Celebrating Frank Matcham, Britain’s great theatre architect 🎭 Theatre architecture • history • heritage • conservation Join us & discover more: frankmatchamsociety.org.ukhttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mvx5n7rtxs25A lost Matcham hiding in plain sight 🎭 The Wood Green Empire opened in 1912, one of Frank Matcham’s last major theatres. It later became an ATV television studio before the auditorium was demolished in 1970. The High Road façade survives. flic.kr/p/2sBPWne #FrankMatcham #TheatreHistory https://flic.kr/p/2sBPWne20 Sep 2026 12:01 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvx5n7rtxs25https://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mvv6r675422aA lost Frank Matcham theatre 🎭 The Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley, opened in 1898, seating around 2,500 for theatre, variety and circus. Films followed by 1899. Destroyed by fire in 1932 and never rebuilt. Artist’s impression based on an historic photograph. #FrankMatcham #TheatreHistory https://flic.kr/p/2sBHiWH19 Sep 2026 17:16 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvv6r675422ahttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mvuwoafc4c2qA fascinating glimpse into 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺’𝘀 architectural versatility! Bolton’s Grand originally opened in 1894 as the New Grand Cirque of Varieties. This 1936 photo shows workmen uncovering Matcham's original circus ring, extending right into the orchestra stalls. 🎪🎭 #FrankMatcham #Bolton #Theatre https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/25108257.boltons-grand-theatre-revealed-circus-past-revamp/?ref=socialflow&fbclid=IwY2xjawUbf6VwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5DzFGZVcFCv7naP0TZU1W_IX0zY87Q4EbC_5MD6h9Qf2D8l_jEjO9R3WXIFQ_aem_oTKIr7x0syh0CugGF9OYMg19 Sep 2026 14:51 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvuwoafc4c2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mvuvg7x6ac22🎪 Hengler’s Grand Cirque, Glasgow An artist’s impression, based on a contemporary illustration, of one of Frank Matcham’s earliest major works. The Wellington Street Cirque opened on 9 Nov 1885, seating 3,500+. More history: flic.kr/p/2sByFPA #FrankMatcham #Glasgow https://flic.kr/p/2sByFPA19 Sep 2026 14:29 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvuvg7x6ac22https://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mvso2xuj5c22Hard to believe it's been 70 years since the devastating 1956 fire at Frank Matcham's Blackpool Tower Ballroom. Tens of thousands of blocks of oak, mahogany, and walnut went into recreating that magnificent floor. A true architectural resurrection. #FrankMatcham #Blackpool https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/retro/12-iconic-pictures-that-remember-when-fire-ripped-through-blackpool-tower-ballroom-in-1956-907671818 Sep 2026 17:12 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvso2xuj5c22https://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mvpjptaa6c2iNews from one of our most famous Frank Matcham theatres. A shocking incident in the historic dress circle of the London Coliseum has resulted in a two-year jail sentence for a theatregoer. Certainly not the kind of drama Matcham intended for this space. #FrankMatcham #LondonColiseum https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp93854xvllo17 Sep 2026 11:16 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvpjptaa6c2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mvpckalr6s2kThe Palladium, designed by theatre architect Frank Matcham, opened its doors on Boxing Day in 1910. https://www.london-now.co.uk/news/26547999.london-palladium---shows-history-2026/17 Sep 2026 09:08 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvpckalr6s2khttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mvpc6sfcxc2kLW Theatres launches advisory division to create ‘great venues of the future’ https://edition.thestage.co.uk/lw-theatres-launches-advisory-division-to-create-great-venues-of-the-future/pugpig_index.html17 Sep 2026 09:02 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvpc6sfcxc2khttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mvccbo3mek2fA fascinating look at a lost Frank Matcham theatre. Ipswich Hippodrome opened in 1905, designed for circus, variety and spectacle. Later a cinema, ballroom and bingo hall, it was demolished in 1985. The story of a much-missed theatre 👇 #FrankMatcham #TheatreHistory https://www.ipswich.co.uk/forgottethe-rise-of-the-new-hippodrome/12 Sep 2026 04:59 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvccbo3mek2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mv7tklkavc23Did you know the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith was rebuilt by Frank Matcham in 1895, then dismantled piece by piece in 1969 and reassembled inside a modern shell? (Re-opened 1979) A true architectural survivor and a stunning 19th-century auditorium. 🏛️✨ flic.kr/p/2fyKTYr #FrankMatcham https://flic.kr/p/2fyKTYr11 Sep 2026 05:30 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv7tklkavc23https://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mv3yydwhgk2tThrilled to see historic renovations celebrated in the first Great British Theatres Awards! Congrats to the finalists preserving our theatrical heritage, and to the Theatres Trust on 50 years. 🎭 https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/finalists-revealed-for-great-british-theatres-awards_1731326/09 Sep 2026 16:56 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv3yydwhgk2thttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mv3analey32nNot a Matcham theatre — but one that matters. 