THE THEATRE ROYAL, BATH
‘Welcome, most welcome,’ the man started with a flamboyant flourish of hands. ‘Theatrical life has always been precarious in Bath. Over 250 years ago, 257 to be precise, George Trim built the first theatre. It lasted for thirty-three years, apparently never made a profit and was demolished in 1738 to make way for the Mineral Water Hospital. Then there was the New Theatre in nearby Kingsmead Street, that lasted until 1751.’
Ian was watching Rachel move round the room, replenishing glasses. He wondered what an Assistant Stage Manager actually did, and guessed it was the first step on the theatrical ladder, like the filing room at Woods & Parker.
‘…On 27th October 1750 we tried again in Orchard Street, opening with Shakespeare’s Henry IV…’
Ian fantasised about the girl’s figure hidden by the awful clothes.
‘…And so the great day in 1768, 197 years ago when the Theatre Royal Bath was granted a Royal Patent, the first outside London, and the first stop for every famous actor outside the capital…’
Ian held out his glass; she filled it.
‘Hello. You look too young to be rich,’ she said quietly.
‘I am just an understudy, as you would say.’
She laughed. ‘Welcome to the club, me too. Rachel Jacobs.’
Close up he could see the large brown laughing eyes under the slightly arched thick brown eyebrows, high forehead and exquisitely beautiful face.
‘Ian Morris,’ he mumbled.
‘…Then the final move, the year of the battle of Waterloo, 1815, we arrived in Beaufort Square, where you are now standing. Designed by George Dance, and built for £25,000 in just one year. On 12th October we opened with Richard III…’
‘Nice to meet you Ian,’ and she was gone, before he could say anything.
‘…Then disaster, tragedy, the never to be forgotten 18th April, Good Friday 1862, the whole place burnt to the ground. Couldn’t go back to Orchard Street, first a Catholic Church, followed by a Freemason’s Hall…’
Those brown eyes, her face; vaguely Ian heard the owner.
‘…In 1905, the most famous actor in England, Henry Irving, stood on this and made his centenary farewell performance…
An extract from chapter fifty-one of – ‘ Go Swift and Far – a Tale of Bath’ The first book of The Westcott Chronicles