New Palace Theatre
| New Palace Theatre of Varieties Academy Disco Dance Academy |
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| Address |
121–123 Union Street Plymouth United Kingdom |
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| Coordinates | 50°22′11″N 4°09′13″W / 50.36965°N 4.15355°W |
| Owner | Manoucehr Bahmanzadeh |
| Type | Music Hall |
| Capacity | Original: 1,610 1945: 1,408 |
| Current use | Renovations set to finish in 2019 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 5 September 1898 |
| Closed | 6 May 2006 |
| Years active | 1898–2006 |
| Architect | Wimperis & Arber |
The Palace Theatre is a disused theatre in Union Street, Plymouth, Devon in south west England. It opened in 1898 as a music hall but was damaged by fire only three months after opening, and was re-opened in 1899 as the New Palace Theatre of Varieties. In 1961 it was converted to a bingo hall, but later reverted to being a theatre as the Palace Theatre until 1983, when it became The Academy disco and finally operated as the Dance Academy, before being closed after Class A drugs were found on the premises.
After GO! Took over the premises and supposedly raised £300,000 to renovate the building, they took off with the money and left the building in its derelict state.
The theatre was built in the Flemish Renaissance style, with the interior in an Art Nouveau style, with nautical features. It is now deteriorating while an agreement is reached about its future and it is listed as an "at risk" building. It is a grade II* listed building.
The theatre was built in 1898 on the corner of Union Street and Phoenix Street, for the joint owners, United Counties Theatres Limited and Horace and Lechmere Livermore (the "Livermore Brothers"), to replace the original Palace of Varieties which had operated at the nearby St. James's Hall since 1866. The site was originally occupied by Frederick Burner, tobacconist, Jonathan Crowl, butcher, Mark Durbin, provision dealer, and John Shepheard, bootmaker.
The theatre was designed by William Arber of Wimperis & Arber from Sackville Street, London, and cost £95,000 to erect. The development included the adjacent Grand Western Hotel which cost a further £87,000.
The theatre was opened for a private viewing on Friday 2 September 1898 by a large number of invited guests who were entertained by the Royal Naval Band, directed by Mr. E. Binding with the first public show at 7.30 p.m. on the following Monday 5 September. Tickets for the opening show were priced at 2s 6d for the stalls, 1s 6d for the grand circle and 1s for the gallery.
The first show ran for three hours and featured a variety of acts. After a rendition of the National Anthem by the Princess Ladies' Orchestra from the Promenade Pier, the show was opened by Leopoldine, described as "a lady who is very clever on the parallel bars and flying rings and kindred implements". She was followed in turn by comedian Harry Comlin, Arthur Vining and Nellie Coleman (vocalists) and singer Emmie Ames. Adele and May Lilian, the Levey Sisters, were "very chic", and "one of the features of the evening" while the Marvellous Craggs "were encored again and again for their wonderful acrobatic work". Walter and Edie Cassons performed "their highly amusing musical vaudeville" Honours are Easy. Other acts included Walter Stockwell, a "character vocalist", Emmie Ames, a vocalist, and Fred Darby, roller skater, who closed the show.
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