Erith Playhouse

Erith Playhouse is a community theatre in Erith, within the London Borough of Bexley in south-east London, England. The venue occupies a building that began life as the Oxford Cinema, which opened on 27 July 1913 with silent-film screenings. After operating as a cinema for roughly twenty-five years, the building closed in 1938 and briefly reopened as a news cinema. During the Second World War it was used to store furniture recovered from homes in the locality that had been damaged by bombing. The theatre’s institutional roots lie in Erith Theatre Guild, formed in 1943 to encourage cooperation among amateur entertainment societies in the area. The Guild’s affiliated groups initially performed in school halls, local buildings and other temporary venues. Its first annual production was Berkeley Square in 1944. Following the war, Guild members sought a permanent home and eventually secured a lease on the former cinema from the local council. Volunteers carried out the conversion largely in their spare time, using donated, borrowed, reclaimed and second-hand materials. Work included creating side-stage access, crude dressing-room and scene-dock facilities, an orchestra pit and storage beneath the stage. The first production in the converted building was Yellow Sands, which opened on 1 October 1949. The theatre’s early years were financially difficult. Audiences were initially small, while the conversion and operating costs created substantial debts. Over the following six years, ten of the thirteen societies originally affiliated with the Guild ceased operating. A loan from the borough council and a reorganisation of the Guild helped stabilise the institution. The Guild began presenting productions under its own management rather than relying solely on separate affiliated societies, and improved audiences and finances eventually enabled the loan to be repaid. Surpluses were then reinvested in the venue. During the 1960s, the theatre faced uncertainty associated with redevelopment in Erith town centre, the creation of the Greater London Borough of Bexley and changing fire-safety requirements. In December 1969, the local authority indicated that it would grant the Guild a 21-year lease, conditional on major improvements to the premises. Members developed a rebuilding programme and began raising money toward an estimated cost of £75,000. The Playhouse closed in November 1972 for reconstruction. The borough provided an interest-free loan, while members raised additional funds through a travelling music-hall production. That activity became sufficiently popular to continue for several years after the theatre reopened. The reconstruction took place between November 1972 and December 1973. External buildings were demolished, new foundations were installed, and front-of-house and backstage facilities were improved. A new frontage was also built, while the original cinema auditorium and stage were retained. The remodelled building was opened for public viewing by the Mayor of Bexley, Councillor Turner, on 1 December 1973, and the first staged production after the renovation was Cinderella in January 1974. The theatre marked its fiftieth anniversary in 1999. In 2006, the frontage was modernised as part of the Erith Riverside Conservation Area Improvements Project. The work included new exterior lighting and an electronic marquee sign. Erith Theatre Guild Ltd administers the theatre as a charity, with proceeds from productions used to support and improve the facilities. The venue remains notable for retaining much of its former cinema auditorium, including its unusual seating geometry: the auditorium is narrower near the stage than at the rear, so some front rows have one fewer seat. A section of Row F is absent to accommodate a side fire exit. The theatre historically relied on warning bells relayed to neighbouring public houses because it did not have its own licensed bar; that arrangement ended after the Playhouse obtained an alcohol licence and the neighbouring premises changed use.

The building now known as Erith Playhouse was constructed as the Oxford Cinema and opened on 27 July 1913. It initially showed silent films and continued as a cinema until 1938. It subsequently had a short period as a news cinema before being used during the Second World War as a storage site for furniture from bomb-damaged local homes. The theatre movement associated with the building developed through Erith Theatre Guild, established in 1943 to bring together amateur entertainment groups in the area. The Guild’s affiliated organisations staged an annual production, beginning with Berkeley Square in 1944, but performances had to take place in school halls, local buildings and temporary venues. After the war, the Guild pursued the creation of a permanent theatre and obtained a lease on the former cinema from the local council. Between 1947 and 1949, volunteers converted the cinema for theatrical use. The work was undertaken mainly by amateur builders during their spare time and relied heavily on materials and equipment that were donated, borrowed or acquired second-hand. The old cinema screen had been painted directly onto the wall. Sections of the side walls were removed to create wing space and access to basic dressing rooms and a scene dock. Old army huts were used for some external backstage functions. Volunteers also excavated an orchestra pit and storage space beneath the stage. The conversion was completed around the time the first production opened, Yellow Sands on 1 October 1949. The new theatre struggled at first. Attendance was limited and debts were high, leading ten of the original thirteen affiliated societies to disappear over the next six years. A borough-council loan and changes to the Guild’s operating model improved the situation. Instead of merely providing a venue or coordinating productions by independent societies, the Guild increasingly presented plays itself. Stronger audiences and finances allowed the loan to be repaid, and later profits could be invested in the theatre. The 1960s brought new pressures. Changes to Erith town centre, the formation of the Greater London Borough of Bexley and stricter fire-safety expectations created uncertainty about the venue’s future. In December 1969, the local authority notified the Guild that it would provide a 21-year lease if the premises were substantially improved. Guild members prepared redevelopment plans and launched fundraising for a project estimated at £75,000. The Playhouse closed in November 1972. The rebuilding programme, carried out through to December 1973, involved demolishing the old external structures, laying new foundations, improving backstage and front-of-house facilities and constructing a new frontage. The original cinema auditorium and stage remained. The borough supported the project with an interest-free loan, and the Guild raised further funds through a travelling music-hall show. That touring production proved popular enough to continue after the theatre reopened. The renovated building was opened for public viewing by Bexley’s mayor, Councillor Turner, on 1 December 1973. Cinderella was the first production in the renovated theatre, opening in January 1974. The institution celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 1999. In 2006, its exterior was modernised as part of the Erith Riverside Conservation Area Improvements Project, adding new exterior lighting and an electronic marquee sign. Erith Theatre Guild Ltd administers the Playhouse as a charity. Proceeds from productions are directed toward further improvement of the facilities rather than distributed as commercial profit. The venue’s auditorium remains substantially based on the original cinema layout. Its front is narrower than its rear, resulting in different seat counts between some rows, and part of Row F is omitted for a side fire exit. A long-running local custom involved relaying pre-show and interval warning bells to public houses next door, allowing patrons to return without missing the performance. This ended after the theatre secured its own licence to serve alcohol and the neighbouring premises changed use.

