Hall for Cornwall

Coordinates: 50°15′46″N 05°03′02″W / 50.26278°N 5.05056°W / 50.26278; -5.05056

The Hall for Cornwall
The facade of the Hall

The Hall for Cornwall, a major venue in Truro, Cornwall has a large main auditorium which plays host to West End musicals, opera, ballet, musical acts and other entertainers. The Hall for Cornwall has a capacity of 969 (reduced to 925 when the orchestra pit is in use) and attracts around 180,000 theatre-goers each year. The venue has a restaurant and coffee shop and hosts regular flea markets.

In September 2008 Hall for Cornwall produced a major new production of The Jew of Malta by Christopher Marlowe: Barabas, which featured a Cornish, national and international cast. With Barabas, Hall for Cornwall returned to the theme of working with a Renaissance text, and followed on from the successful production of Responses in 2007.

The Hall for Cornwall is one of a number of organisations involved with Cornwall Council's proposed National Theatre of Cornwall,[1] and it registered the name as a trademark in September 2011.[2]

Since June 2018 the Hall for Cornwall is currently closed for refurbishment. The transformation project involves creating a larger 1,354 seat auditorium, along with a new cafe, bar and public spaces. There will also be a new digital creative business hub funded by the European Development Fund and Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). Reopening is scheduled for 2020.

History

The hall was built in 1846 from Carn Brea granite and originally housed the town hall, magistrates and stannary courts, police offices, cells and the fire brigade. In 1909 plans were drawn up to change the building into a public hall. This culminated in it being leased for a skating rink and occasional picture house. In 1914 a fire gutted most of the building and in 1925 remodelling took place to accommodate a stage "suitable for the presentation of plays".

British rock band Queen played their first gig at the hall in 1970. They had been booked as their predecessor group, Smile, but lead vocalist Tim Staffell had left the band before then and was replaced by Freddie Mercury, who then renamed the band to Queen.

During the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s the hall deteriorated. It was used in the 1970s and early 1980s as a venue for Truro's 'flea market' which proved popular (the bar area and outside entrance is still used for an antiques market). By the mid 1980s, Carrick District Council considered selling City Hall for redevelopment. Ben Luxon, Chris Warner and some Carrick councillors met to discuss the hall's future. Carrick offered a 125-year lease on the hall at £1 a year and £500,000. The group accepted the offer and the campaign for a new City Hall began. Five years after taking over, contractors moved in. Work on the high tech venue took just over 18 months and the inaugural performance took place on 15 November 1997. The 'flea market' still takes place every week in the Boscawen Foyer at the rear of building.

In 2007 Hall for Cornwall celebrated its tenth birthday with a year of celebration including specially commissioned work, an open day in August and a gala concert in November.

Simon Harvey directed the Christmas show for Hall for Cornwall in 2015 and 2016.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "National Theatre hope highlighted by report". West Briton. 2 February 2012. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  2. ↑ The Hall for Cornwall Trust, Follett Stock. "2595122 21 September 2011 (41)". The National Theatre of Cornwall theatre and entertainment services. The Intellectual Property Office. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  3. ↑ Cooper, H. "Jack and the Beanstalk – a gigantic adventure!". Cornwall Life. Archived from the original on 14 July 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
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