Interwar Theatres

This document provides an introduction to theatres in the interwar period, from 1915 to 1945.

Architecturally, historic theatres of this period are extremely diverse. Some make a strong impression in the street as a statement of their cultural and often civic aspirations or to attract patrons inside, and some are more backstreet, being hidden by other buildings. It is often their interiors that are the determining factors for their statutory listing.

Considerable architectural effect was often deployed, and those that remain are evocative reminders of past patterns of culture and entertainment, yet this period is the least researched and often little understood. This guide illustrates examples of the period by theatre building type.

This document has been prepared by Mark Price and edited by Kate Carmichael on behalf of the Theatres Trust, the national advisory public body for theatres, with contributions from Dr David Wilmore and Vicky Simon.