The Palace Theatre of Varieties opened on Whit Monday 1891 and had cost its owners the then colossal sum of £40,500. The seating capacity at the time was 3,675 and ticket prices ranged from 6d in the balcony to 4/- in the stalls. All the great names from the Music Hall era appeared in the following two decades including Marie Lloyd, Harry Lauder, Little Tich, Lillie Langtry, Vesta Tilley and Charlie Chaplin.

In 1913, the interior of the theatre was renovated under the direction of architect Bertie Crew and re-opened after seven months with Harry Houdini - and a much reduced seating capacity of 2600! The Palace Theatre, always in tune to the taste of the audience, captured the heady atmosphere of the 1920’s and 1930’s with extravagant revues, full-length musicals and lavish pantomimes. The 1940’s brought the stars of radio whilst the 1950’s and 1960’s saw everything from ballet to be-bop, opera to rock ‘n’ roll, Hamlet to Look Back in Anger and The Dancing Years to Guys and Dolls.

In the late 1970’s the Palace Theatre underwent a major refurbishment, extending the stage and dressing room facilities to accommodate such high-profile companies as the Covent Garden Opera and the Kirov Ballet and restoring the auditorium and Front of House facilities to their Edwardian splendor.

The Theatre re-opened in 1981 with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar and has retained its position as the premier provincial touring venue with productions ranging from Nicholas Nickleby to Les Miserables; the Covent Garden Opera to Saturday Night Fever; Luciano Pavarotti to Victoria Wood and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast to King Lear.

Chronicling its great history, the Palace Theatre has an extensive programme archive, a 1,000 Hall of Fame named supplement, detailed prime source material from the 1890’s and a thirty-page history of the theatre.

Venue Hire

The Palace Theatre has a magnificent auditorium with a traditional proscenium arch stage and seating capacity of 1,955, making it suitable for one-off hires, conference and events.

Conference

The Palace Theatre offer facilities for all types of events from children’s parties to all-inclusive theatre evenings for 20 or more.

For more information please email: staceybroadmeadow@theambassadors.com or call 0161 245 6603.

My First Sleeping Beauty
Sunday 3 June 2012, 1pm – 2pm On stage Workshop

Dance into the enchanted world of forests and fairies and explore the magical story of Princess Aurora in a dance workshop on stage. For more information and to book go to http://www.ballet.org.uk/myfirst/sleepingbeauty/index.php or contact the Department of Learning on 0207 581 1245 or learning@ballet.org.uk
 

Flawless and English National Ballet
Alongside our Flawless and English National Ballet tour we plan to hold a dance workshop on stage on Saturday 7 June, 9.30am - 11am for 14 - 18 years.

Join English National Ballet in a workshop on stage at Manchester Palace Theatre; featuring inspiring artists from the opposing poles of dance, learn choreography from this spectacular combination of street dance, acrobatics and ballet. For more information please contact the Department of Learning on 0207 581 1245 or learning@ballet.org.uk

The 100Club is the Palace Theatre and Opera House’s Exclusive corporate membership club. Personal, friendly, comfortable and flexible, the 100Club creates an exciting first class experience for all.

The benefits of the 100Club include 100 complimentary tickets to be used for a variety of different performances at the Palace Theatre and Opera House, the use of an exclusive 100Club lounge, a dedicated 100Club booking office, newsletters and brochure mailings, ticket invoice facility, priority booking, employee discounts, corporate hospitality packages, invites to special events and company acknowledgment in show programmes and brochures.

The 100Club gives your company a unique range of entertainment opportunities. Benefiting both small and large companies alike, it guarantees your clients, colleagues, employees, customers, friends and yourself an enhanced theatre experience.

If you would like the opportunity to visit the theatre and have your questions about the 100club answered we would be very happy to arrange a meeting.

Please do not hesitate to contact Gemma McDonald on 0161 245 6605, alternatively you can email manchesterboxoffice@theambassadors.com