The Connaught

The Connaught Theatre occupies the former Picturedrome cinema, which was built in 1914 on the site of Stanmore Lodge and opened in July of that year. Its seating capacity was 850 in a single tier, with four boxes at the rear, and the auditorium was octagonal. In 1926, Swiss impresario Carl Adolf Seebold, who owned other cinemas in Worthing and who had been the Picturedrome's musical director since it opened, bought it. the first full season of repertory theatre began in the autumn of 1932. Terence De Marney became director of Connaught and Bill Fraser became involved in the theatre. In 2014, Connaught theatre celebrated its centenary of service. Several well-known actors had their start in…

Originally designed by Eastbourne architect Peter Dulvey Stonham, His design added a new first-floor cocktail bar and lounge area to the original Picturedrome auditorium. Two years later, the entrance foyer on Union Place was rebuilt in Moderne style, with two rendered storeys, parapeted, in three bays.