The old theaters of Belfast recover at the center of the form in miniature form

BBC A small model of theater is located inside a glass display case. — The model of the Hippodrome theater of Mr. Marshall was the “most faithful” and “delicate” to finish as part of the exhibition

The miniature models of the lost theaters of Belfast created by designer Stuart Marshall bring the history of the dynamic theater of the city under the spotlight.

They are part of an exhibition at the University of Ulster for the Children's Festival.

Mr. Marshall told BBC News or that the models, made from cardboard, had a transversal call.

“Children appreciate the manufacture of models of miniature doll houses, adults appreciate the skills that arise to make them, and the elderly who may remember when some of these places stood.”

Mr. Marshall manufactures his cardboard models by analyzing the old photographs and architectural descriptions of the theaters of Old Belfast

A man wearing round glasses and a yellow fleece. He smiles at the camera and stands in front of a poster that says — Mr. Marshall manufactures his cardboard models by analyzing the old photographs and architectural descriptions of the theaters of Old Belfast

Locking project

“It all started as a locking project,” Marshall told BBC News Ni.

“I started working on a model of the Grand Opera House as part of the Heritage exhibition and, thanks to this, he was interested in looking at all the other theaters who are no longer.”

The models are “mainly made of different types of cardboard, such as a mounting card or colored paper, then they are glued together”.

“The racetrack was the most complicated and most detailed I did, it took me about six weeks to do.”

He said he was working mainly from old photographs, but it can be difficult to get enough precise details because “with a black and white photograph that you cannot move, it is fundamentally static”.

When photographs of the old theaters are not available or of poor quality, Mr. Marshall refers to the old newspaper articles which have sometimes written materials from the theater and the way it appeared.

The Alhambra – “a fairly rowdy place”

The Alhambra Theater opened its doors on North Street in the early 1870s and was seriously damaged by four separate fires during its 90 -year lifespan

Getty Images An old photo of the street with the Alhambra Theater at the end, old -fashioned cars border the street — The Alhambra Theater opened its doors on North Street in the early 1870s and was seriously damaged by four separate fires during its 90 -year lifespan

Opened in the early 1870s, the Alhambra was the first Belfast music room and was a “real spindle on the floor type joint”, according to Mr. Marshall.

“At the beginning, the Alhambra was more a variety house, and I heard that it was not the most attractive establishment, a fairly rowdy place.

“The Alhambra has not responded to more refined customers,” he added.

A bill typical of the first days of the Alhambra shows performances which “would today be controversial events” included events such as a Ménestrel show and a Japanese troop.

“I saw other things listed, which were more openly racist, but it was a bit the way at the time,” he added.

The model of M. Marshall is a representation of the first iteration of the Alhambra theater before the facade was redesigned

A composite image. On the left, a model of the Royal Alhambra Theater. On the right is a former bill for the theater. — The model of M. Marshall is a representation of the first iteration of the Alhambra theater before the facade was redesigned

To adapt to the evolution of mass entertainment, the Alhambra converted into a full -time cinema house in 1936.

Between the late 1800s and its closure in 1959, the Alhambra underwent four distinct fires.

The Royal Theater – “higher class establishment”

The model of M. Marshall's theater depicts the iteration of the theater from the beginning of the 20th century

A model of the royal theater, it has a flat front in red brick — The model of M. Marshall's theater depicts the iteration of the theater from the beginning of the 20th century

The Royal Theater was the high -end high -end theater in Belfast, opening in the late 1700s with a capacity of just over 1,000.

The building has been demolished and rebuilt several times.

“Throughout these places, they have continued to burn or demolish and rebuild – there is always a renewal aspect.”

The Royal Theater was to be “the higher class of the Upper class” of Belfast, which ultimately became “a building for mixed use of stores and place called” Boom Boom Room “, which was like a dance hall upstairs, which then became the Starlight Salle upstairs”.

“Now there is a small Starbucks in the corner where the building was,,” he added.

The Empire – “remains faithful to the theater”

The Theater Empire finally closed in 1961

Irish Historical Photographic Society A composite image of the model version of the theater (left) and an old photograph of the theater as it was in Victoria Square — The Theater Empire finally closed in 1961

In order not to be mistaken with the pub and the music room on Botanic avenue, the Theater Empire was located on Victoria Square and opened to the public in 1894.

According to Mr. Marshall, the Empire “operated at a time similar to the Alhambra from the 1890s until the early 1960s, then it was that it was overthrown.

“It was finally replaced by a small Woods store, which was refurbished again and again, until the Victoria Square shopping center.”

Although he adapts to the growing popularity of cinema, the Empire “has remained faithful to the theater for his whole life,” said Marshall.

Hippodrome – “Cinema in mind”

The original hippodrome theater was built next to the Grand Opera House on Great Victoria Street

Historical photographic society of Irish of the North A grainy image in black and white of the old Hippodrome theater next to Belfast Grand Opera House. The building is very detailed with many windows, balconies and veracons of different sizes. — The original hippodrome theater was built next to the Grand Opera House on Great Victoria Street

The hippodrome was “more delicate (model to do) than some of the others”.

Mr. Marshall describes how there are not too many quality photographs of the racetrack, so he “had to use his judgment” when designing the model in terms of color play and scale.

Coming quite late, “the racetrack was built in 1907 originally with a cinema in mind” to fully enjoy the advent of modern cinema and an increasing popularity of shows.

The hippodrome was converted into an Odeon cinema in the 1960s before being demolished in the 1980s

Irish historical photographic society of Northern A black and white image of a lively street with old -fashioned cars and a concrete theater with an Odeon panel at the front — The hippodrome was converted into an Odeon cinema in the 1960s before being demolished in the 1980s

The Ritz – 'The stones, the Beatles …' '

Ritz was not a traditional theater like the others, and adopted a more modern approach by focusing more on musical acts

A Ritz theater scale model — Ritz was not a traditional theater like the others, and adopted a more modern approach by focusing more on musical acts

“And then there was the Ritz …” which opened its doors in 1938.

The Ritz was, according to Mr. Marshall, “a giant cinema more or less, but his name was the Ritz Theater”. However, he produced shows as part of the entertainment of the night.

“They would have a brass group, dancers or a ballet, then a film at the end.”

“It also made huge concerts, people like Stones, Beatles and Billy Connolly all performed at Ritz during their time,” he added.

It was the largest in Northern Ireland at the time, with just over 2,000 capacities.

The Ritz was damaged by bombs hidden in the seats and the interior of theaters and the roof was destroyed in 1977.