Derby Castle Theatre, Isle of Man

Derby Castle Theatre once stood at the North end of Douglas Bay. The original buildings were 2 houses masquerading as one larger one. Originally built for Major Pollock by J. Skillicorn of Onchan probably to a design of John Robinson.

The buildings were acquired in 1877 by Douglas advocate Mr. A.N.Laughton who built a dance hall in its grounds. The dancehall, designed by W.J. Rennison was some 194 feet by 71 ft and capable of accommodating 2000 dancers. Laughton financed the project by forming the Derby Castle Company in 1878 with initially £15,000 in shares (by 1889 £20,000) subscribed to by six Douglas businessmen, including J.A. Brown of the IoM Times who was soon to start his own rival Palace complex and who ultimately became the controlling power behind the Palace and Derby Castle Company.

By the 1960's the complex was outdated and run down - it was bought by Douglas corporation in the late 1960's, demolished and the ill-fated Summerland complex built on the site. Read more

Lowry refers to theatre in his novel Ultramarine; "My missus’s tightly bound, she’s all tightly bound. Harry Weldon in 1925 singing that at the Derby Castle, Douglas, his audience bringing him back for his curtain over and over again." (Pg. 116). This reference probably relates to a Lowry family holiday made in 1923 to the island.

Grange Road, Birkenhead

Grange Road was the principal shopping area in Birkenhead from the 1880's until the creation of a pedestrianized shopping precinct in the late 1960's. The road runs from Argyle Street to Charing Cross with only the top and bottom of the pedestrianized area retaining any original buildings.

Lowry refers to the road in his first novel Ultramarine; "That day it was, on the Saughall Massie Road with Janet, when he found the white campion on the windy hill, it was the only sound to break the stillness, the traction engine, and the sleep-shattering fall of white stones. Afterwards they had tea at Hubbard and Martin's, in Grange Road." (Pg.31 )

Lowry also refers to the Hippodrome Theatre, which was located in Grange Road, in both Ultramarine and Under The Volcano.

Olympia Theatre, Liverpool

The Liverpool Olympia was built in 1905 For Moss Empires Ltd by architect Frank Matcham as a purpose built indoor circus and variety theatre. The theatre was a response to the enormous success of Thomas Barrasford's Royal Hippodrome Theatre (4000 capacity, built 1902, demolished 1984) which stood a very short distance away; the Olympia never managed to meet the success of the Hippodrome, and never managed a profit.

The auditorium is one of the largest in Liverpool; in its heyday it could accommodate 3750 people in the stalls and on 3 balconies. The unusual proscenium stage was at the same level as the stalls, with an orchestra riser against the back wall. The stage had a 15-metre (49 ft) wide Proscenium, was 12 metres (39 ft) deep, and had a height of 21 metres (69 ft).

The theatre was purchased by ABC theatre company, and converted into a Cinema in 1930. Read more on Wikpedia

Lowry refers to the theatre in his short story 'Enter One In Sumptuous Armour'; "The advertisments were now for the Liverpool theatres. At Olympia, Jack and The Beanstalk was still playing." (Pg. 234).

Nationaltheatret, Oslo

The National Theatre in Oslo (Norwegian: Nationaltheatret) is one of Norway's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts.

The theatre had its first performance on 1 September 1899 but can trace its origins to Christiania Theatre, which was founded in 1829. There were three official opening performances, on subsequent days in September; First, selected pieces by Ludvig Holberg, then An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen, and on the third day Sigurd Jorsalfar by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson.

Read more on Wikipedia

Gordon Bowker speculates in Pursued By Furies that Nordahl Grieg took Lowry to the theatre during Lowry's stay in Oslo in 1931. ((Pg. 129). This is based on the fact that Grieg was then currently working on his play Atlanterhavet (The Atlantic) to be performed at the National Theatre. Lowry refers to the theatre in his novel Ultramarine when the protagonist Dana Hilliot asks his girlfriend Janet Travena; "what shall it be - for we must make the most of our emancipation from out parents - the Nationaltheatret, or the Circus or the Chat Noir?" (Pg. 68). Lowry also referred to the theatre in a letter to his wife Jan Gabrial dated Summer 1933; "just turn to the left at the Nationaltheatret exit from the Røde Mølle, that being an ugly looking theatre with Ibsen, Bjornsen, & Hieberg outside it." (Collected Letters Vol 1 Pg. 130).