To spot the Hazlitt Theatre, just look for a white, two-story building right in front of you with a bright red sign proudly declaring “Hazlitt Theatre” above a glass awning, nestled between other shops on Earl Street.
Now, as you stand here, imagine turning back the centuries. The air is thick with the chatter and clatter of market traders-yes, right here! In the 1830s, this spot wasn’t ringing with the laughter of panto but with the bartering hum for sacks of corn. The oldest part of what you see was the original Market Buildings, built in 1835 by John Whichcord Sr., and styled in very grand neoclassical fashion. Picture this: a long stretch of 18 arches down the side, with sturdy Tuscan columns, all finished in smooth stucco. Not everyone was impressed though-architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner called it an “ugly mid-19th century arcading.” Ouch! I guess not everyone’s a fan of the classics.
But don’t let that dampen the drama. On the ground floor, those arches once separated the hubbub of grain merchants, their footsteps echoing under the vaulted roof. Upstairs, sash windows-some looking out onto the bustling street, others painted blind-let in the Kentish light for the Exchange Studio above. For years, fortunes were made (and lost) over handfuls of barley and wheat, but it couldn’t last forever. When the Great Depression of British Agriculture struck, the corny business-if you’ll pardon the pun-dried up and this became a home for boutique shops and a small theatre space.
Now, roll forward to 1869 and look at the very front of the theatre. Built in the same neoclassical style but with a bit more showbiz flair, this section used to be the concert hall. Three grand windows arch over the entrance, and up at the roof, you can spot a circular panel. Peer close-you’ll see a sheaf of corn there and “The Corn Exchange” inscribed around it, a secret nod to the building’s agricultural roots. By the 1950s, tastes had changed; people wanted spectacle, not seed. The concert hall was reborn as the Maidstone Municipal Theatre, and the County Towners Variety Club filled the house with music, laughter, and thunderous applause.
Then, in the 1980s, the theatre took a new name in honor of a true Maidstone hero-William Hazlitt, the essayist and reviewer, born right here in 1778. Suddenly, a place meant for measuring barley was ringing with heartfelt monologues, dramatic sword fights, and slapstick punchlines. The council even sold it on a long lease in 1991, rented it back, and kept it alive for the community.
In 2009, the Hazlitt’s walls echoed with pride as a plaque was unveiled for Tony Hart, a beloved children’s TV presenter born in Maidstone. Today, between the Hazlitt Theatre and the Exchange Studio, you’ve got room for over 500 eager theatregoers-whether it’s for a Christmas pantomime, a captivating play, or even a loud, joyful singalong.
So next time you see the doors swing open and hear a burst of laughter or applause, remember: this place has seen centuries of drama-and that’s before the actors even get on stage!
