The view from the stage of Blackpool’s Grand Theatre is grand indeed. Performers can gaze out on a luxurious auditorium with plush seating, ornate gilded plasterwork and the most beautifully intricate Baroque ceiling.
Architect Frank Matcham was tasked with building the cosiest and prettiest theatre in the land and from this perspective it’s clear he more than met the brief.
But once they are out of the spotlight, there is little sign of opulence or grandeur.
The paint is peeling in the warren of backstage corridors and twisting staircases, the steps worn away by the countless stars who have appeared here.
The lighting and sound systems are high-tech contemporary additions but high above the stage, in the fly gallery, backdrops and scenes are lowered and raised by a series of ropes and pulleys.
Below stage there’s a narrow corridor and a series of rooms and storage areas, some given modern makeovers, others apparently unchanged from the theatre’s early days.
Next month marks 130 years since building work started, and the theatre opened just nine months later, in July 1894. On its opening night – a performance of Hamlet – the programmes were printed on perfumed silk, the fragrance a specially commissioned Tower Bouquet to honour another landmark which had recently opened in the town.
And this month, the theatre will be open as part of the Heritage Open Days scheme for both guided and self-guided tours.
Since its doors first opened the Grand has been the beating heart of a town famous for performance, entertainment and shows. Posters for previous shows line the walls featuring the names of many of the greats who have performed here.
Among the showbiz heavyweights who have passed through the stage door are Ellen Terry, Sarah Bernhardt, Lily Langtry, Dan Leno, Gracie Fields, Noel Coward and John Gielgud. From that door, at the back of the theatre, they would have climbed a few steps and turned left to the dressing rooms.
But despite its reputation, the theatre would have been demolished in the 1960s to make way for a department store. It was saved in part by being given a Grade II listing and then by the Friends of the Grand group who formed in 1973 and campaigned to save the building.
After years of neglect, the Grand re-opened in 1981 and Adam Knight, the current chief executive, is in no doubt about the debt owed to the Friends who mark their 50th anniversary this year.
‘They saved the theatre and they have continued to raise funds to keep the building looking fantastic,’ he says. ‘They are such a strong and proactive group. Some of them have been with the group from the beginning and we are excited to be celebrating with them this year.’
Members will enjoy a dinner and a special performance of Noises Off next month, starring Matthew Kelly, Liza Goddard and Simon Shepherd.
And when the theatre opens for the Heritage Open Days, tours will be led by Friends, revealing the backstage areas audiences don’t get to see.
Adam, who moved to the Grand last year from the Lyceum Theatre in Crewe, adds: ‘The building is a huge draw for our visitors. We host everything from tours to photography workshops to allow people to experience the wonderful building.
‘In its 130 years, only relatively few people have held this post and it is a huge honour and privilege for me. It comes with a responsibility to protect the beauty of the architecture and we want to continue to tell the stories of the building for future generations to ensure it lives on for another 130 years.
‘It’s a fascinating and beautiful building and there are so many special places, it’s a real pleasure to explore. Last year I asked if I could watch a performance from the fly gallery above the stage and that was so interesting to see how it was put together.
‘A building as beautiful as this, but of the age it is, requires a lot of love, care and attention and we are looking at a funding plan that will enhance the guest experience and help it thrive for many years to come.’
Shaun Gorringe from Westhoughton is the Grand’s head of operations. He says: ‘There is nothing quite like the plushness of the front of house areas and the beauty of the building, but I like to sit in the fly gallery. I like the history of the mechanics of theatre and the way the shows are put together.
‘The pandemic was very hard for the theatre industry but we have come through that and we’re going from strength to strength.’
* The Grand Theatre will be open on September 16 as part of the national Heritage Open Day, from 9.30am to 2pm for self-guided tours. There will also be free 30 minute guided tours at 10am, 11am and noon, booking is recommended: 01253 290190, blackpoolgrand.co.uk.
Two Blackpool theatres feature in a new book by Chris Wood, Death in the Theatre.
The tale of Harry Lauder’s manager Tom Vallance dying backstage during one of his performances at Blackpool Palace Theatre is among the 34 stories gathered from across the country.
And there’s this episode which took place at the Grand Theatre in January 1903 during a performance of the drama Alone in London attended by Mary Manning and her husband who lived a short walk from the theatre.
“Audiences were wowed as items on the stage would miraculously move of their own accord in, according to one report, a fashion akin to happenings ‘produced at a spiritual seance’. Little wonder then that the play created swathes of excitement amongst the energetic audience.
Mary Manning was certainly one of the more buoyant viewers in the gallery that evening and became hugely exhilarated by the proceedings at an early stage... and [was] heard to continually holler her exuberant approval.
Shortly after 10pm and with the play in its final act, she was overcome by excitement. In the gallery, and again announcing her satisfaction towards the stage, her face began to suddenly twitch uncontrollably before she ‘swooned’ into a state of unconsciousness onto the floor.
Mary was swiftly carried to the landing area of the gallery and medically attended, but was pronounced dead at the scene. It transpired that the 32-year-old had suffered from a weak heart and the dramatic proceedings on stage had evidently been of excessive excitement to the woman and subsequently caused her death.”
