Royal Amphitheatre/Royal Adelphi Theatre

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Venue Type & Location

Theatre

Site Name: Royal Amphitheatre/Royal Adelphi Theatre
Location: Sheffield
County: Yorkshire: West Riding
Location Type: Town - in town at determined location

Overview

  • Address: Blonk Street, facing the Cattle Market, Sheffield. For a current map, Click Here.



  • Alternate Names: Prior to 1848, the venue was referred to as the Circus and the Circus & Theatre, Cattle Market, in addition to the Royal Amphitheatre. After 1848, it was known as the Adelphi or the Royal Adelphi Theatre, and – more rarely – as the Theatre Royal, Cattle Market.



  • Performance Space Description: Very little information about this venue has yet been located. An 1848 article in The Sheffield Independent, however, does provide some insight into both the (then) newly renovated Royal Adelphi and the earlier Circus which once stood on the site. It reads: “Considerable alterations have been made in the pit, and the middle of that hitherto dreary space is now fitted up with seats, and protected from the cold by a close screen. By an admirable contrivance, the pit may be enlarged at pleasure. In its contracted state, a considerable number of persons may be comfortably seated; and if thrown open to the full size, hundreds more might find good accommodation. A new orchestra has also been constructed, and the whole house seems to wear a clean and lively, though yet unfinished, appearance. There is nothing striking or novel in the way of decoration; but in other respects, considerable efforts have evidently been made to render the place more worthy of public patronage” (September 30, 1848).



  • Typical Fare: According to contemporary sources reviewed in the Kathleen Barker Collection, this venue specialized in Circus-like variety entertainments and popular dramas during the early 1840s. Following its reconstruction later in the decade, the venue hosted a range of dramatic entertainments (including productions of Shakespeare), as well as exhibitions of ‘exotic’ peoples, and performances by dancers and singers.



    • Performance History

  • The building on this site served as a Circus during the early 1840s. It was reconstructed according to plans by “Messrs. Harrison” c. 1848, and subsequently referred to as a theatre (Sheffield Independent, September 30, 1848; quoted in Kathleen Barker Collection).




    Please see the 'Bibliographic Sources' link at right for a complete listing of materials (both primary and secondary) from which the above information was compiled.


    Beth Marquis

    • Troupes at Royal Amphitheatre/Royal Adelphi Theatre

    Troupe Troupe Type # of events
    American Southern Minstrels Minstrel 2
    Barlow, W.R. Minstrel 1
    Black Doctor Troupe (Sheffield, 50) Circus 1
    Bosjesmans Exhibition 2
    Brooke, G.V. Dramatic 2
    Brown, Henry Box Lecture 2
    Charles, E.M. Dramatic 1
    Creole Troupe (Sheffield, 48) Dramatic 1
    Green Bushes Troupe (Sheffield, 48) Dramatic 2
    Green Bushes Troupe (Sheffield, 50) Dramatic 1
    Grisdale, Walter Dramatic 1
    Infant Juba, The Minstrel 4
    Lacy, T.H. Dramatic 1
    Othello Troupe (Sheffield, 50) Dramatic 2
    Othello Troupe (Sheffield, 52) Dramatic 1
    Pitt, Charles Dramatic 1
    Robinson Crusoe Troupe (Sheffield, 49) Dramatic 3
    Slave Troupe (Sheffield, 52) Dramatic 1
    Slave's Revenge Troupe (Sheffield, 44) Dramatic 1
    Sweeney, J.W. Minstrel 1
    Teasdale, Harvey Dramatic 2
    Tyler, J.S. Lecture 2
    Uncle Tom's Cabin Troupe (Sheffield, 52) Dramatic 3
    Yankee Dalton Minstrel 1
    Yankee Hughes Minstrel 1

    Events at Royal Amphitheatre/Royal Adelphi Theatre

    Event Date Venue Location Troupe
    Dramatic 26 March 1844 - 27 March 1844 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding American Southern Minstrels
    Dramatic 29 March 1844 - 29 March 1844 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding American Southern Minstrels
    Dramatic 8 July 1844 - 8 July 1844 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Barlow, W.R.
    Dramatic 28 November 1844 - 28 November 1844 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Slave's Revenge Troupe (Sheffield, 44)
    Circus 17 February 1845 - 22 February 1845 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Sweeney, J.W.
    Dramatic 13 September 1847 - 13 September 1847 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Yankee Dalton, Yankee Hughes
    Dramatic 14 January 1848 - 14 January 1848 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Lacy, T.H., Creole Troupe (Sheffield, 48)
    Dramatic 8 May 1848 - 8 May 1848 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Green Bushes Troupe (Sheffield, 48)
    Dramatic 2 October 1848 - 3 October 1848 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Green Bushes Troupe (Sheffield, 48)
    Dramatic 30 October 1848 - 30 October 1848 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Brooke, G.V.
    Dramatic 2 November 1848 - 2 November 1848 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Brooke, G.V.
    Dramatic 17 February 1849 - 17 February 1849 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Robinson Crusoe Troupe (Sheffield, 49)
    Dramatic 19 February 1849 - 19 February 1849 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Robinson Crusoe Troupe (Sheffield, 49), Charles, E.M.
    Dramatic 20 February 1849 - 20 February 1849 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Robinson Crusoe Troupe (Sheffield, 49)
    Dramatic 11 June 1849 - 11 June 1849 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Teasdale, Harvey, Tyler, J.S., Bosjesmans
    Dramatic 14 June 1849 - 15 June 1849 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Bosjesmans, Tyler, J.S., Teasdale, Harvey
    Dramatic 17 April 1850 - 17 April 1850 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Othello Troupe (Sheffield, 50)
    Dramatic 22 April 1850 - 23 April 1850 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Infant Juba, The
    Dramatic 24 April 1850 - 24 April 1850 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Infant Juba, The, Green Bushes Troupe (Sheffield, 50)
    Dramatic 25 April 1850 - 27 April 1850 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Infant Juba, The
    Dramatic 29 April 1850 - 2 May 1850 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Infant Juba, The
    Dramatic 11 May 1850 - 11 May 1850 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Black Doctor Troupe (Sheffield, 50)
    Dramatic 14 May 1850 - 14 May 1850 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Othello Troupe (Sheffield, 50)
    Dramatic 5 October 1852 - 9 October 1852 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Othello Troupe (Sheffield, 52)
    Dramatic 18 October 1852 - 23 October 1852 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Uncle Tom's Cabin Troupe (Sheffield, 52)
    Dramatic 27 October 1852 - 28 October 1852 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Pitt, Charles, Grisdale, Walter
    Dramatic 1 November 1852 - 1 November 1852 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Slave Troupe (Sheffield, 52)
    Dramatic 2 November 1852 - 4 November 1852 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Uncle Tom's Cabin Troupe (Sheffield, 52)
    Dramatic 23 November 1852 - 23 November 1852 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Uncle Tom's Cabin Troupe (Sheffield, 52)
    Vocal Entertainment 28 May 1853 - 28 May 1853 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Brown, Henry Box
    Vocal Entertainment 30 May 1853 - 4 June 1853 Sheffield, Yorkshire: West Riding Brown, Henry Box

    Bibliographic Sources

    • University of Bristol, Kathleen Barker Collection. KB/3.
    • White, Wm. General Directory. p15. Transcribed in University of Bristol, Kathleen Barker Collection (KB/3).