Early Beginnings: The Royal Lyceum and Victorian Entertainment
The theatrical history of Torquay stretches back to the Victorian era, reflecting the town’s growth as a fashionable seaside resort. The oldest theatrical venue in Torquay began its life in 1863 as the Royal Lyceum Assembly Rooms. This historic building, located on Abbey Road, was built by the Cary Estate and included a covenant that ensured the land would be used for entertainment purposes in perpetuity.
In its early years, the venue gained national recognition, though not always for positive reasons. By 1871, the building was acquired by the Prince of Wales Dramatic Company, who commissioned Torquay architect G.S. Bridgman to improve the interior, transforming it into the Royal Lyceum Theatre. Interestingly, Bridgman’s apprentice at the time was Frank Matcham, who would later become one of Britain’s most renowned theatre architects, designing iconic venues like the London Palladium and the Blackpool Tower Ballroom.
The venue underwent another significant transformation in 1879-1880 when theatre architect C.J. Phipps was brought in to redesign the building. It reopened on April 12, 1880, as the Royal Theatre and Opera House, with performances of Planche’s comedy “Who’s Your Friend” and Brough’s burlesque of “Masaniello.” This renovation elevated the theatre’s status, with a contemporary report describing it as “worthy of a town like Torquay.” During this golden era, the theatre welcomed numerous distinguished patrons, including King Oscar II of Sweden, who attended performances in May 1881.
The Pavilion Theatre: Torquay’s Seafront Gem
Between 1890 and 1930, Torquay’s seafront saw significant development under Borough Engineer Henry Augustus Garrett. This period saw the creation of the Princess Gardens, named in honour of Queen Victoria’s daughter, Princess Louise, who laid the foundation stone in 1890.
As part of this seafront development, the Pavilion Theatre was constructed. The architect Edward Rogers created the initial plans with H.C. Goss in 1903, though construction didn’t commence until 1911, following Rogers’ death, with Garrett taking over the work. This venue would become one of the three main auditoriums in Torbay and distinguished itself in the 1970s by focusing on plays rather than the variety shows that were common at other local venues. Pavilion Theatre, Torquay
Babbacombe Theatre: Variety by the Sea
The Babbacombe Theatre, situated on the beautiful Babbacombe Downs overlooking Lyme Bay, has a history dating back to the 1930s. The venue has its roots in a more humble beginning – around 1900, a simple wooden bandstand was erected on the Downs where bands would play a couple of times weekly, increasing in frequency during the summer months. One regular performer was Perrins, an amateur military band formed by a local greengrocer.
After increasing pressure from the St. Marychurch and Babbacombe business community, the Babbacombe Concert Hall was constructed on the same site as the bandstand. Built in the Art Deco box style, the hall opened in May 1939 with modern features including an advanced air conditioning system and sophisticated lighting controls. The venue could seat 600 people and was designed not to exceed the height of the previous bandstand with its canvas awning, ensuring no obstruction to the scenic views from nearby properties.
Unfortunately, the hall’s first season lasted only 12 months before World War II intervened, and the Royal Air Force commandeered the building as a lecture hall for aircrew trainees. During the war years, ENSA (Entertainments National Service Association) shows replaced the regular summer entertainment.
Following the war, the venue, renamed the Babbacombe Theatre, established a reputation for hosting rising stars at the beginning of their careers. In 1955-56, a young Bruce Forsyth headlined in Hedley Claxton’s “Gaytime.” Other notable performers who appeared at Babbacombe in their early days included David Nixon, Ted Rogers, Ray Allen, Norman Vaughan, and Roy Hudd.
After experiencing a heyday in the 1970s, the theatre faced difficulties in the early 1980s, leading the council to consider closure. However, Colin Matthews, who had been operating the theatre since 1986, secured a new lease in 1990 and revitalised the venue. Today, the Babbacombe Theatre boasts the longest-running summer season in the country, lasting nine months, and is known for its variety shows.
Visit Babbacombe Theatre Website
The Princess Theatre: Torquay’s Modern Crown Jewel
The newest of Torquay’s major theatrical venues is the Princess Theatre, which opened its doors on June 7, 1961. The opening night featured comedy legends Tommy Cooper and Morecambe & Wise topping the bill. The theatre was built by Torbay Council as the centrepiece of the redevelopment of Princess Gardens on Torquay’s seafront, replacing a marquee that had been erected annually to host light entertainment.
Just two years after opening, the Princess Theatre welcomed The Beatles on August 18, 1963, for what would be their only performance in Torquay. The Fab Four performed two shows that evening, at 6pm and 8:30pm, causing considerable excitement in the town with their newly released single “She Loves You.”
