Liverpool Empire Theatre

The Liverpool Empire Theatre stands on the corner of Lime Street in the centre of Liverpool, right beside the city's main railway station. Opened in 1925 and now run by ATG Entertainment, it holds the largest two-tier auditorium in the United Kingdom, seating 2,348 people. It is the city's main receiving house for large-scale touring work, taking in musicals, drama, dance, opera, comedy and concerts across the year. The Grade II listed building is known for its Portland stone frontage, its Louis XVI style interior and a raked seating plan that was considered forward thinking when the theatre first opened.

There has been a theatre on this Lime Street corner since the Victorian era. The first building, the New Prince of Wales Theatre and Opera House, opened on 15 October 1866 and was then the largest theatre in Liverpool. It was renamed the Royal Alexandra Theatre and Opera House on 29 July 1867 in honour of Alexandra, Princess of Wales. After closing in 1894 it reopened the following year under Empire Theatre (Liverpool) Ltd, and in 1896 it was sold to Messrs Moss and Thornton for £30,000 and renamed The Empire. That building gave its final performance on 16 February 1924 and was demolished.

The present Liverpool Empire opened on 9 March 1925 with a production of Better Days starring Stanley Lupino, Maisie Gay and Ruth French. It was designed by W. and T. R. Milburn for Moss Empires, with carving and auditorium ornamentation by E. O. Griffiths. The steel framed building has a Portland stone façade in a free Neoclassical style, and its raked seating layout was regarded as advanced for the time. It was listed Grade II on the National Heritage List for England on 16 October 1990 and sits within the William Brown Street Conservation Area.

The Empire's guest list reads like a history of British popular entertainment. Fred and Adele Astaire, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, Mae West, Laurel and Hardy, Sarah Bernhardt, Henry Irving, Vesta Tilley and Arthur Askey all appeared here, as did Shirley Bassey, Ken Dodd, Morecambe and Wise, Victoria Wood, Kate Bush, Elton John and Cilla Black. A local group called The Quarrymen played the theatre in 1957, returned in 1959 as Johnny and the Moondogs, and came back in 1962 as The Beatles, playing the Empire for the last time on 5 December 1965. The Rolling Stones appeared with Ike and Tina Turner and The Yardbirds on 25 September 1966.

Moss Empires still owned the theatre in 1977 and was planning to dispose of it; Merseyside County Council acquired it two years later and spent £680,000 over the following two years on backstage improvements and on extending the stage and orchestra pit. A further major refurbishment in 1999 enlarged the stage again and improved audience facilities, and an extension was added on the north side in 2002, by which time the theatre was owned by Clear Channel Entertainment. Two Royal Command Performances were staged here in the 1970s, and the theatre hosted the Royal Variety Performance in 2007 to mark Liverpool becoming European Capital of Culture the following year. The Empire has been part of ATG since at least 2011.

Street level access is from Lime Street into the foyer, with level access into the auditorium at both sides of the stalls. The rest of the auditorium is reached by steps. The building has wide doors and additional toilet facilities for disabled visitors, and appropriate seating positions are available on all levels.

• Lifts: one front of house lift serves the circle, and a further lift provides access to the stalls bar toilets.
• Wheelchair spaces: sixteen in total. Twelve are in Row U of the stalls, reached by street level access, and four are in Row G of the circle, reached by lift. Some companion seats in Stalls Row U sit in front of the wheelchair spaces, so if you need to sit beside your companion the circle Row G spaces are recommended.
• Accessible toilet: one at stalls level, near the accessible entrance.
• Bars: all bars are accessible, and At Seat Service can be arranged when you arrive.
• Assistance dogs: welcome, and staff can look after your dog during the performance if arranged in advance or on arrival. Contact the theatre if you would like your dog to stay with you so suitable space can be allocated.
• Seat width: 19 inches from armrest to armrest.

Sensory and audio services

Audio described performances, touch tours and other visual services are offered; seats in the AA to DD area are recommended for anyone who needs a closer view of the stage. Hearing enhancement and signed performances are also available, and the hearing loop signal works best in the centre stalls. Visual and audio stories for visitors who are autistic or who have a sensory or communication condition can be requested by emailing accessliverpool@atgentertainment.com.

Booking

Accessibility assistance is available on 0333 009 5399, or via Typetalk on 1800 1 0333 009 5399. ATG's free Access Membership Scheme lets you book accessible seats online, book essential companion tickets if eligible and receive news of access performances.