Unity Theatre

The Unity Theatre stands in Liverpool’s city centre, a converted synagogue on Hope Place off Hope Street. The building once housed the Liverpool Reform Synagogue before it became a theatre in the 1930s. Directors Gerry Dawson and Edgar Criddle founded the Merseyside Left Theatre, which later became the Merseyside Unity Theatre in 1944. The company specialised in radical and experimental productions, mixing classics with left-wing contemporary works. Its aim was to make theatre accessible to working-class audiences. Graeme Phillips served as the theatre’s first artistic director for 33 years until 2015, also directing productions until his death in 2025. Today, the theatre continues to offer workshops alongside performance space. It remains a hub for community-focused arts in Liverpool. Visitors find a welcoming space where performances and creative activities take place. The building’s former life as a synagogue adds character to the interior. Hope Place’s quiet corner makes the theatre easy to reach yet feels separate from the city’s busier streets. The theatre’s history is visible in its walls and in the stories it tells through its programmes.