Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield
1897 - W. G. R Sprague
In 1969 my friend John Hurt and I set up a "Keep Lyceum Live" campaign to
prevent the theatre being demolished by the council after closure. The battle was joined
by many others local theatre enthusiasts and star names in the profession, and a
17,000 petition handed in to the council. After many years of campaigning and meetings, charity
concerts and press coverage, the theatre was saved at a Department of Environmental Enquiry in 1975, when the
theatre was "listed". I was one of the speakers at the Enquiry. Thanks to the work of the
Later Theatre Trust and a huge renovation, the theatre is now one of the jewels of the
touring theatre circuit. Many people and organizations have claimed credit for saving the Lyceum,
but in the face of much apathy our action in 1969 prevented the council secretly purchasing and demolishing
the theatre, so that the Central Library could be extended. |
A typical photo shoot. 
