The Little Theatre And Attached Chandos Buildings

ST MICHAEL'S PLACE 656-1/40/1590 (West side) The Little Theatre and attached Chandos Buildings

(Formerly Listed as: ST MICHAEL'S PLACE The Little Theatre) 05/08/75

GV II

Theatre, now cinema, within former town house. 1727, converted and enlarged 1934-35. Designers unknown. MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar, asbestos cement roof. EXTERIOR: Main entrance block on St Michael's Place is a three bay Neo-Georgian block with channelled rustication to ground floor; to left, a neutral masonry-clad continuation to corner; behind, in Chandos Buildings, the narrow passageway leading to Westgate Buildings, Stands the surviving town house of interest. This is of three storeys, six windows wide, all windows are replacement sashes with thick glazing bars nine/nine to ground and first floors, six/six above, with bead-mould inner edge to upper floors. Former entrance doorway with architrave and cornice hood now replaced with a further window. High plinth, platband above ground floor, first floor sill band, and parapet. Return, to right, two bays, with similar fenestration, but partly blocked to ground floor by later corner building, to left single bay, similar, with C20 rebuilding beyond. INTERIOR: Not inspected. HISTORY: This theatre was founded by Consuelo de Reyes and husband Peter King, and converted to cinema use in 1936. Internal alterations in 1979, when a second screen formed out of former scene store and lounge; interior decoration upgraded 1989, when former roof garden theatre converted to office use. One of the earliest surviving repertory cinemas: cf the Everyman, Hampstead with which it was closely associated in its earlier years. SOURCES: John Earl and Michael Sell eds., 'The Theatres Trust Guide to British Theatres 1750-1950' (2000), 9.

Listing NGR: ST7492064729