The Music Hall, formerly The Theatre Royal.
The citizens of Chester appear to have been early distinguished for a love of theatricals. From a MS. entitled, “Certayne collections of aunchiante times concerninge the aunchiante and famous Citty of Chester,” by Archdeacon Rogers, we learn that in the beginning of the fourteenth century, Randal Higden, a monk of Chester, “translated the Bible into several partes and plays, so as the common people might learne the same by theyre playinge.” These spectacles, then called the Whitsun Plays, were first performed in 1328, during the mayoralty of Sir John Arneway, at the expense of the city companies; and being “profitable for them, for all both far and near came to see them,” they were repeated annually on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in Whitsun week, for nearly 250 years, until 1574, when they were suppressed by authority. The theatre for these performances was of the original Thespian cast, a four-wheeled scaffold or waggon, whereof the body served for a tyring room, and the roof for the stage, whereon the members of the different city companies did “each man play his part.” The first place of performance was at the Abbey Gate, that “the monks and churche might have the first sighte, and then the stage was drawne to the High Crosse before the Mayor and Aldermen, and soe from streete to streete; and when one pageant was ended another came in the place thereof, till all that were appoynted for the daye were ended.” Each company had its own peculiar parts allotted to its members to perform in the Whitsun Plays, of which a list is given in the above quoted MS.
In addition to the Whitsun Plays, the citizens were anciently entertained with processional pageants by the different companies, which latter appear to have survived the suppression of the former for many years. They were suppressed for some time by the party in power during the Commonwealth, but revived with great splendour at the Restoration.
The pageants were abolished by order of the Corporation in 1678.
“No circumstance,” says the old History from which we have already quoted, “can evince the strange mutations to which things are liable, more than this place, which was originally a chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas, and devoted to religion; afterwards a common hall devoted to justice; next a warehouse devoted to trade; and now a playhouse devoted to amusement.”
The present writer has to note another change: the “Playhouse” has become a Music Hall, handsome and commodious. A few years since a company was formed for the purpose of erecting a spacious Hall, available for musical and literary recreations, public meetings, and social celebrations. The Hall was built by Mr. J. D. Williams, from designs by Mr. James Harrison; and a remarkably fine organ, by Jackson, of Liverpool, has also been erected. Seats are fitted up for an audience of 1,400 persons, and the orchestra is capable of accommodating 300 performers. The cost of the building, with the organ and fittings, was £5,000. The Hall was opened, on November 26th, 1855, with a grand Miscellaneous Concert, at which Madame Clara Novello was the principal vocalist, and was crowded by a brilliant gathering of the beauty and fashion of the city and neighbourhood. Since that time it has frequently been used for the performance of oratorios and concerts, for lectures, public meetings, and other purposes, except theatrical entertainments, which are prohibited by the terms of the lease under which the site is held from the ecclesiastical commissioners, in whom the fee simple of the property is vested.
Returning to the Cross, whence we set out, we now direct our attention to
Bridge Street,
which is an open and spacious street, in length from the Cross to the Bridge about 554 yards. This street is characterized by many striking features of deep interest to the antiquarian, and indeed to all who love to visit the localities which are associated with any remarkable events of our national and ecclesiastical history. Although the buildings now present a much more modern aspect than they did some years ago, there are still remaining many conspicuous proofs of the antiquity of the city, and many curious remains which give it peculiar attractions.