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With
the strings of the Syd Lawrence Orchestra echoing around the auditorium
at Norwich Theatre Royal on 16th November 1992, nearly two and a half
years of darkness was brought to an end.
The art deco venue, built in the 30's to replace an earlier theatre
which had burnt down, had closed in March 1990 so that major improvements
could be made.
Meanwhile a large circus tent was erected in Earlham
Park, so that performances could continue.
But the tent lost money and cash put aside for the refurbishment had
to subsidise it. It was an unholy mess.
Amid all the ensuing recriminations, the theatre's
General Manager for 18 years, Dick Condon, resigned.
The staff were made redundant, with the exception of two or three
people, and the auditorium was left like a building site, open to
the sky.
For months, it looked as if Norwich would lose its theatre.
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| Gathering dust - a theatre abandoned |
Behind the scenes however, efforts were being
made to rescue the theatre.
The county talked to the city, and Sir James Cleminson was brought
in to re-launch the Theatre Appeal.
He is also acknowledged as the person primarily responsible for
getting the theatre re-opened.
A new board of trustees was appointed, and in
February, Peter Wilson arrived to take over as the new Chief Executive.
Now there was real hope.
How
the revival was achieved. Read more>>
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It reached a point where the money ran out, they couldn't
go forward, they couldn't go back. 
