35:
48:
26:
289:
55:
359:
and Dutch tile, one large cold bath plus smaller ones and a boiler capable of heating up to 190 °F (88 °C). Further enlargements followed in the 1830s and in the 1840s a large swimming pool was established; this was refurbished by the
Corporation of Cheltenham when they bought the complex
231:
was severely damaged by fire. The repair work was evidently undertaken with speed and the theatre was only closed for five months. However, the fire destroyed part of one of the theatre’s balconies (which were formerly viewing balconies for the swimming pool) and this was not restored until 2007.
235:
When the
Corporation decided it no longer wished to fund the theatre, volunteers formed the Theatre & Arts Club in 1956 and they officially took over the running of the venue in 1958 and over time acquired more part of the building which, at that time, were still being used as baths or for
254:
In 2019, planning permission was obtained for a major redevelopment of much of the complex (excluding the auditorium). Funding will be sought in the region of £3.5 million to achieve the charity's ambition to become a fully-staffed professional arts centre while still remaining home to local
266:
pandemic. Local residents launched a crowdfunder and this, together with individual donations, raised over £30,000. Pianist Peter Gill raised an additional £5,000 by playing non-stop for 24 hours. The theatre subsequently received £50,000 in the second round of the CRF.
346:
machine. Around this time he also built Hygeia House to make use of three wells on its site for the taking of the waters but within a few years he turned this into his private house and in 1809 opened the
Montpellier Spa for this purpose (which is now
197:. They decided to convert the swimming pool part of the Montpellier Baths complex and, despite war time restrictions on material and manpower, it opened on 9 April 1945, making it one of a tiny handful of new theatres to commence operating during
351:
restaurant). Water was pumped from around
Thompson's land to the complex on this site so that in addition to the baths he could open a salts laboratory for the manufacturing of the Real Cheltenham Salts that could be added to water for bathing.
246:
In 2008, the auditorium and green room underwent a £340,000 refurbishment, half of which was funded by the council, together with additional donations from the
Summerfield Charitable Trust, Trefoil Trust, a
217:
were also provided at the council's expense to assist the amateur groups, although the production requirements and expenses remained the responsibility of the societies. The first play performed was Shaw's
173:, England, UK. It opened in 1945 as the Civic Playhouse and was run by the Corporation of Cheltenham; it was taken over by volunteers in 1958 who continue to run the operation as a
507:
629:
1259:
555:
530:
1195:
1175:
850:
177:. It is housed in the former Montpellier Baths and the building dates back to 1806/7, making it one of the two oldest surviving spa buildings in the town.
83:
1134:
840:
396:
47:
622:
1205:
1129:
755:
1274:
1028:
1079:
750:
368:
times in addition to slipper baths upstairs, the ground floor was used as a medicinal spa for a variety of treatments including a radioactive
1185:
1170:
1269:
1215:
1063:
1038:
615:
499:
360:
in 1899. The current auditorium is built over this pool and is used as a furniture store; it is shown each
September as part of Heritage
1210:
952:
845:
992:
765:
790:
451:
1149:
34:
1264:
1200:
1180:
947:
855:
795:
303:
189:) realised the town's lack of theatrical facilities and, spearheaded by town clerk Frank Littlewood, decided to open a civic
997:
972:
937:
881:
770:
331:
1053:
1048:
1043:
891:
820:
422:
76:
551:
962:
251:
from a founder member, several of the resident non-professional companies, and the charities own fundraising efforts.
473:
275:
The
Playhouse is the home of the amateur theatre group now known as Playhouse Arts, formerly The Playhouse Company.
1119:
1033:
702:
240:
186:
760:
209:(who had been born in the town). The Corporation funded the services of the front of house staff, the cashier and
1089:
1007:
579:
1094:
1002:
348:
982:
392:
1084:
932:
916:
815:
785:
692:
1190:
243:
the theatre was flooded twice within the space of five weeks. Only two performances had to be cancelled.
