/- per Seat                                  Pit                         336
Stalls                  1/- and 6d                                    Circle                     204
Grand Circle       6d                                                Upper Circle          418
Pit                      6d and 4d                                     Gallery                   724
Gallery               3d and 2d                                     Boxes                       30
                                                                                                   Total 2172

The theatre now can seat 1200 people and the ticket prices vary depending on the production.

Below is some technical details for the theatre that is in use today.

Technical data:-

Stage Depth                                 38ft
Proscenium Opening                    30ft
Height from Stage to Grid            60ft
Height from Stage to Fly floor      24ft
Dressing Rooms                          12
50 Flying lines with 9 inch between.

People

The Kings Theatre was opened on 30th September 1907 by Henry Irving's son.
Sadly it was not a success as a drama theatre so reluctantly the management introduced twice nightly variety from the 3rd August 1908. When Boughton died in 1914, Peter Davey was appointed manager. In the early 1920's films were shown in the afternoons and music hall in the evenings. Later there were often film weeks; films being shown at both matinees and evenings.
In 1931 an operating box was created in the balcony and "Talkies" were presented from October of that year.
In 1932 it reverted to a full time theatre, when Portsmouth's New Theatre Royal went over to films and thus creating a new demand for theatrical entertainment. Davey maintained the traditions built up by his predecessor and even during World War I. He retired and W. E. C. Sperring took over control. Their was another change in management when Sperring died and Charles Clarke succeeded. He continued to bring to the theatre many of the leading actors and actresses, the annual pantomimes kept up their reputation and generally speaking the position was reasonably satisfactory. Until the outbreak of World War II when the Kings closed along with theatres and cinemas throughout the country. However, it was soon re-opened during the winter of 1939 and the greater part of 1940 presented London companies in current plays. Although it was undamaged by enemy fire, the winter blitzes of 1940-41 forced the Kings to close its doors again, and it remained closed until 1942 when the Libraries and Museums Committee commenced a series of Sunday concerts, the success of which encouraged Clarke to reopen the theatre for plays. In January 1949 Clarke died and Mrs E. M. Sperring took control.
In 1959 a local industrialist, Commander R. B. Cooper took over the lease of the theatre. A year before he had bought Portsmouth's New Theatre Royal but had to decided to close the Royal due to economic problems. The Kings had a trying period after the decline of the immediate post-war theatre boom but by 1962 it seemed to be well on the way to reviving old glories. Prior to London productions, annual visits of opera, ballets and first class touring companies and the annual panto put it back to "Number One" as a provincial theatre.
In 1964 Commander Coopers wife Joan Cooper purchased the theatre after television and touring companies made the survival of the Kings a problem. The Coopers ran the theatre up and till the death of the Commander on 5th November 1987, when Ivor Barnes became co-proprietor with Joan Cooper.
Hampshire County Council purchased the theatre in 1990 in order to secure its future. But even with successful amateur productions with groups such as The Portsmouth Players, South Downe Musical Society with shows like Me and My girl, 42nd Street, Fiddler on the Roof, Follies, Chess, La Cage Aux Folles and more. Kings is currently leased to the former owners and the future is still uncertain for the theatre. The Kings Theatre is listed as an Grade II building by the English Heritage.

The theatre is currently owned by Hampshire County Council, but in July 2001 they agreed to sell it to Portsmouth City Council for £1 - a bargain until you realise that an estimated £5 - £6 million pounds is needed to renovate the building. Portsmouth in its turn, is leasing the theatre to The Kings Theatre Trust Limited, which is a charitable trust limited by guarantee.

Acknowledgements

"The Theatres of Portsmouth" by John Offord
"A History of Portsmouth Theatres" by H. Sargeant, FLA

 

IF SO PLEASE E-MAIL ME