The first time I ever went to a theatre performance was when my parents took me and my sister to see Starlight Express in Bochum, Germany. The venue was especially built for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical and I remember my six year old self being absolutely blown away by it. Since then my mid-twenties self has turned into one of those people who enjoy going to the theatre but only actually go once every few years. When I do go, I just love the atmosphere: heavy red carpets, golden lights, people wearing their best outfits and of course the little £1 opera classes, which make me feel like being a character in Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo!
There are several theatres and concert halls in Hull but the one closest to my flat is Hull New Theatre. I really like the building, which can be found on Kingston Square opposite a small park surrounded by Victorian town houses. After doing some research on the place, I quickly came to the conclusion that we’re very lucky to still have this theatre!
World War II, Bingo Halls and Floods
The building that is now Hull New Theatre is from the 1830s and was originally constructed as Georgian Assembly Rooms. Its conversion into a theatre was made possible with the help of a man with the melodic name Peppino Santangelo. He borrowed and begged for the theatre’s opening after the outbreak of World War 2 put a halt to building works. His persistence was crowned with success and the theatre opened its doors on 16th October 1939 in a glamorous ceremony. And with a truly British “Keep Calm and Carry On”-attitude, performances didn’t stop because of the war. But most people didn't want to gamble their life to visit the theatre. They wanted some sort of protection from the German Luftwaffe so the bar was reinforced and turned into a bomb shelter. The fear of a German air raid was justified. In the night of 7th to 8th May 1940 Hull New Theatre took a direct bomb hit which destroyed the stage lantern, two auditorium doors, the stalls’ front row and all the props and costumes.
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| Statue of Hull Born Tenor David Whitfield by the Entrance |
After the damage was repaired, the theatre faced another dangerous threat: television and gambling. In the 1950s TVs entered British households and many people just could not be bothered to go to the theatre anymore. Audience numbers declined and in 1961 the theatre’s fate seemed sealed when experimental bingo sessions were introduced. The only time I ever played bingo was during English classes when our teacher tried to make us learn the numbers. I hated it. In Hull however, the sessions were a great success! Luckily for us, enough like-minded members of Hull City Council did not like seeing the theatre fall into the hands of gambling either. They called in an emergency meeting and bought the place to eliminate the option of it ever turning into a bingo hall.
Hull New Theatre faced its latest threat during the big floods in 2007. The sewer burst open and water flooded the dressing room, the toilets, the staff room, the bar and the kitchen. Luckily, the staff reacted quickly and the theatre was pumped out for that evening’s performance of... that’s right: Starlight Express!!
My Experience
I really wanted to have a look inside so I dragged my boyfriend to see the Russian State Ballet of Siberia perform The Nutcracker earlier in January, which was fun. Unfortunately we didn’t take any money so we couldn’t use those cool opera glasses you find attached to the seat in front of you. It also meant that we could only watch as everybody else had ice cream during the break (ﾟДﾟ). But I loved the interior and the overall atmosphere! Too often I’m not aware of what I’m taking in when the TV is on in the background. That’s why the theatre is great; it means you’re consciously taking time out of your day to enjoy a performance and share an experience. You can visit the Hull New Theatre website for upcoming shows and events!
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