Portable Travelling Theatres at Abertillery

Portable Travelling Theatres at Abertillery.
In the late 1880’s early 1890’s many towns were visited by portable travelling theatre companies. It must have been quite a site seeing these travelling companies rolling into town, the logistics of it all must have been something to be admired. The theatres were in a sort of kit-form, with timber and canvas walls, joists, roof struts, battening and panelling, (some theatres even had iron strutted roofs) along with all interior furnishings, scenery, seating etc with all engineers, carpenters, stagehands and travelling musicians, actors and performers, wardrobes and make-up etc, it was quite an achievement to construct, operate, maintain and manage such a large group of actors and artisans and to produce and perform plays etc.

The portable theatres were in each major town on a six-month basis and even though they were welcomed by the people who wanted the entertainment the councillors were less than happy, in one meeting of the Abertillery Local Board it debated the lack of income from payments of rates being paid to the local board, that was a concern. As the theatres were portable and not fixed, they were exempt from any rates and some of the councillors wanted to declassify the theatres and for their managers to be made liable for payments to the individual councils.

Victoria Theatre – Proprietress was Mrs C. Sinclair 1890. The shows started on the Monday 19th of May and went through to the Saturday 24th of May 1890. They were drama and musical shows six-days a week with different productions for the full six months.

When the production was set up in Newport there were special trains arranged by the G.W.R to run up and down the valley from Newport to Nantyglo for the theatre goers to commute to see the shows.

Theatre Royal – 1891. No manager listed on the bills. The shows started on the Saturday 7th of November, Sunday was no performance and then Monday 9th through to Friday 13th 1891. Again, weekly changes in the bill and for a period on six months.

Theatre of Varieties – Proprietor was Mr G. Baker 1893. The shows started Saturday 10th of September, Sunday was no performance and then Monday 12th through to the Saturday 17th. Again, weekly changes in the bill and for a period on six months.

New Grand Theatre – Stage and Business Manager was Mr W. Haggar junior 1893. The shows started Saturday June 3rd, Sunday was no performance and then on Monday 5th, through to Friday 9th of June 1893.

The American Pavilion Theatre – Proprietress was Miss Beale; Stage Manager Mr Alf Orton 1895. The shows started Saturday 30th of September 1895, this production was only for a short period.

The Castle Theatre – Proprietor was Mr W. Haggar senior 1896. The shows began on Saturday 14th of November 1896 until Friday 20th. The shows had titles such as – The Sailor’s Legacy”, “Perils of the Steam Forge Hammer”, “The Corsican Brother”, “The Factory Girl” and “The Female Detective”.

The Market Hall, Abertillery was a venue for other shows and performances from an early time, though in 1891-92 the old hall was demolished and a new Market Hall later Metropole was constructed, a splendid hall for operas and other performances at the time and gradually the travelling theatres died out.

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