chairman; Infield and Mrs Chart herself
acted as managing directors. The
company then purchased the theatre and
house from Nellie for £43,000. When she
died in London on 23 February 1892, the
Theatre Royal’s reputation as one of the
leading provincial theatres was wellestablished.
In 1894, the house was incorporated
into the theatre itself, and a number of its
original features remain. The ground floor
became the main entrance and box office
(still used today), and retains the open
fireplace which characterised the Victorian
residence. The gracious staircase to the
Royal Circle had also been in the house.
Mrs Nye Chart’s first floor drawing room
is now the Royal Circle bar and, above
this, the two storeys of bedrooms were
converted into offices for Theatre staff.
The theatre’s former main entrance was
turned into a second entrance at the
back of the stalls, now with its own bar.
The width of the theatre was extended,
and it was redecorated throughout. The
old gas lighting system was converted
to electricity and numbers 35-38 Bond
Street, at the back of the theatre, were
purchased. Number 35 was converted
into the stage door, and still remains the
entry route for all the scenery for every
show. Dressing rooms were re-planned
and improved, and the ground floor
colonnade at the front of the theatre was
rebuilt.
The main entrance to the theatre, now
a subsidiary entrance at the back of
the stalls bar, led up a curved staircase,
probably from the original theatre, to
the dress circle. The manager’s cottage,
88