Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea

The theatre presents a range of performances, including drama, music and both local and national touring companies.

In 1919 Mrs Gertude Mouillot bought the theatre for £25,000, intending to open it as a cinema but owing to the steep "rake" of the circle, it was impossible to project pictures from the front.

Between the two World Wars the theatre mainly presented touring ballet and repertory companies which included many famous stars for the day: Ivor Novello, Matheson Lang, John Clements, Ruth Draper, Lillian Braithwaite and Sybil Thorndike.

Throughout the Second World War the theatre managed to generate an atmosphere of business as usual, and the building survived the air raids without serious damage.

[3] The Harry Hanson Court Players, who included a newcomer in the name of Dora Bryan, performed the opening play.

Crisis came to the Palace in 1969 when money problems mounted and Haymarket Stage Productions announced their final show – The Last Laugh, and the theatre then shut.

[4] In 1980 the theatre had an opportunity to obtain the property adjoining the west of the building and with considerable help from the Appeal committee set up to raise funds for the redevelopment, lead by John F Dixon,[5] half the cost supplied by Southend Council and a contribution from the Arts Council of England, the foyer, courtyard, workshop and wardrobe were built together with the Dixon Studio – a smaller auditorium with space for up to 100 patrons.

Roy Marsden was appointed as artistic director of the Palace Theatre Repertory Company and directed at least 5 in-house productions a year.

The Dixon Studio complements the Main House with a wide range of performances by visiting small-scale touring theatre, dance and puppet companies.

On Saturday 29 June 2002 the Palace Theatre once again closed its doors to the public with its final performance by the British Touring Shakespeare Company with a modern and contemporary Production of Henry V. After only a short period, West End producers Green & Lenagan left the theatre without explanation, though there were many rumours in the local newspapers.

After 9 months, The Palace Theatre was once again open, this time after important renovation work was carried out backstage to the sound and lighting equipment and the general fabric of the building.

The new format for The Palace is one of receiving smaller scale national tours, big name major productions and intimate one-night shows featuring prominent performers.