Ashcroft Theatre

The Ashcroft Theatre sits inside Fairfield Halls in Croydon, South London. It is a proscenium theatre with a stepped auditorium and a mural on its fire curtain by artist Henry Bird. Productions range from drama and ballet to opera and pantomime. The venue can also show films as it has a large screen for Cinemascope and standard formats. Its seating capacity is 763, though this rose to 798 after refurbishment. The theatre opened in 1962 with Dame Peggy Ashcroft in attendance. The opening included a monologue written by Sir John Betjeman and the first play starred Dulcie Gray. Notable performers have included Richard Todd, Rex Harrison and Dame Peggy herself. The auditorium has two tiers with raked stalls and a plain front to the circle. The stage has 30 flying sets and an orchestra pit on a hydraulic lift for up to 16 players. After closing in 2016 for work on Fairfield Halls, the theatre reopened in 2019. The renovation removed centre aisles to create a Continental Auditorium layout. New grey seating replaced the old recycled chairs in 2020, giving the interior a modern look. The fire curtain, painted by Henry Bird in 1982, featured symbols tied to Croydon’s history and old English customs. It was removed during asbestos work and has not returned.