The Frank Matcham Society held their AGM in Portsmouth on June 23, 2023. The event was hosted by the Kings Theatre, but the members also visited the Groundlings Theatre and our New Theatre Royal and especially enjoyed the distinctive Matcham Foyer and staircase at our theatre.
Frank Matcham was a prolific theatre architect who designed over 100 theatres in the United Kingdom and around the world. The Kings Theatre in Southsea is one of his most famous designs, and the New Theatre Royal Portsmouth is another fine example of his work.
The Matcham Foyer and staircase at the New Theatre Royal are particularly impressive with a large sweeping staircase that leads up to the Dress Circle and has beautiful alabaster walls and features intricate carvings.
We were delighted to welcome the members of the Frank Matcham Society as they visited our theatre. They were impressed with the beauty of the theatre and enjoyed learning about the history of New Theatre Royal from our highly knowledgeable volunteer Colin Brady, while seeing both of Portsmouth’s Matcham works first hand.