Palace Theatre

The Palace Theatre stands in the seaside town of Paignton in Devon. Built in 1890, it is the oldest working theatre in Torbay. The building began as an 800-seat hall for public use, created by The Public Hall Company under managing director A. W. Axworthy. Its early years saw competition from the Gerston Theatre, opened in 1870 by Arthur Hyde Dendy. Plans by Torquay and Paignton Photo-play Productions to turn the hall into film studios did not go ahead. In 1920, Paignton Council bought the hall, securing its future. The theatre has changed names and purposes over the decades. It became The Garrison Theatre in 1941 when the Paignton Pantomime Company staged Aladdin. The West of England Players and Torbay Amateur Operatic Society also performed there in the 1940s. Herman Darewski and his Orchestra played at the venue. Renamed the Palace Avenue Theatre in 1948, it hosted summer shows before becoming Paignton’s main theatre in 1998. Today the theatre supports a lively programme of performances and groups. The Friends of the Palace Theatre, numbering over 1,000, help raise funds and promote its productions. Torbay Acting Factory, a youth theatre group, rehearses in the arena space and performs on the main stage. Bijou Theatre Productions stages four productions a year for its membership audience. The Robert Owen Foundation operates from within the theatre, displaying work that encourages artistic expression.