The Electroscope The first purpose-built theatre/cinema in High Wycombe was the Electroscope in Oxford Street, opposite Frogmoor. It was opened in 1912, and initially offered a varied programme of live artistes and silent films such as Charlie Chaplin’s ‘’It’s a Dogs Life’’. In 1938 it was converted into a cinema, The Rex, which many older residents of the town will remember.
Plans for a New Theatre It was not then until after WW2 that a live theatre showing regular productions throughout the year came to the town. The idea for the theatre was conceived during World War II by four servicemen with a deep-rooted love of the dramatic arts, all of whom served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (R.E.M.E.).