Palace Court Theatre: Revived After Four Decades...

Dates: 11 October – 27 November 2024

Location: Northwest Gallery, AUB Campus

An exhibition by TheGallery and Palace Court Theatre, in partnership with AUB Productions, BA (Hons) Modelmaking, and the Alumni Office for AUB External Engagement.

Palace Court Theatre: Revived After Four Decades… is a celebration of Palace Court Theatre’s first public performance programme in 40 years.

Built in the 1930s, Palace Court Theatre is one of Bournemouth’s last remaining Art Deco theatres and was acquired by Arts University Bournemouth in 2021. It has been reactivated as a venue for educational and cultural engagement, with rehearsal and educational space and a 400-seat auditorium.

This exhibition looks at Palace Court Theatre’s iconic history as the hub of the dramatic and artistic scene in Bournemouth for several decades, as well as its new role as a part of the AUB town centre campus.

AUB Productions launched its spring programme of 2024 at Palace Court Theatre – the theatre’s first public performance season in 40 years.

Through AUB Productions, students studying BA (Hons) Acting, Costume, Design for Costume and Performance, and Make-up for Media and Performance are brought together with industry professionals to produce quality theatre, reflecting the highest standards of industry practice.

The Spring 2024 programme began in May with The Ballad of Maria Marten by Beth Flintoff, followed by the productions La Casa Nova by Carlo Goldoni and William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. These productions helped the Palace Court Theatre reclaim the spotlight in the town's cultural landscape.

This exhibition also narrates the history of Palace Court Theatre, showcasing its longstanding position as a creative resource for those in the arts industry. It includes a miniature scale architectural model commissioned by AUB’s BA (Hons) Modelmaking course, showing the internal layout of the theatre and the new logo that was developed and designed by Joseph Warin, an AUB alumnus from BA (Hons) Visual Communication.

Costumes, designs and set models will be on display, in addition to performance images and behind the scenes footage from this year’s performances by AUB Productions that were staged at the theatre.

Also featured are showreels of unseen archival footage of the theatre from the 1930s to the 1980s, and tours and interviews with some of the University’s stakeholders discussing the Palace Court's importance as a revived theatre venue for the local community, regional and national productions, shows and cultural partners, and the theatre as a new and invaluable teaching and learning resource for the University.

AUB’s purchase of the Palace Court Theatre forms part of the Civic and Cultural Engagement Plan, implemented by the University to support the development of the creative industries and the regeneration of Bournemouth town centre through creative and cultural activity. In time, AUB hopes to work with partners to undergo more extensive restoration so that it can be used as a fully functional theatrical performance space.

Find out what audiences thought in these reviews:

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Palace Court Theatre has played host to several regional and national events, shows and productions since AUB’s acquisition of the theatre. Working with the community, art and cultural partners, performing art societies, external organisations and professionals.

Some of these events have included Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council and Bath Philharmonia, BU and AUB Performing Arts Society and Bournemouth Town Centre BID.

AUB Productions: theatre collaborations between industry professionals and students from courses within Bournemouth Film School, including: BA (Hons) Acting, BA (Hons) Costume, BA (Hons) Design for Costume and Performance, BA (Hons) Make-Up for Media and Performance, BA (Hons) Creative Writing and BA (Hons) Dance.

This is vocational learning in performance and design at the highest level, providing students with key insights into the industry, and opportunities to develop professional skills in multiple roles on and off stage. These span all areas, including costume, set, acting, make-up, technical, props, prosthetics, hair, make-up, script, front-of-house, stage management and publicity.

With an international reputation, BA (Hons) Modelmaking is a leading course in its field, enabling students to progress into the diverse world of professional makers. The course equips students to become independent thinkers, capable of solving problems and taking imaginative leaps in creative design.

Modelmaking is a highly rewarding experience for anyone interested in making or design, with our graduates working in an exciting range of careers at award-wining companies such as Dyson, Foster + Partners, and Merlin Entertainment; on theatre, film, and TV productions such as Star Wars, Jurassic World, Shaun the Sheep, and Spider-Man; and for clients as diverse as the Natural History Museum, Selfridges, Apple, and NASA.

TheGallery is a national and international recognised and award-winning space. Providing a national and international public platform for the arts within the sub-region, while promoting the University’s shared passion for excellence in education, industry, and the sector. A civic university for all here at AUB and beyond.

Throughout the year, we work on a variety of exhibitions, events, and projects with AUB stakeholders across the University to provide students and staff with opportunities to showcase their areas, courses, practices, and their work.

Palace Court Theatre: Revived After Four Decades... is another example of one these collaborative project and partnerships – this time with the Palace Court Theatre, AUB Productions, BA (Hons) Modelmaking, and the Alumni teams – where TheGallery team leads on curating and exhibition design with its AUB project partners.

The Palace Court Theatre is a 1930s Art Deco building, situated in Bournemouth town centre. Owned by AUB since 2021, it's being reactivated as a civic venue for educational and cultural engagement. Our presiding vision is "Education by day and community by night."

Substantial refurbishment has already been undertaken at the theatre and will continue as the University creates a space in Bournemouth town centre for students and the community to enjoy creativity and connection.

In 2024, for the first time in 40 years, using the spaces that have been refurbished, the venue will host a full programme of educational and cultural events.

We're proud of our alumni and rightfully so. Many of them have gone on to do incredible things!

AUB’s alumni community, AUB&, is a continuation of our campus — a home and a network for all of our wonderful graduates, a place to find out what everyone’s been up to and generally stay a part of our creative community.

It’s open to all students who graduated from the University, whether under AUB or any of its previous titles (Arts University College Bournemouth, Arts Institute at Bournemouth, and Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design).