• 2006

  Exterior modernisation

  [1]Erith Playhouseen.wikipedia.org

  The frontage received new lighting and an electronic marquee through a local conservation-area improvement project.

• 1999

  Fiftieth anniversary

  [1]Erith Playhouseen.wikipedia.org

  The theatre marked fifty years since its first production in the converted cinema.

• 1974

  Cinderella launches the post-renovation stage programme

  [1]Erith Playhouseen.wikipedia.org

  Cinderella became the first production staged after the rebuilding, opening in January.

• 1973

  Rebuilt venue opens to the public

  [1]Erith Playhouseen.wikipedia.org

  The remodelled Playhouse was opened for public viewing on 1 December.

• 1972

  Theatre closes for redevelopment

  [1]Erith Playhouseen.wikipedia.org

  The Playhouse closed in November for major reconstruction and facilities improvements.

• 1969

  Conditional long-term lease proposed

  [1]Erith Playhouseen.wikipedia.org

  The local authority indicated that it would grant the Guild a 21-year lease provided the theatre was improved.

• 1949

  First production at the Playhouse

  [1]Erith Playhouseen.wikipedia.org

  Yellow Sands opened on 1 October, marking the completion of the volunteer-led conversion.

• 1947

  Conversion to theatre begins

  [1]Erith Playhouseen.wikipedia.org

  Guild volunteers began converting the former cinema for theatrical use after securing a council lease.

• 1944

  First Guild annual production

  [1]Erith Playhouseen.wikipedia.org

  The Guild’s first annual production, Berkeley Square, was staged in temporary venues.

• 1943

  Erith Theatre Guild is formed

  [1]Erith Playhouseen.wikipedia.org

  The Guild was established to foster cooperation among amateur entertainment groups in the Erith area.

• 1938

  Cinema operation ends

  [1]Erith Playhouseen.wikipedia.org

  The Oxford Cinema closed after approximately twenty-five years of cinema use and later briefly operated as a news cinema.

• 1913

  Oxford Cinema opens

  [1]Erith Playhouseen.wikipedia.org

  The building opened as the Oxford Cinema on 27 July and began screening silent films.

A volunteer-supported, charitable community theatre that combines local amateur performance with the distinctive architecture and history of a converted early twentieth-century cinema.

• Live theatre · 1949

  Main-stage theatre productions

  The Playhouse’s principal offering is a programme of live performances presented in its former cinema auditorium. The documented repertoire includes drama, musical and community productions, with the venue’s own Guild playing a central role in organising and presenting performances.

• Performing arts · 1943

  Community and amateur theatre

  Erith Playhouse grew from a federation of local amateur societies and continues to represent a community-theatre model. Its charitable administration and volunteer history connect performance, local participation and reinvestment in the venue rather than a conventional commercial theatre business.

• Venue services · 1949

  Theatre venue and facilities

  The venue provides a stage, audience auditorium, backstage areas, front-of-house facilities and licensed-bar hospitality. Its facilities have been progressively adapted from the original cinema layout, including the orchestra pit, scene-dock access and later redevelopment works.

• 1972Travelling music-hall fundraising programme

  United Kingdom

  During the closure for reconstruction, Guild members created a travelling music-hall show. It allowed them to continue performing while generating additional funds for the theatre project.

  Outcome. The show became popular and continued for several years after the Playhouse reopened.

  Source

• 2006

  Modernise the theatre frontageOther

  Background

  The exterior formed part of the Erith Riverside Conservation Area Improvements Project.

  Action taken

  The frontage was updated with new exterior lighting and an electronic marquee sign.

  Aftermath

  The work refreshed the theatre’s street presence while leaving the historic auditorium substantially intact.

  Source

• 1969

  Accept a conditional long-term lease and plan redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  Changes in Erith town centre, local-government reorganisation and updated fire-safety requirements created uncertainty about the theatre’s future.

  Action taken

  The Guild proceeded with plans for major improvements after the local authority indicated that a 21-year lease would be available subject to renovation.

  Aftermath

  The building closed in November 1972 and reopened after extensive work in December 1973, with Cinderella following in January 1974.

  Estimated redevelopment cost. £75,000 estimate (1969)

  Source

• 1947

  Convert the former cinema into a permanent theatreStrategy

  Background

  The Erith Theatre Guild and its affiliated amateur groups had previously relied on schools, local buildings and touring venues for performances.

  Action taken

  After obtaining a council lease, volunteers began a two-year conversion of the former Oxford Cinema, adding theatrical backstage infrastructure and an orchestra pit.

  Aftermath

  The first production in the converted building, Yellow Sands, opened on 1 October 1949.

  Source

1. 1Erith Playhouseen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Erith Playhouse official websiteplayhouse.org.uk