Churchill speech and Chaplin’s stagecraft: Wolverhampton Grand Theatre celebrates 125 years

It wasn't the city's first theatre but when the Grand opened its doors on December 10, 1894, it was to outlast all its rivals and attract some of Britain's best actors and even politicians.

Now the theatre is marking its 125th year – and to mark the milestone the Express & Star will delve through the archives to reveal some of the stars and shows that have made it a special place to visit.

The Grand Theatre has a rich history. Prime minister Lloyd George launched his election campaign to a packed auditorium there. Churchill was rising through the Tory ranks when he made a speech there in 1909.

But it is the musicals and murder mysteries, the pantos, farces and star names with which the Grand is most associated. Sid James, Kenneth More, June Whitfield and Leonard Rossiter are among those who graced its stage. The world-renowned D’Oyly Carte opera company performed on the opening night.

And as this early image of the much loved Lichfield Road venue shows, the building has hardly changed despite two major revamps.

In the early days, the Grand incorporated four shops, two on either side of the main entrance, along its impressive 123ft frontage. It was completed in less than six months from the laying of foundation stone on June 28.

The site chosen was a prominent city centre location, where it would replace a decaying eyesore next to the Victoria Hotel, later the Britannia Hotel.

The theatre opened with a suitably grand pledge by the leaseholder Mr E.H.Bull, former manager of the D'Oyle Carte, who vowed: “I am going to try to make this theatre a success. I cannot do it alone. I ask you to come and rally round. Support your own town – and leave foreign Birmingham severely alone.”

The audience capacity in 1894 was a staggering 2,151. In those days, seating was segregated by class, with the dress circle reserved for the gentry and those 'ordinary' people lucky enough to get in watched from the gallery where seats could not be booked in advance.

The auditorium was a breathtaking sight. The main stage arch and box and circle fronts were decorated in gold paint, and the main interior predominantly in cream and claret, with ornate ceiling plasterwork. With the exception of the stage, it was lit by electricity.

It's splendour has not diminished and it is safe to say, 125 years on, that the Grand is still at the heart of the city's rich cultural life.