🎭 Manchester’s Grade II listed Theatre Royal dates from 1845 and is the city’s oldest surviving theatre. It has been on the Theatres at Risk Register since 2013. Read why it matters: https://bit.ly/46dd6Sg #TheatresAtRisk09 Sep 2026 09:41 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv3analey32nhttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mv2wclrwss2fOn stage at Blackpool Opera House 🎭 FMS members during our May 2024 visit. Today’s Opera House isn’t by Matcham, but his 1889 theatre was the first of three on this site. We celebrate Matcham — and great theatres everywhere. www.frankmatchamsociety.org.uk #FrankMatchamSociety09 Sep 2026 06:36 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv2wclrwss2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3muypzegafk2gTickets are now available for 3rd British Music Hall Society Conference at The Cinema Museum, London. https://www.ticketsource.com/britishmusichallsociety/3rd-british-music-hall-society-conference/e-djpykz08 Sep 2026 09:38 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3muypzegafk2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3muypkel63s2tThe former King’s Theatre in Dundee (1909). Designed by Frank Thomson, it hides a remarkable secret: its original Baroque & Rococo plasterwork and frescoed saucer-dome survive behind mid-century false ceilings. Currently on the Theatres at Risk register! flic.kr/p/Qvo9J9 https://flic.kr/p/Qvo9J908 Sep 2026 09:29 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3muypkel63s2thttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3muyhvkghqa2f🎭 Smart glasses in theatres? As UK cinemas consider restrictions on camera-enabled Meta glasses, theatres are already taking action. With discreet recording now possible from a pair of spectacles, protecting performances — and fellow audience members — presents a new challenge. https://news.sky.com/story/uk-cinemas-consider-ban-on-meta-glasses-1357468608 Sep 2026 07:13 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3muyhvkghqa2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3muygjl5ssu2zA theatre that deserves a future. Salford’s Grade II-listed Victoria Theatre, designed by Bertie Crewe, opened in 1900. Now at risk, it retains a remarkable historic auditorium and rare stage machinery. Support the campaign to save it: https://salfordvictoria.co.uk/ #TheatresAtRisk08 Sep 2026 06:48 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3muygjl5ssu2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mux5rctwos2k🎭 Call for Papers: Visualising the Music Hall! Explore the visual culture of popular entertainment—from vintage photography to architectural design—at the University of St Andrews. 📍 Apr 22-23, 2027 📝 Deadline: Nov 27, 2026 arthist.net/archive/53576 #MusicHall #VisualCulture https://arthist.net/archive/5357607 Sep 2026 18:39 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mux5rctwos2khttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3muwfpu5l522wOpen Day This Saturday 12th October at Matcham's Buxton Opera House #buxton #frankmatcham #theatre https://buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/events/heritage-open-day-2026/07 Sep 2026 11:28 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3muwfpu5l522whttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3muvxben3gv2mBlackpool Tower Circus 🎪 Opened in 1894 and extensively remodelled by Frank Matcham around 1899–1900. Beneath this spectacular arena, the ring can be flooded for its famous aquatic finales. Full history & photo: https://flic.kr/p/2szvq7C #FrankMatcham #Blackpool07 Sep 2026 07:10 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3muvxben3gv2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3muvujo5isb2zMatcham’s Grand Theatre Blackpool - Theatre Re-opening 1958 #grandtheatre #blackpool https://flic.kr/p/2s4Zb1K 07 Sep 2026 06:21 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3muvujo5isb2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3muvt3xpy5a2zA magnificent collision of theatrical masters: rebuilt by C.J. Phipps in 1884 and lavishly remodelled by Frank Matcham in 1900. From Matcham’s sweeping foyer staircase with alabaster walls to his intimate balcony, dive into these glorious archive photos of the New Theatre Royal Portsmouth https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/retro/34-exclusive-unseen-and-glorious-photos-of-the-new-theatre-royal-in-portsmouth-284222607 Sep 2026 05:55 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3muvt3xpy5a2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3muvqyj4ydk25From Laurel & Hardy to Morecambe & Wise, Manchester’s Grade II Hulme Hippodrome has seen it all. Today it sits derelict, threatened by decay and legal stalemates—though local campaigners are still battling to save this Edwardian gem before it’s too late. 🎭 https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/ng-interactive/2026/apr/30/it-once-hosted-eric-and-ernie-and-a-boxing-kangaroo-now-its-all-pigeons-and-decay-how-did-hulme-hippodrome-fall-so-low?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other07 Sep 2026 05:17 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3muvqyj4ydk25https://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3muqsybwkje2zLondon Coliseum — turning the view around. 🎭 Matcham’s spectacular 1904 proscenium, with its elaborate boxes, domed canopies and extraordinary sculptural decoration. One of his finest surviving achievements. Full history & photo: https://flic.kr/p/2szaTpL #FrankMatcham05 Sep 2026 06:10 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3muqsybwkje2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3muqsw3ugiw2mLondon Coliseum — a Matcham masterpiece 🎭 An unusual view from a box beside the stage, looking across Frank Matcham’s magnificent 1904 auditorium. Cantilevered tiers, sweeping balconies and extraordinary Edwardian decoration — Matcham at his finest. #FrankMatcham #LondonColiseum05 Sep 2026 06:08 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3muqsw3ugiw2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mupip5rik22yOlympia Theatre of Varieties, Glasgow — then & now. Opened in 1911, with the building by George Arthur & Son and the theatre interior by Frank Matcham & Co. Matcham’s auditorium is now lost, but the landmark frontage survives. Full history & images: Flickr – Olympia Theatre of Varieties⁠ https://www.flickr.com/photos/fotos_by_findlay/55508016531/in/dateposted-public04 Sep 2026 17:33 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mupip5rik22yhttps://bsky.app/profile/frankmatchamsoc.bsky.social/post/3mulup2ssop2pInside Frank Matcham’s Grand Opera House, Belfast 🎭 Opened in 1895, this magnificent auditorium belongs to the only surviving Matcham theatre on the island of Ireland. A wonderful contrast here between Matcham’s Victorian splendour and the working stage beyond. #FrankMatcham #Belfast03 Sep 2026 06:57 +0000at://did:plc:usogybcoeowzr2vn7ajffbnt/app.bsky.feed.post/3mulup2ssop2p