The New Theater, Cardiff

The New Theatre of Cardiff is located on Park Place in the center of town, near Cathays Park. It first opened in 1906. It was designed by theater architects Ernest Runtz and Ford, a London-based architectural firm. It was made with Bath Stone. The stage was 76 feet wide and 54 feet deep. The grid was 57 feet above the stage.

The first performance in the theater was Shakespeare's Twelfth Night in December of 1906. The theater had a seating capacity 1,144. It presented musicals, plays, children's theatre, touring shows and an annual Christmas pageant. In the 1920s BBC's radio shows and concerts were broadcast live from the theater.

For a time in the 1930s the theater was used exclusively for film expositions but it returned to theatrical performances in 1935. Famous performing artists appearing at the theater include Sara Bernhardt, Anna Pavlova, Laurel and Hardy, Tom Jones, Tommy Cooper and Shirley Bassey. Harold Pinter's THE HOMECOMING premiered there in March 1965.

The theater was closed for a time in the 1990s for a complete makeover. After a facelift to the facade in 2006 and the installation of new seating in 2012 plus an elevator and a repainting of the auditorium, the Theatre is open again.

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Sight Name: The New Theater
Sight Location: Cardiff, Wales (See walking tours in Cardiff)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Cardiff Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Cardiff, Wales

Create Your Own Walk in Cardiff

Creating your own self-guided walk in Cardiff is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Cardiff Introduction Walking Tour

"Cardiff" came from the Welsh word "Caer-Taff" which means "Fort on the river Taff." Cardiff cannot be separated from the Cardiff Castle nor the castle from the city. People had been living in the neighborhood of Cardiff on the banks of the Taff when the Romans arrived and built a fort in 55 AD.

The fortification was strategically located. It was possible to... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles

Shopping Arcades Tour

A city of castles and culture, Cardiff has plenty to entertain those who travel with the shopping bags in tow. The Welsh capital has long been reputed as the "City of Arcades", due to the highest concentration of Victorian, Edwardian and contemporary indoor shopping arcades in the UK. Back in the day, these fascinating, covered pedestrian thoroughfares were designed to enable locals and... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles

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