Bolton's Theatre Club Explained

Bolton's Theatre Club in Drayton Gardens, Brompton, London launched in 1947 in a building originally opened in 1911 as the Radium Picture Playhouse.^{[1] [2]} By operating as a club where membership was obligatory, the theatre was able to stage plays which might otherwise be prohibited under the Theatres Act 1843. Many of its plays transferred to the West End.

After closure and conversion the building was reopened in 1955 as the Paris Pullman Cinema, which showed art-house films until its final closure and demolition in 1983. James Quinn was one of its directors.

Plays

• 1948 – Oscar Wilde by Leslie and Sewell Stokes (1937), with Frank Pettingell as Wilde, directed by Sewell Stokes.^[3]
• 1948 – Native Son by Richard Wright and Paul Green.^[4]
• 1948 – Hocus-Pocus by Jonquil Antony.
• 1949 – The Horn of the Moon by Vivian Connell, with Jack McNaughton, Denholm Elliott, John Wyse, Pamela Alan, Martin Boddey and Jessie Evans. Directed by Colin Chandler.^[5]
• 1953 – Dr John Bull, with John Louis Mansi and others.^{[6] [7]}

See also

• Gate Theatre Studio
• Gate Theatre, Notting Hill, London

51.4884°N -0.1807°W

Notes and References

1. Book: Little Chelsea in Kensington. Survey of London: Volume 41, Brompton. F H W. Sheppard. London. 1983. 162–194. London County Council. British History Online. 29 April 2019.
2. Web site: Paris Pullman Cinema in London, GB . 16 January 2019.
3. Book: Censorship: A World Encyclopedia. Derek. Jones. reprint. Routledge. 2001. 978-1-136-79864-1 . 1088.
4. Chit Chat. The Stage. London. 3488. February 19, 1948. 4.
5. Web site: Theatre Clubs in 1950s London – The New Lindsey . https://web.archive.org/web/20170510065430/http://swingthegate.co.uk/theatre-club-london . dead . 10 May 2017 . John . Howard . 29 October 2016 . 16 January 2019 .
6. Web site: John Louis Mansi obituary . Gavin . Gaughan . . 1 September 2010 . 16 January 2019.
7. http://www.overthefootlights.co.uk/Index%20(names).pdf Over the Footlights List including Boltons