Mural celebrates 'rich history' of seaside theatre

The Gaiety was designed by architect Frank Matcham on the site of an existing theatre

A wallpaper mural charting the "rich history" of a Victorian era seaside theatre celebrates the 125-year-old building as well as its performers and staff.

The Isle of Man's Gaiety Theatre opened its doors on Harris Promenade in Douglas for the first time on 16 July 1900.

Designed by renowned architect Frank Matcham, over the years the theatre has played host to visiting artists such as Des O'Connor and Paloma Faith as well as early performances by Manx actors Samantha Barks and Joe Locke.

Theatre manager Seamus Shea said the mural in the Circle Bar features close to 200 images to commemorate the venue "in its entirety".

Seamus Shea said the project was designed to capture the history of the venue

"The Gaiety has a rich history in terms of its place in the community, its place as a place of entertainment, its record as an architectural gem," he said.

"We tried to capture as many of those elements as possible.

"It's a mixture of on the stage, behind the scenes, archive photos of the building, past, present, and before it existed really. So it's a real amalgamation of everything to do with the history and the site."

The mural covers the walls of the Circle Bar in the Gaiety Theatre

He said the government-owned theatre sat "nicely in the middle of that well-accumulated group of existing surviving theatres, especially Frank Matcham theatres".

"In terms of theatre stock in the United Kingdom, there are theatres that are a lot older and there are a lot of younger theatres," Mr Shea said, "but we feel very proud that we are one of the best kept and best restored theatres.

"When you come to the Gaiety you are treated both with quality on the stage and quality in your experience in attending."

He said that was largely down to the restoration programme which took place about 20 years ago now.

An image of former general manager Mervyn Stokes features in the display, marking his work to restore the theatre

Ada Blanche took part in the first performance on the Gaiety stage, in a production of The Telephone Girl

Mervyn Stokes headed up the theatre for more than four decades, and led that restoration project.

He said creating the wallpaper mural was an "absolutely inspired" way of capturing the history of the building in one room.

Some of the items he put forward for the project included photographs from Matcham's personal collection.

"We were very lucky, we got to know his great nephew, Brian Matcham, and he was very helpful in lots of things and he gave me some photographs," he said.

"But the Gaiety as a whole, you know, it's got everything going for it from 1900. I mean it's never been redecorated, as it was, it's a gem, it really is.

"We're very lucky to have it."

Kelly Firth's photograph of the actors in a production of Jersey Boys features in the mural

Kelly Firth has experienced both being on the stage and working behind the scenes at the theatre, and has also been involved in creating the artwork for many local productions over the past decade.

She said it "feels really special" to have contributed images to the project as it was "a place that I love so much".

"I love being a part of it in any way that I can," she said.

"I think it's a lot of people's favourite place on the island, both in the audience and backstage and on stage.

"There's just something special about it when you're in there."

Singer and actor Samantha Barks taking part in a performance of Robinson Crusoe alongside David Artus features

The mural showcases behind the scenes images as well as performances

That sentiment is shared by performer David Artus, who first took to the Gaiety stage at the age of 15.

"For an actor going through the stage door at the back there is exactly the same as it was for me in 1984 as it is when I did my last show there, which was Chicago last year," he said.

"There's that green door and you enter it - the smell is the same."

He said it was "an incredible place" and he had always been "really proud" to see how impressed visiting actors are when they arrive to perform in it.

"It's kind of our happy place, it's where we feel most comfortable," he added.