Greater Manchester is home to a thriving theatre scene and it’s no surprise considering the amazing venues we’ve got, from The Lowry in Salford to the Octagon in Bolton. But often the theatres themselves can be just as impressive as the performances on stage.
In fact the interior of the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester has been ranked as the third most beautiful in the UK, according to a study by Premier Inn. The research involved using eye tracking technology to record how long volunteers looked at images of different theatres.
It was only beaten by Shakespeare’s Globe in London and the London Coliseum. The exterior was ranked as the fifth most beautiful in the UK.
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From the outside the Royal Exchange Theatre is one of the most recognisable buildings in the city centre, with a stunning classical exterior which overlooks Cross, Market and Exchange streets. It hasn’t always been used as a performance space, though, and originally it began life as a cotton exchange in 1809.
As the cotton industry boomed the exchange was extended and replaced over the years and by 1931 it was the largest trading hall in England. The building suffered significant damage during World War II in the Manchester Blitz in 1940 and by 1968 trading had ceased.
It was threatened with demolition until a theatre company took over the building in 1973 and the Royal Exchange Theatre was opened in 1976 with the largest theatre-in-the-round in the country.
It’s this layout which gives the theatre such an eye-catching interior. Inside the main hall is a seven-sided theatre module which weighs 150 tonnes. The module is too heavy to be supported by the floor so it is in fact suspended from four of the hall’s columns.
The result is a space full of contrast, with the classical grandeur of the exchange’s hall (you can still see the original trading board on display) sitting side by side with the space-ship like theatre module.
It creates an intimate performance space for audiences to enjoy and can transform the way you experience theatre. You don’t even have to see a play to see it for yourself - as the theatre has its own bar and restaurant, The Rivals, where you can sit and enjoy this unique space in the city.
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