Behind the scenes a battalion of stage hands, electricians, sound engineers, lighting specialists and costume designers are on hand to make sure the show goes on.

General manager Chris Haylett, who has worked at theatres across the world, reveals there is a 48-hour operation which goes into making any major production a reality.

He said: "If it is a big musical on a Tuesday night, you can have people in at 8am on the Sunday and working through the night and doing the same thing on Monday and into Tuesday.

"When the customers turn up and take their seats, the lights go up and the show begins, they do not realise the army of people behind the scenes who are working around-the-clock to make it happen.

"Without them the Guild Hall simply would not work, we rely on all these different departments playing their part in making the shows happen."

The equipment includes state-of-the-art audio and lighting equipment to bring shows to life, huge set props and backdrops and the skills of make-up artists, costume designers and countless other people.

Mr Haylett, who arrived in the top job at the Guild Hall 18 months ago, said that the theatre's facilities put it on a par with many similar-sized venues across the country.

He said: "The equipment we have here is pretty standard for a facility of this size, but obviously it can only work to its full potential if you have the right people with the right skills - and we have that at the Guild Hall."

See the special picture spread with this story in Wednesday's Lancashire Evening Post.