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Old Deptford Theatre

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Venue Type & Location

Theatre

Overview

  • Address: Deptford Church Street, Deptford, Lewisham (East side, backing on to the Creek). For a current map, Click Here .

  • Alternate Names: Later venues on this site have been called the Oxford Arms and the Bird's Nest.

  • Performance Space Description: Information about this venue has not yet been compiled; however, some sense of the performance space may be gleaned by following the links at right. In particular:

  • See the 'Bibliographic Sources' link for a provisional list of venue-relevant resources (both primary and secondary). Wherever possible (i.e. when the pertinent text is relatively short and/or easily condensed) this material has been transcribed, and appears beneath the appropriate bibliographic citation.

  • See the 'Events at venue' link for a listing of blackface/minstrelsy-related events that took place in this performance space (with attached bibliographic references).

    Beth Marquis

    • Troupes at

    Events at

    Bibliographic Sources

    View a list of abbreviations.

    • London: The Library Association, 1970
      p64.


    • "Deptford Theatre was the town's earliest such establishment. It stood on the east side of Church Street, backing onto the creek.

      There are references to entertainment on the site back into the mid-18th century, but the theatre was most active after a refurbishment in 1835.

      Many well known names of mid-19th century entertainment appeared, but it suffered decline and closed in the 1860s. The site then became a coal wharf.

      The Oxford Arms was renamed the Bird's Nest and its theatre space continues the tradition of live performance."