1139:
942:
780:
712:
259:
1114:
1099:
1058:
1023:
911:
886:
805:
800:
682:
672:
1233:
1144:
1109:
1104:
896:
830:
825:
727:
662:
652:
298:
202:
190:
967:
865:
860:
174:
25:
361:
977:
1124:
987:
957:
732:
657:
220:
206:
123:
1220:
775:
722:
583:
323:
500:"Huge new plans to transform historic Cheltenham theatre into modern performing arts hub"
600:
147:
667:
335:
447:
1253:
365:
214:
1154:
810:
717:
198:
418:
687:
677:
355:
The complex was enlarged circa 1818 when it boasted 14 warm baths, fitted with
707:
638:
228:
210:
170:
98:
85:
906:
697:
369:
339:
327:
263:
1245:
248:
194:
576:
356:
213:
facilities and all the publicity. A consultant producer and resident
343:
611:
282:
607:
326:
were discovered in
Cheltenham, transforming it into a
330:. 1806/7 saw the opening of a small complex built by
1163:
1072:
1016:
925:
874:
741:
645:
296:It has been suggested that this article should be
140:
132:
122:
114:
75:
258:The theatre failed to receive £50,000 from the
442:
440:
623:
577:"The Playhouse Cheltenham - A Brief History "
8:
387:
385:
201:. Goodwill messages and telegrams came from
185:In 1944, the Corporation of Cheltenham (now
18:
1246:Official website for the building's history
1196:Cheltenham Spa Malvern Road railway station
1176:Cheltenham High Street Halt railway station
851:Cheltenham High Street Halt railway station
1135:Hatherley and Reddings Cricket Club Ground
841:St Philip and St James Church, Leckhampton
630:
616:
608:
552:"The discovery of Cheltenham's spa waters"
33:
17:
1206:Cheltenham Spa St. James railway station
1130:East Gloucestershire Cricket Club Ground
756:Grade II* listed buildings in Cheltenham
1029:Cheltenham (UK Parliament constituency)
381:
1260:Buildings and structures in Cheltenham
1080:Cheltenham Association Football League
751:Grade I listed buildings in Cheltenham
558:from the original on 25 September 2019
342:(steam room) and a self-administering
1186:Cheltenham Racecourse railway station
1171:Cheltenham and District Light Railway
54:
7:
1216:Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
1064:John Taylor, Baron Taylor of Warwick
1039:Cheltenham Borough Council elections
425:from the original on 17 October 2016
399:from the original on 26 October 2019
529:The Playhouse Company, Cheltenham.
193:to act as a home for local amateur
1211:Gloucester and Cheltenham Tramroad
14:
510:from the original on 2 March 2019
454:from the original on 13 June 2016
448:"A brief history of our building"
498:Flowers, Sophie (1 March 2019).
287:
53:
46:
24:
67:Location within Gloucestershire
1275:1945 establishments in England
1201:Cheltenham Spa railway station
1181:Cheltenham Racecourse Heliport
948:Westminster Theological Centre
856:Cheltenham Spa railway station
796:Cheltenham Racecourse Heliport
479:. Summerfield Charitable Trust
334:that encompassed a handful of
1:
998:University of Gloucestershire
938:University of Gloucestershire
791:Cheltenham Minster, St Mary's
1054:Cheltenham by-election, 1937
1049:Cheltenham by-election, 1928
1044:Cheltenham by-election, 1911
1270:Theatres in Gloucestershire
963:Cheltenham Bournside School
1291:
1120:College Ground, Cheltenham
1034:Cheltenham Borough Council
973:Cheltenham Ladies' College
241:2007 United Kingdom floods
187:Cheltenham Borough Council
169:is a community theatre in
1229:
1090:Cheltenham Rugby Festival
1008:Urban Learning Foundation
421:. The Playhouse Company.
302:into multiple articles. (
145:
41:
32:
23:
1095:Cheltenham Saracens F.C.
1003:Hereford College of Arts
450:. Cheltenham Playhouse.
1085:Cheltenham Cricket Club
933:Gloucestershire College
917:The Wilson (Cheltenham)
816:Ellenborough Park Hotel
786:Cheltenham Masonic Hall
393:"The Playhouse Theatre"
1191:Cheltenham Spa Express
99:51.896805°N 2.074265°W
1265:Culture in Cheltenham
1140:Cheltenham Racecourse
983:Pate's Grammar School
943:National Star College
781:Le Champignon Sauvage
761:153–159 Fairview Road
582:24 April 2006 at the
554:. The History Press.
540:– via Facebook.
260:Culture Recovery Fund
227:On 5 April 1950, the
1115:Old Patesians R.F.C.
