The Stables Theatre

The Stables Theatre has been part of Hastings Old Town since 1959 and, all these years later, is still run entirely by volunteers. And it’s that local team who keep a busy programme moving through the intimate 126-seat auditorium, producing around ten plays of its own each year across new writing and established work. Visiting performers add live music and comedy to the calendar, while the gallery runs exhibitions throughout the year.

Its story stretches back to 1746, when the building began life as a stable block. By the 1950s it was facing demolition, but local campaigners fought to save it and found the building a new purpose. Sir Ralph Richardson opened the converted theatre in 1959, beginning a new chapter that Hastings residents have kept going ever since.

With the audience sitting so close to the stage, even the smallest details carry right to the back row. The 1066 Youth Theatre and regular workshops also give younger performers a route into theatre, with opportunities to learn before appearing in their own productions.

The team has worked hard to make the historic building accessible. The venue offers step-free wheelchair spaces with nearby seats for assistants, while platform lifts provide access to the first-floor bar. There is also an accessible loo and an infra-red listening system in the auditorium.

Let’s not forget their upstairs bar, which opens an hour before performances and usually stays open after the curtain comes down. The room can also be hired with the adjoining Gwen Watford Gallery, giving private parties and receptions plenty of space. The auditorium and art gallery are available to hire too, with catering arranged through the theatre or independently.

As The Stables is a self-funding charity, any money spent here helps care for the building and keeps the programme moving.

WHAT WE LOVE

A 1746 stable block becoming a theatre was already a great plot twist, but but the local volunteers keeping it alive makes the story even better – especially the part where they give local young people the chance to learn their craft and take to the stage.

OPENING HOURS

Monday – Saturday: 10:30 am – 1pm
Sunday: Closed
Show Nights: 6pm – 7:30 pm. They will also be open 1hr before matinee performances.
Closed on all Bank Holidays.

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