Britannia Theatre

The Britannia Theatre began as a clever legal workaround in the early eighteen forties. When the founders, led by Sam Lane, could not obtain a license for dramatic performances, they opened the site as a tavern where the entertainment was technically free of charge. Instead, the business relied on the sale of food, drinks, and programs during the shows to turn a profit. This model proved so successful that it grew from a simple hall behind a pub into a massive theater seating nearly three thousand people.