Playhouse Theatre
PLAYHOUSE THEATRE, WILLIAMSON SQUARE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1218642
- Date first listed:
- 14-Mar-1975
- List Entry Name:
- Playhouse Theatre
- Statutory Address:
- PLAYHOUSE THEATRE, WILLIAMSON SQUARE
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-10-25
- Reference:
- IOE01/03972/30
- Rights:
- © Mr Brendan Oxlade. Source: Historic England Archive
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Official list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1218642
- Date first listed:
- 14-Mar-1975
- List Entry Name:
- Playhouse Theatre
- Statutory Address 1:
- PLAYHOUSE THEATRE, WILLIAMSON SQUARE
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- PLAYHOUSE THEATRE, WILLIAMSON SQUARE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Liverpool (Metropolitan Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SJ 34782 90401
Details
5J3490SE
393/53/1362
WILLIAMSON SQUARE
Playhouse Theatre
14.03.1975
II*
Theatre 1865, interior remodelled 1912 by Professor Stanley Adshead, extended 1966-68 by Hall, O'Donahue & Wilson. Stucco with slate roof. 3 storey, 7-bay front. 3-bay centre breaks forward under broken pediment. Entablatures to floors. Ground floor central triple entrance with angle pilasters and fanlights in architrave. End bay paired round headed entrances. 3 blind round windows to each side of centre. lst floor has flat composite pilastrade, centre emphasised by paired pilasters at ends. Windows with panelled aprons, pilasters, cornices; round windows over. Windows to centre bays have balustraded windows with tympana under relieving arches. 2nd floor has oculi between panelled pilasters to central bays, bullseye windows to flanking bays. End bays have cupolas on short Tuscan colonnade.
Addition to left of reinforced concrete with glass cladding provided new foyer and cloakroom on ground floor with box office, restaurant and bar spaces above. To rear large open workshop and studio theatre plus further dressing rooms. Ground floor facade has sets of double entrance doors, above are two cylindrical cantilevered projections largely clad in glass.
Interior: Auditorium has tiers of balconies on cast iron columns; decoration in Neo-Greek style. Additional foyer, restaurant and bars have exposed shuttered concrete walling with suspended steel staircases bolted through the shuttered walling. The Architects' Journal described the refreshment areas as a brilliant concept, joyously realised, which exploits asymmetrical volumes and ever varying spaces yet achieves unity and also balance with the adjoining Victorian facade.' The original theatre is significant as an early and rare work by one of the pioneers of the Liverpool School of Architecture, in the Grecian style favoured by the school at that date; it is also historically important as one of the first repertory theatres in Britain. The foyers added a vivacious tone making the theatre a place to see and be seen in the true sprit of 1960's theatre going, a true citizens' theatre.
Source
Architects' Journal, 4 December 1968, pp. 1327
Listing NGR: SJ3478290401
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 359745
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Architects Journal in 4 December, (1968), 1327
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 14-Jun-2026 at 05:19:09.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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