Manchester's 53two theatre, known for its commitment to accessibility and new writing, now calls the historic Watson Street undercroft arches its home. The theatre, co-created by actor and producer Simon Naylor, has transformed the long-abandoned Victorian arches into a performance and bar space, preserving original features while adding modern, flat-access facilities.
A Historic Setting
The arches were built as part of the goods station complex that grew around Manchester Central Station, which opened in 1880. The station featured an arched, single-span roof with nine tracks above street level, and below, vaulted undercroft arches for storing goods. By the late 1890s, the need for a new city centre goods station led to the construction of the 'Great Northern Warehouse and Deansgate Goods Station.' Across the road on Watson Street, the undercroft arches were used for storing beer, tobacco, oils, and hay for the horses pulling carts between the railway, the canal system, and roads.
By 1914, alternative uses were found for the arches, with numbers 18 and 19 occupied by the 'Colmore Depot,' advertised as 'the largest motor cycle showroom in the North.' The railway station later fell into disrepair and was converted into the G-Mex, later renamed Manchester Central. The Watson Street undercrofts remained largely untouched, though original sliding doors and iron bars were removed, replaced with new brick facias and shutter doors.
From Car Showroom to Theatre
The team behind 53two launched around 2015-2016, initially taking over the former Bauer Millet car showroom on a temporary basis. It was there that they inadvertently became one of the city's most accessible theatre venues. The plan was to move to Watson Street around 2019, but the pandemic delayed it. In 2021, development began, with 53two working with Manchester Central and Manchester City Council to rescue the arches and create two spaces with state-of-the-art, flat access facilities.
During the renovation, some original steel work was left in place, and listed features were preserved. In the floor of the theatre bar arch, original stone flags bordered by steel rails remain, once used as guides for carts pushed or horse-drawn through the tunnels beneath the station.
A Tribute to History
Artist and maker Liam Hopkins was commissioned to design a feature for the new concrete floor of the theatre bar arch. He created 126 individual floor plates, half shaped like canal barges and half like flying shuttles, a nod to the cotton trade and canal history of the area. Each plate was individually sponsored with a personal name or message and inserted into the wet concrete, allowing many people to leave their own mark as a lasting legacy.
Simon Naylor, creative director, described the theatre's creation as almost accidental. After studying acting and teaching at the Italia Conti in London, he returned to Manchester and started Manchester Actors Platform. In 2016, his brother, a structural engineer, asked if they wanted to take over the old Bauer Millet Garage on a pop-up basis for three years. They pitched against 26 others and got the keys.
Championing Accessibility and New Writing
53two is the only wheelchair-accessible independent theatre venue in the UK equipped with a Changing Places toilet. The theatre can house up to eight wheelchair users, has a lowered bar, staff training, and an elevator in the rehearsal room. It offers British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation, affordable and Pay What You Can tickets, and total physical access to the building.
"A lot of venues will have a toilet with a blue handle, which is a requirement but what we tried to was trying to make the venue accessible without additions, they were all part of the same thing. There are no stairs, and some patrons come here who are severely disabled, so the changing places toilet is very important to them to come and enjoy the theatre," Naylor said.
Financial Struggles and Community Support
Despite its successes, 53two faces significant financial challenges. The theatre receives no regular Arts Council England funding and no core funding from Manchester City Council, making community support vital. Naylor noted that the business model of affordable ticket prices, affordable consumables, and charitable activities is becoming unsustainable due to rising national insurance contributions, minimum wages, beer prices, and VAT.
"We survive because our community rally around us time, and time again. We just celebrated our ten-year anniversary, which was a huge milestone. A room full of amazing people. That was a huge moment for the whole scene too. Recently we've produced less theatre, but it's been really good over the years, and we're still providing a home for new writing here," Naylor said.
Over the last year, 53two has worked with Manchester playwright Simon Stephens for the UK premiere of Maria by Sadie Mears, opened the stage to Cryin' Air, and sparked discussions with Rebekah Harrison's 'What Does It Take To Slay A Dragon', a play exploring British identity and radicalisation.
