| The Everyman | |
| Former Names: | Cork Palace of Varieties, Palace Cinema, Everyman Palace Theatre, Everyman Theatre[1] [2] |
| Address: | MacCurtain Street |
| City: | Cork |
| Country: | Ireland |
| Designation: | Protected structure |
| Coordinates: | 51.9014°N -8.4682°W |
| Pushpin Map: | Ireland Cork Central |
| Architect: | H. Brunton[3] |
| Capacity: | 650 seats |
| Opened: | 1897[4] |
| Website: | EverymanCork.com |
The Everyman, also referred to as the Everyman Theatre and historically known as the Everyman Palace,[2] is a 650-seat Victorian theatre on MacCurtain Street in Cork, Ireland.[5] It opened in 1897, and is the oldest purpose-built theatre building in Cork.[4] [6] The theatre is housed in a protected Victorian building with a large stage and auditorium, a proscenium arch, four elaborately decorated boxes, a studio space and a bar.
Since its foundation, the theatre has undergone a number of changes in name and use, through its days as "Dan Lowrey's Palace of Varieties" (hosting Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin),[3] life as a cinema, periods of disrepair, and redevelopment as a modern theatre in the 1990s.[2] [4]
The Everyman's programme is a mix of plays, operas, musicals and concerts, but it specialises in drama and usually stages three in-house productions per year. In the summer months, it hosts productions by Irish playwrights. Other recurring events include the Guinness Jazz Festival in October (for which the theatre is a primary venue),[7] and the Christmas pantomime. A unique feature of the theatre is that its front of house ushering staff is composed entirely of volunteers.[5]