Ridiculed Shakespeare North plan wins over doubters

The 450-seater theatre has opened after many years of planning

Plans for a Shakespeare theatre in a market town were initially greeted with laughter but the project's doubters have since been "proved wrong", a council boss has said.

To some, the concept of the newly-opened Shakespeare North was greeted with words from Macbeth, as a "tale told by an idiot, signifying nothing".

Knowsley Council leader Graham Morgan said: "When I announced the plan in the council chamber, quite a few people started laughing and said 'really'?

"The experts questioned it too. But I think we have proved them all wrong now".

The playhouse was designed as a northern rival for the famous Globe Theatre in London.

A £38m replica of the Royal Cockpit theatre, the wooden auditorium recaptures the look and atmosphere of a venue that was originally sited where 10 Downing Street now stands.

Graham Morgan revealed he was laughed at when he raised the idea of a Shakespearean theatre in Prescot

Architect Nicholas Helm says he feels Prescot's new version "is the only really accurate replica of a Shakespearian theatre".

The Globe, on London's Southbank, he says, involved some "guesswork". This, he feels, is "the closest we've got to the real experience".

The project was "a great example of the private sector and public sector working together," Mr Morgan said.

He continued: "From our local MP George Howarth going to see the then chancellor George Osborne and getting a tax break, the government giving us some money, the mayor putting in funding and us at the council as well."

Businesses are now preparing to welcome a boost for trade and tourism in the area.

On Eccleston Street in the town centre, a huge mural of Shakespeare is painted on the side of the Lord Strange pub.

Jane McNally, who lost her job during the pandemic, has opened a dress shop opposite the theatre

Lord Strange, the fifth Earl Of Derby, who built the original playhouse in Prescot, was the patron of a group of actors called Lord Strange's Men.

Landlord Kurt Wilson also owns the Spanish Caravan restaurant and has invested in another pub and accommodation which will open to guests to tie in with the theatre's opening.

"The excitement is amazing. All the businesses are showing their support. We've seen celebrities like Jonny Vegas who popped in for a pint," he said.

"The town is bustling. This is the icing on the cake. Four hundred visitors each night - even if half buy a pint, a glass of wine or some food, that's all money in Prescot's local economy."

Opposite the theatre, former musician Jane McNally has opened a dress shop.

It is hoped the theatre will help stimulate the post-pandemic culture of outdoor dining in the town

The Midsummer Night's Dream quote "though she be little she be fierce" is emblazoned on the wall.

She said: "I lost my job in the pandemic but I then looked at four or five premises and now I absolutely love being here.

"There's lots of history to it, and a spooky cellar. I've watched the idea for the theatre grow over the past decade. To see it come to fruition is mind blowing."

Some businesses have raised concerns about a lack of parking.

But Mr Morgan encouraged visitors to help by using public transport to travel to the theatre.

Meanwhile, the train station has recently been upgraded and new bus stops have been installed on Prospero Place, just outside the theatre.

Businesses are gearing up for increased numbers

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