Savoy Theatre

The Savoy Theatre is a performance venue in Adcockvale, Gqeberha. The venue is also known as the Savoy Theatre and Conference Centre.

It is the home of the Impact Community Theatre Company (formerly the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society).

History

It was designed and built by members of the Port Elizabeth Gilbert & Sullivan Society in the 1960s, primarily as a rehearsal venue. At that time, since the Society's establishment in 1932, most productions were staged at the Port Elizabeth Opera House and the Savoy stage was made to the same size as the PE Opera House stage. Since the early 2000s most of the Society's productions have been staged at the Savoy Theatre with ongoing improvements being made such as the construction of an Orchestra Pit in 2011 and major renovations to the bar and entertainment areas.

The Savoy Theatre and Conference Centre

Following the major renovations, the venue was renamed the Savoy Theatre and Conference Centre. The venue itself features the auditorium with a full size 9m X 10m theatrical stage. It has two large dressing rooms and one smaller "star" dressing room, with 2 unisex toilets for performers.

The auditorium comprises five separate tiers for optional seating arrangements; dinner theatre style table seating, comprising of eight-seater trestle tables on each tier to allow for comfortable seating for 200 people, and theatre style seating comprising of rows of seats on each tier, allowing seating for 300 people. The Centre features a fully licensed and functional bar area and a coffee lounge area, separate from the bar area which sells coffees, teas and sweets as an option for simple catering events.

In the 2020s, it appears that the venue operates simply as the Savoy Theatre.

For more information

See Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society

See Impact Community Theatre Company

Sources

Correspondence with Rose Cowpar, member of the Society's Executive Committee, October 2014.