The new Royal Electric Theatre which is being erected near the Queen Victoria Hotel, Rushden, by Mr. Franklin, of Higham Ferrers, is now nearing completion; and we take this opportunity of giving our readers a full description of the edifice.

The building has been going on apace since April, and a surprising amount of work has been done.

The contractor is Mr. W. Packwood, of Newton-road, Rushden, who has had a large number of men employed on the Theatre, and the work has been proceeded with in a clean and quick way. The architect was Mr. F. E. Preston, of 5, Church Parade, Rushden, and the result has been all that could be desired. Messrs. Whittington and Tomlin have done the carpentry and joinery work.

The first thing that strikes one when looking at the new place of amusement is its size, and the largeness of the stage. It is

A Really Fine Building

and the conveniences will be innumerable.

In the front portion of the theatre there are two entrances to the balcony, and at the sides there are two entrances to the orchestra stalls, and two to the pit. There are also emergency exits.

In the front of the circle there will be tip-up arm chairs of the best and most comfortable type, and in the back portion of the circle there will be tip-up chairs, and at the back of this there will be a large lounge. The prices will be 1/0 to the front of the circle, and 9d at the back. The whole of the circle will seat about 200. In the orchestra stalls there will be spring tip-up chairs, providing seating accommodation for about 300. The pit will have tip-up chairs in sections of fours, and this portion will seat about 300. The chairs are being supplied by Messrs. Dean, of Birmingham.

The Stage

which is one of the largest in the county, is about 53 feet wide and goes back about 25 feet. The opening is about 32 feet wide and 22 feet high. The dressing-rooms are underneath. The scenery will all be flyed, and will thus be drawn right up to the top of the stage, thereby saving the trouble of rolling the scenery as is done in the ordinary way. Consequently time will be saved and the scenery will be preserved. In front and immediately below the stage a space is reserved for an orchestral band. The building is exceptionally well ventilated.

In addition to the lounge upstairs there will be a refreshment bar on the ground floor.

With regard to light and power, there are two engines, supplied by the Central Machine Company, Rushden, of the Hornsbury, Stockport, type, and they are respectively 27 and 21 horse-power. There are two dynamos designed on purpose for the Theatre. By a special arrangement of the counter shaft and clutch either engine is able to drive either dynamo. In addition to the ordinary lights of the stage there will be two

Electric Lime Lights

of about 1,000 candle-power each. Outside the building there will be two arc lamps of about 2,000 candle-power each. The work is being carried on under the personal supervision of Mr. R. C. Soans, of the firm of Barnett and Soans, electrical engineers and contractors, Kettering.

When complete the interior of the Theatre will be coloured in two greens, and will look very nice.

Asked by a representative of the Rushden Echo when he proposed opening the Theatre, Mr. Franklin replied: “On September 23.” In reply to a further question he said that he was going to run the Theatre on varieties and pictures with an occasional pantomime in the winter.