Hi, Rubes - and thanks! I'm really foxed. West Hill House may be a clue - is there a left-hand turning from Steep Hill into, say, West Hill? No, it isn't as far up the Hill as the Cathedral. Only a few minutes walk after the turning. Nearby shops on Steep Hill may provide a solution.
Stage Door entrance. Again, I've been up and down the Primrose Path so often and in so many locations that I couldn't hazard a guess. Pleased to know that the Crown is still a going concern but disappointed to hear that the operational aspect of the Theatre Royal could be under threat. I'm aware that repertory theatre has been in decline for some time. It is an important and thorough training ground where an actor can learn the discipline and craft of the theatre, working in an ensemble for a whole season, or indeed, over a year. Weekly rep was fundamentally swings and roundabouts; you had to learn how to pace yourself within a limited time span and not be seduced by audiences into relying on mannerisms which take root. However, on a weekly basis, I stretched my wings on Chekhov, Shaw, Sheridan, Wilde, Shakespeare, Coward, Rattigan, Ionesco, sandwiched between thrillers and comedies; working as part of a team. You gain confidence from your successes but it is often the failures or missfires which stretch your capacity. Audiences are remarkably loyal and affectionate but theatregoing is a habit which needs to be sustained, not fragmented. Fortnightly, three/four weekly rep usually follow where you can further explore your basic craft and a first leading or supporting role in London - this often follows after being "seen" at Croydon, Bromley or Hornchurch - is always an exciting prospect as your accumulated experience provides a confidence to meet the challenge.
Lincoln, for me, happily lingers in the memory, although it makes me wonder how I'd cope with Steep Hill today!