As a touring house rather than a producing venue, the Princess Theatre has always hosted a wide variety of productions. Like many seaside resort theatres, it was traditionally known for its annual Summer Season consisting of light entertainment and family variety shows. The theatre has presented summer shows from numerous comedians including Joe Pasquale, Bradley Walsh, Ken Dodd, Danny La Rue, and Jimmy Tarbuck.
A significant change in programming occurred in 2002 when the traditional summer lineup was replaced with a six-week run of two West End musicals: “Grease” and “Chicago.” This trend continued the following year with productions of “The Blues Brothers,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat,” and “Boogie Nights,” with musicals proving increasingly popular with audiences.
Over the decades, the Princess Theatre has hosted an impressive array of performers. Stage and screen icons including Sir Roger Moore, Elaine Paige, Joan Collins, and Joan Rivers have graced its stage. Comedians Jimmy Carr, Alan Carr, and Dawn French have performed there, while musical acts such as Mumford & Sons, Jamie Cullum, and Ronan Keating have included the theatre on their UK tours.
The Little Theatre: Community Spirit in a Sacred Space
The Little Theatre in Torquay represents a remarkable story of community dedication and adaptive reuse. This unique venue began life as St. Mark’s Church before being transformed into a theatre in the 1980s by the Torquay Operatic and Amateur Dramatic Society (TOADS).
TOADS has a long history in Torquay, having been formed in 1944 as an offshoot of the Torbay Operatic Society. For many years, the company performed in what would later become the Babbacombe Theatre. By 1957, TOADS had already produced 100 shows, including highly successful summer performances that would run for weeks at a time.
In the 1980s, TOADS acquired the disused St. Mark’s Church and converted it into a full-scale theatre. This ambitious project was entirely self-funded through a combination of fundraising, ticket sales, and a bank loan of £30,000, which was remarkably repaid during the first season. The conversion was so successful that Historic England described it as “the most perfect example of the most appropriate reuse of a once fine and greatly loved place of worship.”
The 240-seat main performance space occupies the centre of the former church, while the bar has been created from the old choir stalls. Throughout the building, ornate stained glass windows and grand archways remain, creating a unique and atmospheric venue.
Today, TOADS Theatre Company presents a different play every month of the year at the Little Theatre. The productions range from Shakespearean classics and well-known plays to fun farces and musicals. The company also runs the Tadpoles youth theatre workshops, nurturing the next generation of theatrical talent in Torquay.
Little Theatre Torquay
The Royal Lyceum: Full Circle Revival
In a remarkable full-circle moment for Torquay’s theatrical history, the building that began as the Royal Lyceum in 1871 has recently been restored to its original name and purpose. After periods as the Royal Theatre and Opera House, Odeon Cinema, and Central Cinema, the venue was purchased by the Unleashed Theatre Company in 2021.
This award-winning community drama group, which works with performers recovering from addiction, homelessness, and mental health issues, has begun restoring the building to its former glory. The Royal Lyceum now serves as a multi-purpose cultural and community hub, bringing new life to one of Torquay’s oldest entertainment venues.
Unleashed Theatre Company at the Royal Lyceum
Festival Theatre and Other Venues
Beyond these main venues, Torquay and the wider Torbay area have hosted numerous theatrical and performance spaces throughout their history. The Festival Theatre in Paignton was another significant venue, particularly in the mid-20th century, completing the trio of major auditoriums alongside the Princess Theatre and Pavilion Theatre.
Today, Torbay continues to offer a rich variety of theatrical experiences across six theatres: the Princess Theatre, the Little Theatre, and the Royal Lyceum in Torquay; the Babbacombe Theatre in the Babbacombe district; a theatre in Paignton; and another in Brixham. This impressive theatrical infrastructure for a coastal resort area reflects the continuing importance of live entertainment to both residents and visitors.
A Legacy of Performance
The theatrical heritage of Torquay represents a fascinating microcosm of British performance history. From Victorian theatrical entrepreneurs and visiting royalty to war-time ENSA shows, from the Beatles causing teen hysteria to community groups saving historic buildings, the theatres of Torquay have witnessed and participated in the evolving story of British entertainment.
What makes Torquay’s theatrical history particularly notable is its continuity and resilience. While many British seaside resorts have seen their entertainment venues close or repurposed over the decades, Torquay has maintained and even expanded its theatrical provision. This enduring commitment to live performance speaks to the special place that theatre holds in the cultural life of the English Riviera, ensuring that the curtain will continue to rise on new productions for generations to come.