On the Road

Over the last year or so, I've been pretty busy with my day job, touring to a different town/city in the UK/Ireland every week, a pattern that will continue for a while. This is and has been enormous fun professionally, but it has played havoc to a certain extent with what I usually get up to on the photography front, as I've tended to find it pretty tricky to get to the kinds of places I would generally spend a lot of time in and with (the sea, the moors, the back of beyond).

On the plus side, though, there is the constant thrill of what a new town or city brings with it every week. So over the next few months I'll hopefully be posting various themes that I've been putting together whilst I've been touring, made up of the stream of sights and sounds that I've encountered on my travels.

The majority of places that we've been have tended to be bustling, vibrant, densely populated and pretty urban, so I've done my best to seek out, and capture as best I can, peace and quiet wherever we've landed.

I thought I'd start with the subject that's been closest to my heart over the last year: Theatre. What follows is a taste of the kinds of places we've had the privilege of spending time with. It's not exhaustive, but it is fairly representative, hopefully not just of the buildings themselves, but the tangible sense of history that many of them still retain. All Pentax K1 (occasional K3/K3II), DFA 24-70, FA 24 90, PLM 55-300, A 20 2.8, F 17-28, Irix 15mm, Samyang 24mm Tilt Shift.

1. The Sheffield Lyceum (1897) and Crucible (1971) Theatres. Side by Side. The old faithful and the young upstart. I liked how the wide angle brought them together.



2. Belfast Grand Opera House, as seen from the stage. Built in 1895, and designed by Frank Matcham, the peerless theatre architect.



3. Belfast Grand Opera House, as seen from the Royal Box.



4. Sign, auditorium, Edinburgh Festival Theatre. I rather liked how the seat (centre) shows signs of a recent inhabitant.



5. The ornate ceiling at the Belfast Grand Opera House. Fisheye.



6. The entrance in any theatre for the Cast and Crew. This one at the Kings Theatre, Edinburgh.



7. Seat No. 29. Abstract.



8. Flys. One of the many ropes used to haul scenery up and down via a pulley system back stage. Theatre Royal Plymouth.



9. Dressing Room. Generally somewhat less glamorous than the Front of House of most theatres in my experience, but always homely. This from the beautiful Connaught Theatre, Worthing.



10. The magnificent auditorium at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre. Seats 2000. 4 shot pano stitch.



11. One of the many sets of seats you'll generally find backstage in the corridors outside dressing rooms. My guess would be historically they would probably be used by ushers/dressers.



12. Seat abstract, Edinburgh Festival Theatre.



13. Auditorium detail from the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton.



14. 14. Digs, Plymouth. One of the most important aspects of touring, digs tend to be offered at a discount rate by local theatre goers/lovers, and are an absolute God send.



15. Another seat abstract, this from Sunderland Empire , the largest theatre in the North East.



16. Detail from Sunderland Empire. A link to a bygone era.



17. Ornate column from the auditorium of Belfast Grand Opera House.



18. Seat abstract, Edinburgh Festival Theatre.



19. Seat abstract, Edinburgh Festival Theatre. Reflected light from the stage.



20. Sunset at the Sunderland Empire. 3 shot pano stitch.



All thoughts/observations gratefully received as ever...

Best

I just love the architecture in these theatres and it must be great for you to enjoy the performing and then also the details of the places you see.

Fantastic shots, very impressed and a little envious of your access to so many of these.

Exemplary work. Some seriously stunning images in this set. Many thanks for posting.

Best regards

What a wonderful set! It is very interesting to see photographs from such beautiful historical venues, seen through an insider’s/actor’s perspective. I agree with comments above, there are indeed many stunning images here. Thank you for sharing!

Can only say WoW !! at the photo's, and agree wholeheartedly with the comments..

Great stuff Bill! No 3 has the composition just right with the curtain helping to frame; also nos 5,7 and 13 stand out for me

Brilliant, superb collection!

This is a beautiful set of photographs and great documentary work.

Stunning set of very interesting subject matter very skilfully captured.

Entertaining, educational and a delight to see things and places we probably won't otherwise. Thank you Bill.

What a marvellous portfolio, cleverly conceived and beautifully photographed. How wonderful that you can combine your two occupations, acting and photography at the same time. And the promise of more to come, bring 'em on Bill.
David

Pretty much what he said,
A wonderful set, and a joy to look through
I think i have been to a theater once, so these are great for me,
The little mini briefs are spot on in helping to tell the story.
Keep them coming

Superb set - interesting and insightful with concise narration, all this at the same time as being well executed and seen in the first place.

Always enjoy your posts Bill - what is it you're appearing in? I'll keep an eye out for it in case it comes to our local theatre

Fantastic set...nothing to add that hasn't already been said Bill.

Encore...

regards

Karlo

Standing ovation from me. When I lived up there as a child Sunderland Empire every year for the pantomime. As an adult every year with children for the pantomime. History repeats itself. CHEERS Vic.