New Empire Theatre

The New Empire Theatre was a historic theatre in Southend on Sea, Essex, England. Built in 1896, it closed in 1998 and was demolished in 2017.

The New Empire Theatre was built in 1896 by theatre impresario Frederick Marlow. He had owned the public hall previously on the site, and converted it to The Empire Theatre in 1892. A fire on Boxing Day 1895 destroyed the building. Marlow took it upon himself to rebuild a bigger, better theatre, with five floors and electric lighting. The theatre was the first of its kind in Southend, and was called "the prettiest theatre outside of London" by local press at its opening in 1896. Marlow presented a varied programme of musicals, opera, concerts, plays, variety and music hall. He remained at the theatre until 1905 when it was taken over by the Southend on Sea Theatre Company Ltd. The following fourteen years the theatre was run on a leasehold basis by various people, including Albert Marchinsky, an illusionist known as "The Great Rameses", a successful magician and music hall entertainer who spent some time pursuing theatre management as a career. On 26 July 2015, the 120 year old theatre was devastated by arson. The fire had destroyed the theatre's much admired first floor amphitheatre. According to a spokesman for the Essex fire service, "the building suffered extensive damage and the roof has collapsed, largely destroying the first floor auditorium." After the theatre was bought by an unidentified Hong Kong company in August 2016, the company decided to demolish the theatre. Demolition work began in March 2017.