Will Catlin's Pierrots
Will Catlin’s Pierrots were a well-known sight on the north-east coast, performing on the beaches and their own open-air theatre in Scarborough.
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Stockton Globe Turns 90!
The Stockton Globe is a beautiful grade II listed art deco theatre located at 153A High Street, Stockton-On-Tees. This much-loved venue first opened its doors in 1935 and has hosted many international stars over the years.
This year Stockton Globe is celebrating its 90th anniversary!
Photograph of the ABC Globe, with posters advertising the pantomime, Cinderella. Courtesy of Preston Park Museum & Grounds
Plan of the 1935 Globe, courtesy of Teesside Archives.
The original Globe was built in 1913 by Charles and Alfred Lewis, brothers born in Stockton. It was built as Teesside’s first purpose-built cinema showing silent movies. It was later demolished in 1925, before being rebuilt in 1926, when it showed the area’s first talking pictures.
The building was demolished again in 1932 before being rebuilt on the same site in 1935.
The 1935 Globe is what still stands in Stockton today. This impressive Art Deco building was designed by the Newcastle based architectural practice of Percy L. Browne who were well-known cinema builders of the time. It was built as a variety theatre but also included cinema facilities and could seat up to 2,372 people. The Globe regularly hosted stage shows with national companies at the time. Unfortunately for the Lewis brothers this model did not work out, and they lost a lot of money.
The venue would go on to become an ABC cinema in 1938, but it continued to host live performances, such as the annual pantomime, ballet, and even touring West End shows.
Two tickets for performances at the Globe. Courtesy of Preston Park Museum & Grounds.
During its time as an ABC cinema, it showed ‘House of Wax.’ This was the first ever 3D film to be shown at a cinema in this region.
Photograph of the ABC Globe, with posters advertising House of Wax 3D. Courtesy of Preston Park Museum & Grounds.
Entertainment at the Globe
The Stockton Globe is a leading live entertainment venue in the North East, once again hosting the biggest acts and best shows from around the world.
During the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s the Globe hosted famous acts including The Rolling Stones and The Beatles.
Photographer Ian Wright photographed both groups during their performances, and a selection of these photographs are currently displayed at the theatre.
CDs displayed at Preston Park Museum & Ground, including Petula Clark, and Charlie Gracie Live at the Stockton Globe.
During the 1940s usherette Vera Hanrahan started her career at the Globe. She would later become projectionist. Vera worked at the venue until the early 1950s; she was well known and during this time she would host some performers at her home including Patula Clark and Cliff Richard.
Bingo!
In 1975 the Globe closed before re-opening in 1977 as a Bingo Hall. During this time the walls were painted pink.
A night people fondly remember is Rowan Atkinson’s one night show in the 1980’s. The bingo was closed for the night, and funds were raised for the local church.
The bingo hall closed in 1997 and unfortunately the venue remained closed for many years before plans were made to restore it in 2010. The restoration of the globe would take a further 11 years, with funding secured in 2017 from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Stockton Borough Council.
The restoration of the Globe was made possible by project volunteers, made up of local people. They helped research the building and hosted heritage trails and tours, sharing their knowledge of the venue.
Inside the Globe
The Globe theatre is built on a steel structure, with no structural columns. This means you’re guaranteed a good view wherever you sit!
View from the stage, looking out onto the seating inside the auditorium of the Globe theatre.
The Globe is an architectural treasure with original Art Deco features such as the original no smoking sign on the stage from the early days, the original gold curtain, which had been dipped in plaster, and an original vision freeze and fountain from 1935. Whilst one half of the globe remained mostly original, the other half suffered damage to the building’s timbers and original architectural pieces, these pieces were reconstructed using the surviving pieces mentioned earlier, as examples.
From street level you enter the theatre via the circle, to reach the stalls you need to go downstairs. The 1935 theatre had higher capacity than the other two, with around 2372 seats.
Now the capacity for the Globe auditorium is 3000 people, with the stall seats being able to be removed for standing space.
The Gold Curtain from the Globe
Fountain at the Globe
Original No Smoking Sign on the stage of the Globe
The Heritage Doors
The original doors from the Globe play part of a tradition at the venue. After being carefully cleaned by volunteers before the reopening of the theatre they were placed on each of the 3 floors outside of the main dressing rooms. Acts performing at the venue are offered the chance to sign the doors before their performance and once full, each door is stored and replaced with another door.
The Globe Today
Today the Globe, operated by ATG Entertainment is once again welcoming big acts, including shows from the West End. You can enjoy live entertainment and in between show dates volunteers offer guided venue tours where you can see some of the original features of the building.
A heritage mosaic artwork displayed in the Globe. Created by artist Andrew McKeown.
A stained glass window artwork by artist Chloe Buck. The artwork features important parts of the Globes history.
Artworks in the Globe Stockton
The restored venue celebrates its heritage in some unique ways, including art installations such as ‘Globe-Stained Glass’ by Chloe Buck, a piece encased in an original Crittall window, and the Heritage mosaic by Andrew McKeown, made using original tiles from the foyer of the Globe.
Take a closer look next time you visit the globe and see what you notice.
