The Theatre Royal opened in 1807 on the corner of Bank Street later renamed Temple
Street. The photographer would be standing outside the entrance of McDonald's today.
It ran off and on as a theatre until it was demolished in 1898. Its site became the
David Evans department store then was bombed in the blitz of 1941, then rebuilt as
David Evans after the war. It remained in use as the store until it was again demolished
in April 2007. It now houses an up market apartment block with retail use on the
ground floor. The very first pantomime performed in Swansea was given at the theatre
in 1809, being "Mother Goose". During its time as a theatre it welcomed visits from
famous performers like Edmund Kean, Sheridan Knowles and John Bannister. Andrew Cherry
(1769 - 1812) was the first manager of the theatre and was a well known London theatre
star. His name alone was enough to draw some of the best performers in the country
at the time to Swansea's Theatre Royal. After his death the theatre spent a lot of
its time dark save for the occasional visiting touring group or for private hire.
