Cornwall Paranormal Research's visit to The New Palace Theatre, was the official first investigation for the research team.
The CPR were joined by a small select number of guests to explore this vast building. Ranging over multiple floors (basement/ under stage to seating tiers, fire escape tunnels, back room offices, former accommodation and a tower) there was a large area to investigate in such a small amount of time.
The theatre was built in 1898 on the corner of Union Street and Phoenix Street, Plymouth, for the joint owners, United Counties Theatres Limited and Horace and Lechmere Livermore.
The theatre was designed by William Arber of Wimperis & Arber from Sackville Street, London, and cost £95,000 to erect. The development included the adjacent Grand Western Hotel. In its original form, the theatre could accommodate 2,500 spectators. The auditorium was laid out with stalls on the ground floor behind which were the "ordinary pit seats". Entrance to the pits was gained by a tunnel described as "an electrically lighted subterranean passage, fitted with mirror panels". Above the ground floor were the cantilevered grand circle with the gallery on the top floor, with no pillars to obstruct the view of the stage. On each side of the proscenium were four boxes, eight in all.
The interior was decorated with a naval theme reflecting the history of Plymouth. Over the upper stage boxes were "poop-lanterns" resembling the sterns of three-deck warships; below these were crossed anchors with the centres containing ships' figureheads. Above the auditorium was a domed ceiling, which was decorated with "historical paintings". The scenes illustrated included the knighting of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth I, HMS Victory and the Spanish Armada.
New Palace Theatre
Plymouth, Devon
7th November 2014
CPR Review 2015 ~ New Palace Theatre #1
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