Venue of the Month: The Lucy Davis Vaults

Manchester and Salford are home to some terrific theatre spaces, a testimony to both cities’ versatility and imagination – but what if we told you the latest theatrical offerings could be found underneath a pub in a subterranean maze of interconnecting vaults and crepuscular corners? Would you fancy it?

When descending the stone steps of the newly crowned Lucy Davis Vaults, slippery with dew and grime, the setting feels more befitting of an 18th-century gothic novel than a contemporary performance space – and yet, as a breadcrumb trail of floor lanterns reveals the bones of the vaults, low-ceilinged and antiquated, it is clear that the theatre scene here has a stirring new string to its bow.

The vaults are situated beneath The King's Arms, a traditional Salford boozer that also boasts an enviable reputation as a successful fringe venue. Housing an 80-seat theatre, adaptable snug and 30-seat studio above the bar (which serves a variety of guest ales and a mean beef burger), the pub now provides a fourth flexible performance area capable of holding up to 40 people.

Though news to us, the existence of the vaults has been known for some time. According to current landlord Zena Barrie (who co-runs the pub with Beautiful South member Paul Heaton) it has taken two long years and eight brimming skips to clear the underground caverns thus far – and there is still a way to go. Home to decades of flotsam, the magnitude of the vaults may not be realised until a further eight skips are filled, though in their current state Barrie believes there are nine workable spaces in total.

Named after the pub’s first landlady – who is believed to have doubled as a madam – the vaults have a colourful past that includes a stint as a Victorian knocking shop, and although their initial function remains uncertain, their future is in safe hands. Though serving primarily as a functioning theatre space – with mention of a potential film club – the naturally eerie atmosphere of the vaults will not be ignored. With plans to host mediums and psychics, séances and tarot readings, The King's Arms intends to expose its visitors to a taste of the supernatural – and in what better setting?

Popular too will be performances of a site-specific nature. Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter christened the venue as the closing production of this year’s Greater Manchester Fringe Festival and proved a thrilling experience. In a well-executed performance from Ransack Theatre, the play’s high tension and claustrophobic nature (as well as the classic Pinter pause) lent itself to the intimacy of the vault, the proximity between audience member and performer minute.

It may not be the ideal venue for those who have issues with personal space or prefer to experience their theatre from the plush comfort of a padded chair a safe distance from the stage, but The Lucy Davis Vaults is sure to prove a popular venue and a valuable addition to the Northwest scene.