1100:Cheltenham Town F.C.
1059:GCHQ trade union ban
1024:Cheltenham Agreement
912:The Cheltenham Ghost
887:Cheltenham Town Hall
806:Cheltenham Town Hall
801:Cheltenham Synagogue
504:Gloucestershire Live
395:. Visit Cheltenham.
236:medical treatments.
167:Cheltenham Playhouse
104:51.896805; -2.074265
1150:The Victoria Ground
1145:Sandford Parks Lido
1110:Cheltenham Gold Cup
1105:Cheltenham Festival
953:All Saints' Academy
897:Pittville Pump Room
846:St Gregory's Church
831:Pittville Pump Room
826:Montpellier Rotunda
419:"About the company"
322:In 1716, the first
203:George Bernard Shaw
95: /
20:
993:St Edward's School
968:Cheltenham College
866:Trinity Cheltenham
861:Thirlestaine House
766:All Saints' Church
474:"Grants paid 2008"
175:registered charity
1242:
1241:
978:Dean Close School
882:The Bacon Theatre
771:The Bacon Theatre
320:
319:
279:Montpellier Baths
271:Theatre companies
262:(CRF) during the
164:
163:
1282:
1125:Dowty Arle Court
988:Pittville School
958:Balcarras School
892:Everyman Theatre
821:Everyman Theatre
632:
625:
618:
609:
604:
603:
601:Official website
586:
574:
568:
567:
565:
563:
548:
542:
541:
539:
537:
531:"WE ARE MOVING!"
526:
520:
519:
517:
515:
495:
489:
488:
486:
484:
478:
470:
464:
463:
461:
459:
444:
435:
434:
432:
430:
415:
409:
408:
406:
404:
389:
315:
312:
291:
290:
283:
221:Arms and the Man
207:Ralph Richardson
160:
157:
155:
153:
151:
149:
110:
109:
107:
106:
105:
100:
96:
93:
92:
91:
88:
57:
56:
50:
37:
28:
21:
1290:
1289:
1285:
1284:
1283:
1281:
1280:
1279:
1250:
1249:
1243:
1238:
1225:
1221:Stagecoach West
1159:
1068:
1012:
921:
870:
776:Cavendish House
743:
737:
641:
636:
599:
598:
595:
590:
589:
584:Wayback Machine
575:
571:
561:
559:
550:
549:
545:
535:
533:
528:
527:
523:
513:
511:
497:
496:
492:
482:
480:
476:
472:
471:
467:
457:
455:
446:
445:
438:
428:
426:
417:
416:
412:
402:
400:
391:
390:
383:
378:
324:mineral springs
316:
310:
307:
292:
288:
281:
273:
183:
154:/CheltPlayhouse
146:
103:
101:
97:
94:
89:
86:
84:
82:
81:
71:
70:
69:
68:
65:
64:
63:
62:
58:
12:
11:
5:
1288:
1286:
1278:
1277:
1272:
1267:
1262:
1252:
1251:
1240:
1239:
1237:
1236:
1230:
1227:
1226:
1224:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1167:
1165:
1161:
1160:
1158:
1157:
1152:
1147:
1142:
1137:
1132:
1127:
1122:
1117:
1112:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1076:
1074:
1070:
1069:
1067:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1020:
1018:
1014:
1013:
1011:
1010:
1005:
1000:
995:
990:
985:
980:
975:
970:
965:
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
929:
927:
923:
922:
920:
919:
914:
909:
904:
899:
894:
889:
884:
878:
876:
872:
871:
869:
868:
863:
858:
853:
848:
843:
838:
833:
828:
823:
818:
813:
808:
803:
798:
793:
788:
783:
778:
773:
768:
763:
758:
753:
747:
745:
739:
738:
736:
735:
730:
725:
720:
715:
710:
705:
700:
695:
690:
685:
680:
675:
670:
668:Charlton Kings
665:
660:
655:
649:
647:
643:
642:
637:
635:
634:
627:
620:
612:
606:
605:
594:
593:External links
591:
588:
587:
569:
543:
521:
490:
465:
436:
410:
380:
379:
377:
374:
332:Henry Thompson
318:
317:
295:
293:
286:
280:
277:
272:
269:
182:
179:
162:
161:
148:cheltplayhouse
143:
142:
138:
137:
134:
130:
129:
126:
120:
119:
116:
112:
111:
79:
73:
72:
66:
60:
59:
52:
51:
45:
44:
43:
42:
39:
38:
30:
29:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1287:
