Lantern Theatre

The Lantern Theatre stands in Nether Edge, a quiet residential district of Sheffield. Built in 1893 as a private playhouse for a local industrialist, it later became a public venue. After falling into disrepair, it was restored in 1957 by Dilys Guite. The building is Sheffield’s oldest theatre and still seats just eighty-four people. It began life as the Chalet Theatre before taking its present name. For decades it served mainly the Dilys Guite Players, who still own the freehold. The theatre’s modest size has not stopped it from staging ambitious work. In 2011 it presented its first professional co-production. The following year it produced Order, a play by Martin Derbyshire, under his own direction. After one season Ruth Carney took over as artistic director but left soon afterwards. Since then the theatre has been run as an amateur venue by a general manager. Performances now include theatre, music and comedy from visiting companies. Inside, the auditorium retains its intimate scale and period charm. The stage is small but well equipped for touring shows. The foyer and bar occupy the former dressing-room corridors. Outside, Nether Edge’s tree-lined streets and tall stone villas provide a peaceful setting. The theatre’s brick façade and gabled roof sit unobtrusively among the houses. Visitors find a calm, unpretentious space where the focus remains on the performance.