Theatres Act 1843
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1843 c. 68 |
(6 & 7 Vict.) C A P. LXVIII.
[22d August 1843]
'WHEREAS it is expedient that the Laws now in force for regulating Theatres and Theatrical Performances be repealed, and other Provisions be enacted in their Stead:' Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That an Actpassed in the Third Year of the Reign of KingJames the First, intituled An Act to restrain the Abuses of Players; and so much of an Act passed in the Tenth Year of the Reign of King George the Second for the more effectual preventing the unlawful playing of Interludes within the Precincts of the Two Universities in that Part of Great Britain called England , and the Places adjacent, as is now in force; and another Act passed in the Tenth Year of the Reign of King George the Second, intituled Anne, and another Act passed in the Twenty-eighth Year of the Reign of KingGeorge the Third, intituled , shall be repealed: Providedalways, that any Licence now in force granted by the Lord Chamberlain, or granted by any Justices of the Peace under the Provisions of the last-recited Act, shall continue in force for the Times for which the same were severally granted, or until revoked by the Authority by which they were severally granted.
II All Theatres for the Performance of Plays must be licensed.
II. And be it enacted, That, except as aforesaid, it shall not be lawful for any Person to have or keep any House or other Place of public Resort inGreat Britain , for the public Performance of Stage Plays, without Authority by virtue of Letters Patent from Her Majesty, Her Heirs and Successors, or Predecessors, or without Licence from the Lord Chamberlain of Her Majesty's Household for the Time being, or from the Justices of the Peace as herein-after provided; and every Person who shall offend against this Enactment shall be liable to forfeit such Sum as shall be awarded by the Court in which or the Justices by whom he shall be convicted, not exceeding Twenty Pounds for every Day on which such House or Place shall have been so kept open by him for the Purpose aforesaid, without legal Authority.
III What Licences shall be granted by the Lord Chamberlain.
III. And be it enacted, That the Authority of the Lord Chamberlain for granting Licences shall extend to all Theatres (not being Patent Theatres) within the Parliamentary Boundaries of the Cities ofLondon and Westminster , and of the Boroughs of Finsbury and Marylebone , the Tower Hamlets, Lambeth , and Southwark , and also within those Places where Her Majesty, Her Heirs and Successors, shall, in their Royal Persons, occasionally reside: Provided always, that, except within the Cities and Boroughs aforesaid, and the Boroughs of New Windsor in the County of Berks , and Brighthelmstone in the County of Sussex , Licences for Theatres may be granted by the Justices as herein-after provided, in those Places in which Her Majesty, Her Heirs and Successors, shall occasionally reside; but such Licences shall not be in force during the Residence there of Her Majesty, Her Heirs and Successors; and during such Residence it shall not be lawful to open such Theatres as last aforesaid (not being Patent Theatres) without the Licence of the Lord Chamberlain.
IV Fee for Lord Chamberlain's Licence.
IV. And be it enacted, That for every such Licence granted by the Lord Chamberlain a Fee, not exceeding Ten Shillings for each Calendar Month during which the Theatre is licensed to be kept open, according to such Scale of Fees as shall be fixed by the Lord Chamberlain, shall be paid to the Lord Chamberlain.
V Licences may be granted by Justices.
V. And be it enacted, That the Justices of the Peace within every County, Riding, Division, Liberty, Cinque Port, City, and Borough inGreat Britain beyond the Limits of the Authority of the Lord Chamberlain, in which Application shall have been made to them for any such Licence as is herein-after mentioned, shall, within Twenty-one Days next after such Application shall have been made to them in Writing signed by the Party making the same, and countersigned by at least Two Justices acting in and for the Division within which the Property proposed to be licensed shall be situate, and delivered to the Clerk to the said Justices, hold a Special Session in the Division, District, or Place for which they usually act, for granting Licences to Houses for the Performance of Stage Plays, of the holding of which Session Seven Days Notice shall be given by their Clerk to each of the Justices acting within such Division, District, or Place; and every such Licence shall be given under the Hands and Seals of Four or more of the Justices assembled at such Special Session, and shall be signed and sealed in open Court, and afterwards shall be publicly read by the Clerk, with the Names of the Justices subscribing the same.
VI Fee for Justices Licence.
VI. And be it enacted, That for every such Licence granted by the Justices a Fee, not exceeding Five Shillings for each Calendar Month during which the Theatre is licensed to be kept open, according to such Scale of Fees as shall be fixed by the Justices, shall be paid to the Clerk of the said Justices.
VII To whom Licences shall be granted.
VII. And be it enacted, That no such Licence for a Theatre shall be granted by the Lord Chamberlain or Justices to any Person except the actual and responsible Manager for the Time being of the Theatre in respect of which the Licence shall be granted; and the Name and Place of Abode of such Manager shall be printed on every Play Bill announcing any Representation at such Theatre; and such Manager shall become bound himself in such penal Sum as the Lord Chamberlain or Justices shall require, being in no Case more than Five hundred...
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