Palace Theatre

The Palace Theatre was originally an 800-seat hall for public use that opened in 1890. It was built by The Public Hall Company under managing director A. W. Axworthy, possibly as a reaction to the success of the small Gerston Theatre which had been opened as part of the Gerston Hotel in 1870 by Arthur Hyde Dendy. In 1919 an American-run film company, named Torquay and Paignton Photo-play Productions planned to buy out the Public Hall Company with the intention of building its film studios on the site of the hall to make "clean pictures for clean-minded people". This did not proceed, however, and the hall was bought by Paignton Council in 1920 after its attempt the year before which had…

The Friends of the Palace Theatre are 1,000 plus people who care for the Palace Theatre and its future. They support the theatre by raising awareness of its place in the community by promoting its productions and by raising funds for its continual improvement. Torbay Acting Factory (TAF) is a youth theatre group specialising in theatre, song, dance and acting for young people. Its rehearsals take place in the theatre arena space and their performances take place on the main stage at the venue. TAF was owned and managed by the Palace Theatre until April 2016 when it was taken over by Doorstep Arts Theatre Company which uses the same spaces. Bijou Theatre Productions, a Theatre Club that has…