This collection of original theatre posters spans over six decades of cultural life at the Royal Hall, Harrogate — once known as the Kursaal — from its Edwardian grandeur to its mid-century heyday. Designed by the great theatre architect Frank Matcham and opened in 1903, the Royal Hall has hosted everything from French tragedy and grand opera to variety shows, wrestling bouts, and jazz legends.
Among the names featured are international icons such as Sarah Bernhardt and Louis Armstrong, rising stars like Cliff Richard, and beloved music hall entertainers whose fame may have faded but whose legacy lives on in the bold typography and exuberant billing of these vibrant posters. Together, they speak to a time when print was performance — part marketing, part memory — and a night out at the theatre was a highlight of civic life.
Preserved as both graphic design and social history, these posters are more than advertising: they are enduring witnesses to the stories, spectacles, and stars that have passed through Harrogate’s most celebrated stage.