History of the Theatre in Exeter
Story of the Northcott theatre
The Exeter Northcott Theatre Today
Past Northcott Theatre Company Productions
Artistic Directors of the Nothcott Theatre
Famous People of the Northcott
Story of the Northcott Theatre
The Northcott is the seventh building in Exeter to be used as a theatre.In 1962, the Theatre Royal was demolished to be replaced by an office block.Fortunately, there were many people in Exeter who were determined that the city should not be without a theatre for very long.
Early in 1962 Mr G.V.Northcott had started negotiations with the Board of Directors of the Theatre Royal with the view to "saving" the theatre, and its re-creation as a Theatre and Arts Centre. A small group from the University prepared a memorandum explaining how they saw the Theatre Royal functioning in the kind of way that Mr Northcott visualised and outlining some ideas. They submitted this memorandum to the Board of Directors of the Theatre Royal and to Mr Northcott. After some time, however, negotiations failed to develop and the Theatre Royal was sold.
For a time, informal discussions continued between Mr Northcott and the University, and later in 1962 more formal contacts were made. The then Vice-Chancellor pointed out that the University had for some time earmarked a site for a theatre on its Development Plan and it was possible that, in collaboration with the University, Mr Northcott's ideas for a Theatre and Arts Centre could be realised.
To cut a long story short, the University offered a site; Mr Northcott established a Trust with a benefaction of £100,000 (later supplemented by a generous gift of £50,000 from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and by other bodies), to establish the Northcott Devon Theatre and Arts Centre, which would serve the needs of the community in the region.
The Northcott Theatre opened with a production of The Merchant of Venice on 2nd November 1967.
Additional information:
Architect: Sir William Holford and Partners
Theatre Consultant: Michael Warre
(source TABS December 1967 Vol 25 No.4)
With grateful thanks to The
Friends of Exeter Northcott
fortheir financial support
for this site.
