The Palace Court Theatre is celebrating a successful 12 months back in the spotlight after its 40-year hiatus.
Acquired by Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) in 2021 from the Wessex Christian Centre, the historic Bournemouth theatre has been reinvigorated with a lively programme of events from students and the community over the last year.
In addition to four shows from AUB Productions in 2024, the Art Deco venue also saw performances from local council organisations and charities including BCP Young Carers and Boscombe’s Vita Nova, as well as productions from local professional theatre groups such as the New Forest-based Forest Forge, and local production company DorsetBorn.
“It’s been wonderful to see the local performing community embrace the theatre so warmly," comments Nicola Cartlidge, Palace Court Theatre Manager. "With so many different groups using the space alongside AUB Productions, it means we’ve had a delightfully diverse mix of performances from Romeo and Juliet and A Christmas Carol to Grease, The Addams Family, and a professional orchestra, Bath Philharmonia. The feedback from the audience at every show has just been fantastic, it’s a pleasure to see.”
It's been just as busy offstage with restoration and improvement works continuing all year round, as Nicola explains:
“Our first priority was to get the theatre up and running again. From updating toilets and dressing rooms, to making the theatre accessible and cleaning the exterior, there’s been a lot already done but the work is definitely ongoing.
“One of the biggest refurbishments of 2024 was to the Club Room. Being below the theatre, it had some damp issues we needed to fix, and now we have, the space is brilliant, it gives us a whole extra slice of performance space. A student society were the first to put it to the test with a performance of Miss Julie for two nights in January 2025.
“Following Miss Julie, we transformed the space into a gallery for its first exhibition, The Journey of Being a Boy, celebrating the work and creativity of the young men who have been part of the Being a Boy programme.”
Launching the Spring 2025 season, and the theatre’s second year back in business, is AUB Productions' The Visit, a play by Friedrich Dürrenmatt and directed by David O'Shea.
With a mix of matinée and evening performances from 20–22 March, the darkly comic piece of classic theatre was originally set in postwar Europe and has been reimagined for post-Brexit Britain asking the question: ‘What would you do for money?’
David O'Shea says of The Visit: “In a decrepit town, drowning under the cost-of-living crisis, there’s a sudden glimmer of hope: their local girl-made-billionaire is returning for a nostalgic visit to her dusty hometown.
“Welcome signs are being painted, the town’s choir is practising its tunes, and her long-lost lover is rehearsing the town’s plea for financial support. But the lady has an offer of her own. One the town can’t, but must, refuse.”
Alongside The Visit, the new season at the Palace Court Theatre's includes the Performing Arts Society's Footloose: The Musical and Tattoo by The Outsiders Project (part of Bournemouth Emerging Arts Festival).
“As we head into year two of programming the space, the AUB Charitable Foundation is launching an extensive membership programme to gain support from the community to continue to help to bring this beautiful building back to life," says Nicola.
"The ambition is to create a beacon of creativity in the centre of Bournemouth, supporting and growing local creative talent.”
For more information on upcoming shows, including The Visit, head to the Palace Court Theatre page.