1276:
1273:
1271:
1268:
1266:
1263:
1261:
1258:
1257:
1255:
1248:
1247:
1235:
1232:
1231:
1228:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1169:
1168:
1166:
1162:
1156:
1153:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1141:
1138:
1136:
1133:
1131:
1128:
1126:
1123:
1121:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1077:
1075:
1071:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1021:
1019:
1015:
1009:
1006:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
994:
991:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
930:
928:
924:
918:
915:
913:
910:
908:
905:
903:
902:The Playhouse
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
880:
879:
877:
873:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
836:The Playhouse
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
779:
777:
774:
772:
769:
767:
764:
762:
759:
757:
754:
752:
749:
748:
746:
742:Buildings and
740:
734:
733:Wyman's Brook
731:
729:
726:
724:
721:
719:
716:
714:
711:
709:
706:
704:
701:
699:
696:
694:
691:
689:
686:
684:
681:
679:
676:
674:
671:
669:
666:
664:
661:
659:
656:
654:
651:
650:
648:
644:
640:
633:
628:
626:
621:
619:
614:
613:
610:
602:
597:
596:
592:
585:
581:
578:
573:
570:
557:
553:
547:
544:
532:
525:
522:
509:
505:
501:
494:
491:
475:
469:
466:
453:
449:
443:
441:
437:
424:
420:
414:
411:
398:
394:
388:
386:
382:
375:
373:
371:
367:
363:
358:
353:
350:
345:
341:
337:
333:
329:
325:
314:
311:February 2023
305:
301:
300:
294:
285:
284:
278:
276:
270:
268:
265:
261:
256:
252:
250:
244:
242:
237:
233:
230:
225:
223:
222:
216:
215:stage manager
212:
208:
204:
200:
196:
192:
188:
180:
178:
176:
172:
168:
159:
144:
139:
135:
131:
127:
125:
121:
117:
113:
108:
80:
78:
74:
61:The Playhouse
49:
40:
36:
31:
27:
22:
19:The Playhouse
16:
1244:
1155:Whaddon Road
901:
835:
811:The Doughnut
718:Up Hatherley
572:
560:. Retrieved
546:
534:. Retrieved
524:
512:. Retrieved
503:
493:
481:. Retrieved
468:
456:. Retrieved
427:. Retrieved
413:
401:. Retrieved
354:
321:
308:
297:
274:
257:
255:performers.
253:
245:
238:
234:
226:
219:
199:World War II
184:
166:
165:
15:
693:Montpellier
688:Leckhampton
678:Hesters Way
536:31 December
239:During the
102: /
77:Coordinates
1254:Categories
744:structures
708:Rowanfield
639:Cheltenham
376:References
229:auditorium
211:box office
171:Cheltenham
87:51°53′48″N
1164:Transport
926:Education
907:Spy Booth
713:St. Pauls
703:Prestbury
698:Pittville
366:Edwardian
364:. In the
362:Open Days
195:companies
191:playhouse
90:2°04′27″W
1234:Category
1017:Politics
683:Lansdown
673:Fairview
580:Archived
556:Archived
508:Archived
452:Archived
423:Archived
397:Archived
370:mud bath
340:sudatory
328:spa town
264:COVID-19
124:Capacity
875:Culture
728:Whaddon
723:Swindon
663:Benhall
653:Alstone
562:20 July
514:20 July
483:20 July
458:20 July
429:20 July
403:20 July
349:The Ivy
304:discuss
249:bequest
181:History
141:Website
118:Theatre
357:marble
133:Opened
1073:Sport
646:Areas
477:(PDF)
344:enema
336:baths
299:split
158:/Home
658:Arle
564:2020
538:2023
516:2020
485:2020
460:2020
431:2020
405:2020
338:, a
205:and
156:.dll
150:.org
136:1945
115:Type
306:)
152:.uk
128:186
1256::
506:.
502:.
439:^
384:^
372:.
224:.
631:e
624:t
617:v
566:.
518:.
487:.
462:.
433:.
407:.
313:)
309:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.