SPOTLIGHT ON…Lantern Theatre, Sheffield
Welcome to our latest article spotlighting an independent theatre! The Lantern Theatre is Sheffield’s oldest surviving theatre, hence making it a valuable part of Sheffield’s cultural heritage. In 1957, The Dilys Guite Players took on responsibility for looking after the building. As the theatre’s in-house community theatre group, they make the theatre a space for writers, performers and creatives to showcase their talents.
Name: Lantern Theatre
Location: Nether Edge, Sheffield
Number of seats: 84
Year opened: 1893
The Lantern Theatre is a beautifully intimate theatre in the heart of Nether Edge, a popular residential area in Sheffield. It was originally built in the Victorian era for a family of cutlery manufacturers. It then became a dance school in the 1920s. It has gone through many tumultuous periods (including the Second World War, which it survived!) but in the 1950s actress and drama teacher Dilys Guite came across the theatre and worked with a group of friends to reopen the venue.
It still feels very much like the traditional Victorian theatre that it is, whilst they’ve given a tasteful refresh to the bar and front of house area. The theatre has a very well sized front of house venue for the capacity of the theatre, meaning you’re never cramped whilst waiting to go in. The bar isn’t too expensive, and they do stock the ever popular local speciality – Our Cow Molly ice cream!
The venue plays host to lots of intimate and quirky touring productions, such as Yes! Yes! UCS!, which we reviewed a few months ago, and The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists that will play the venue in autumn.
Most of the venue’s programme is filled with a diverse programme produced by resident community theatre company, the Dilys Guite Players. Their upcoming productions include Grimm Tales, Macbeth and Boeing Boeing, which will be this year’s pre-Christmas production.
A trip to the Lantern Theatre is always a lovely experience – be sure to pay a visit!
To check out the venue further, please visit their website here.
Photos used with permission of Lantern Theatre