# Pavilion Theatre, Torquay

The Pavilion Theatre was a theatre in Torquay, Devon, England. It was one of the three main auditoriums in Torbay, and during the 1970s differed from the Princess Theatre, Torquay, and the Festival Theatre, Paignton, in that it had plays rather than variety shows during the lucrative summer seasons.

## Building

From 1890 to 1930, the Borough Engineer of Torbay, Henry Augustus Garrett, laid out the Princess Gardens, the Terrace Walk, Pier Pavilion and Torquay Pavilion on Torquay seafront. The Gardens were named in honour of Queen Victoria's daughter, Princess Louise, who laid the foundation stone in 1890. The Pavilion's architect was Edward Rogers, who drew up the final plans with HC Goss. The plans were passed in 1903, but construction did not start until 1911 due to Rogers’ death, and the work was taken over by Garrett. The Pavilion was built in 1911, followed by a war memorial in 1920 and finally the Princess Theatre was completed in the 1950s.
Part of its site is on land reclaimed from the sea, and it was built on a concrete raft on which a steel framework was erected. It is faced with white tiles made of Doulton's Carrara-enamelled stoneware. Its central copper-covered dome is topped with a life-size figure of Britannia and two smaller domes on each side bear figures of Mercury. Finely sculpted Art Nouveau-style cast iron edges the steps to the promenade deck and the octagonal bandstands or summer houses.
The Pavilion opened on Saturday 17 August 1912 and apart from the foyer and auditorium, it had lounges and a cafe, all of which were panelled with oak. A municipal orchestra was founded and many famous conductors and singers performed here.
It was proposed to demolish the building in 1973, but was listed in the same year. It closed in 1976, when it was leased to Rank Organisation and the interior was destroyed in adaptations for various types of amusements, first as a skating rink and in the 1980s as a shopping arcade. As of July 2020, it is closed awaiting restoration; the steel girders which form its framework are heavily corroded. It has Grade II listed status. Torbay Council had leased the building to Marina Developments Ltd but that lease was ended in November 2024.

## Shows

Over the years the theatre entertained millions of people. In the last few years of its existence it was simultaneously known as the Rainbow Pavilion for pop music concerts.
Selective shows:
| Year | Show | Notes |
| 1926 | The Farmer's Wife | 26 – 31 July 1926, Laurence Olivier |
| 1926 | Alf's Button | Monday 2 August |
| 1930 | The Apple Cart | started 11 August 1930 |
| 1930 | Rose Marie | started 18 August 1930 |
| 1930 | The Girl Friend | started 25 August 1930 |
| 1930 | One Dam Thing After Another | started 1 September 1930 |
| 1930 | Silver Wings | started 8 September 1930 |
| 1930 | Lucky Girl | started 15 September 1930 |
| 1930 | Godfrey Tearle & Mary Malone | started 22 September 1930 |
| 1930 | Wild Rose | started 29 September 1930 |
| 1931 | Charley's Aunt | w/c 16 February |
| 1931 | Sexton Blake | w/c 23 February |
| 1932 | Peg O' My Heart | w/c 15 February |
| 1932 | Grumpy | w/c 22 February |
| 1933 | The Dubarry | w/c Monday 14 August |
| 1933 | Lilac Time | w/c Monday 18 September, Edward Leer |
| 1933 | Faust | Wednesday 25 October (matinee) |
| 1933 | Madam Butterfly | Wednesday 25 October (evening) |
| 1933 | Il Trovatore | Thursday 26 October |
| 1933 | Gorno's Italian Marionettes | w/c 31 October |
| 1937 | Merrie England | Feb 2 - 6, Torquay Operatic Society |
| 1938 | The Burgomaster of Stilemonde | w/c 10 October |
| 1938 | The Green Pack | w/c 17 October |
| 1939 | Lilac Time | Monday 20 November, Darroll Richards |
| 1948 | The Rebel Maid | (June) Torbay Operatic & Dramatic Society |
| 1951 | The Desert Song | (June) Torbay Operatic & Dramatic Society |
| 1951 | Glamorous Night | (June) Torbay Operatic & Dramatic Society |
| 1955 | Beryl Reid | |
| 1955 | George Formby | |
| 1955 | Music for the Millions | Kay Cavendish |
| 1956 | Norman Evans | |
| 1956 | Music for the Millions | Jimmy Edwards, Reg Thompson, Harry Worth (Sept 17th for 6 days) |
| 1956 | Elsie & Doris Waters | |
| 1956 | Ken Tones | |
| 1958 | Variety Show | w/c Monday 26 May, Pavilion Orchestra, et al. |
| 1958 | Variety Show | w/c Monday 2 June, Jimmy Young, Arthur English, George & Lydia |
| 1958 | Perchance to Dream | w/c Monday 9 June, Torbay Operatic & Dramatic Society |
| 1960 | Ken Dodd 'Startime' | June to October |
| 1960 | Cinderella | Ruby Murray |
| 1961 | Laughing Room Only | Jimmy Jewel, Ben Warriss |
| 1962 | The Cigarette Girl | Week commencing Monday 28 May. By William Douglas-Home. |
| 1962 | Ballet Rambert | 4 June |
| 1962 | The Gimmick | 11 June, starring Dave King |
| 1962 | What a Racket | 19 June-29 September, Maggie Millward, Jessie Matthews, Arthur Askey, Jack Douglas, Billy Tasker, Adele Strong, Bunny May, Linda James, Carole Gosheron and Michael Lomax. |
| 1963 | Best Laid Schemes! | Summer season commencing Wednesday 12 June. By Philip Weathers. Starring Thora Hird, Sydney Tafler, Freddie Frinton, Wendy Lovelock, William Maxwell, Barbara Bruce, Linda Bennett, Raymond Graham |
| 1964 | We're Frying Tonight! | Summer season play by John Waterhouse. Starring Jimmy Clitheroe, Albert Burdon, Eddie Molloy, Mollie Sugden, Robert Webber, William Moore, Lynda Reynolds, Philip Clive, Tommy Godfrey, Billy Windsor |
| 1965 | Doctor at Sea | John Slater, Edward Rigby, Andrew Ray |
| 1968 | Wedding Fever | Sid James, Beryl Mason, John Inman, Kathleen Worth, Robert Blacklock |
| 1969 | Stand by your Bedouin | Dickie Henderson |
| 1970 | Don't Tell the Wife | with Jack Douglas |
| 1971 | The Mating Season | with Sid James, Beryl Mason |
| 1972 | Stop It Nurse | with Charles Hawtrey, Kenneth Connor, Bernard Bresslaw |
| 1973 | Busman's Holiday | with Bob Grant, Stephen Lewis and Anna Karen |
| 1975 | Move Over Mrs Markham | with Tessie O'Shea, Ian Cullen, Virginia Stride, John Clegg and Jan Hunt |
| 1976 | The Eric Sykes Show | with Eric Sykes, Hattie Jacques, Derek Guyler |