Priory Theatre

The Priory Theatre is an amateur theatre building in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, standing near the ruined St Mary’s Abbey and the green space of Abbey Fields. The company began in 1932 as the Kenilworth Players, performing first in a ballroom. After the Second World War they bought a former chapel built in 1816 in Perpendicular Gothic Revival style. The theatre opened in April 1946 with 120 seats arranged in a circle and stalls. Over the years the building has had a circle added, new changing rooms, a kitchen and a foyer. The company changed its name to the Priory Theatre Company in 1968 and joined the Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain two years later. A serious fire in 1976 damaged the building, yet performances resumed within two years. In 1979 the group bought a former school nearby for rehearsals and wardrobe space. The foyer was redeveloped in 1999 and the dressing rooms in 2006. Visitors find a circular auditorium with 120 seats facing the stage. The 1816 chapel still forms the core of the building, with its Gothic Revival windows and arches. The foyer built in 1965 leads to the auditorium and provides space for programmes and refreshments. A short walk away, the former school houses rehearsal rooms and costume storage. The theatre stands close to Abbey Fields and the abbey ruins, offering a quiet setting for performances.