Dreams, Desires and Dangers.
I have lived in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames for nearly forty years and have reviewed numerous productions at Richmond Theatre, but I hadn’t, until yesterday, been on a guided tour of the building. Guided tours seem to be all the rage in Richmond these days, what with Ted Lasso mania bringing fans of the TV series to see the “real” locations. We now have merchandising stores aplenty. Richmond Theatre is the latest Richmond venue to enter the world of the Guided Tour. As a resident, a theatre reviewer and a historian, I was keen to “access all areas”, as they say. The Guide was actor Ethan. He is lively, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The tour lasts ninety minutes. It covers the history, architecture, key events and most famous and illustrious individuals associated with the Theatre and most fascinatingly, at least in my opinion, the backstage areas punters don’t get to see. Paradoxically, like shining a light on the mystery of monarchy can take the shine off the mystique, so going backstage for me demystified rather more than the organisers possibly intended. I found the orchestra pit claustrophobic. The ceiling is way too low. It was hot and jam-packed with electrical equipment, wires and boxes. More like being in a submarine than a theatre. And the stage itself felt as dangerous as a building site. I feared being crushed at any moment by falling stage props. In short, the backstage area is a dangerous place. I definitely do not have any intentions of treading the boards. I’m far safer sitting comfortably watching the shows. My admiration for all those who work behind the curtain to put a show on has greatly increased after this tour. It’s a very labour-intensive and exhausting job which requires dedication and discipline. In fact, as Ethan informed us, many of the stagehands working up in the fly were ex-Navy. They whistled to communicate with each other. This is the origin of the superstition that one shouldn’t whistle on stage. Presumably because you might trigger a disastrous misunderstanding involving falling heavy equipment.
Ethan gave a short historical overview to give us a better understanding of the present building. Not surprisingly, Richmond Palace across the Green was central to the story. Ethan pointed out that Shakespeare himself had acted in As You Like It at the Palace in 1592 in a special performance for Queen Elizabeth I. And when the present (there have in fact been four previous iterations) Richmond Theatre opened on the 18th September 1899, it was consciously done so with a performance of As You Like It. So, a fascinating story of theatrical continuity over three hundred years. Ethan narrates the history with a light touch. The architect is Frank Matcham, the most famous of all theatre designers. He did many of our most illustrious playhouses, including the Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London Coliseum, London Palladium and The Hackney Empire. In a macabre twist of fate, he died as a result of biting his fingernails too much. Architecturally, the social divide of Victorian Britain is thankfully not so blatant. Back then, punters in the Gallery, as the upper circle was known, had to enter from Quadrant Road round the back. And the seats were not seats, they were benches. Having said that, even today, the seats in the upper circle are much narrower than those in the stalls. So not everything has changed.
I’ve often seen huge trucks bring traffic to a standstill on Richmond Green, attempting to manoeuvre in very tight spaces. This is because Richmond is a receiving house. It does not have its own theatre company. Instead, companies visit Richmond usually for a week, bringing all their stuff with them. Hence, the shenanigans most Monday mornings. Being inside the theatre and seeing how the ramp leads straight from street level right down onto the stage, it’s easy to see why this is such a palaver. It’s a logistical feat that has to be seen to be believed. But the show must go on. The facilities for the actors, the stars anyway, are surprisingly good. Dressing room, shower and toilet. There have been many names associated with Richmond; David Garrick hence Garrick Close next to Old Palace Lane – this was a precursor to the present building – Edmund Kean whose roundel adorns the foyer and the poet Alexander Pope, who lived in Twickenham (because Catholics weren’t allowed to live within seven miles of the City of London) whose line “To wake the soul with tender stokes of art” is to be seen above the proscenium arch. Walking in the shoes of these titans of our literary past is worth the price of a ticket.
The Richmond Theatre is 127 years old in 2026. To get a feel for this history, from the inside, I recommend this Guided Tour. Even if you’ve seen a show at Richmond Theatre, you don’t really know the building. The real story is backstage.
Review by John O’Brien
Journey through the 125+ year old Richmond Theatre with this all-access 90-minute experience. Go behind the scenes to uncover the theatre’s rich history, vibrant present and exciting future.
Richmond Theatre Guided Tour
Booking to 27 August 2026 (selected dates)
