Kenton Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Kenton Theatre is an old theatre in the town of Henley-on-Thames
, Oxfordshire
, England
.
The theatre was founded 7 November 1805 and is the fourth oldest working theatre in the United Kingdom
. It is staffed by volunteers. The Friends of the Kenton Theatre support the theatre in its activities.
From 1813, the theatre closed and became a non-conformist chapel
, a school, unused for a period, a church hall
and a store for theatrical scenery. It opened as a theatre again in 1935, with productions by professional repertory
companies. In 1951, the proscenium arch was rebuilt and painted by the nationally reputed 20th century local artist John Piper
. He also designed sets for some of the productions.
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The theatre was founded 7 November 1805 and is the fourth oldest working theatre in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is staffed by volunteers. The Friends of the Kenton Theatre support the theatre in its activities.
From 1813, the theatre closed and became a non-conformist chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
, a school, unused for a period, a church hall
Church hall
A church hall is a room or building associated with a church, general for community and charitable use . It is normally located near the church, typically in smaller and village communities. Activities in the hall are not necessarily religious, but are typically an important part of local community...
and a store for theatrical scenery. It opened as a theatre again in 1935, with productions by professional repertory
Repertory
Repertory or rep, also called stock in the United States, is a term used in Western theatre and opera.A repertory theatre can be a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation...
companies. In 1951, the proscenium arch was rebuilt and painted by the nationally reputed 20th century local artist John Piper
John Piper (artist)
John Egerton Christmas Piper, CH was a 20th-century English painter and printmaker. For much of his life he lived at Fawley Bottom in Buckinghamshire, near Henley-on-Thames.-Life:...
. He also designed sets for some of the productions.