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Theatres Magazine Issue #74
Justine Harvey Editor-in-chief
Laura Pollock Managing Editor
Nicola Rowland Advertising Sales
© 2024 The Theatres Trust Charitable Fund.
All unsigned or otherwise uncredited articles are the work of the Editors. The views expressed editorially or by correspondents in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Trust. Notes, queries and letters are always welcome.
ISSN: 2756-0733 (Online) Design: Whatever Design
Brighton Theatre Royal
Photo: Morley von Sternberg
Tron Theatre
Photo: John Johnston
BEAM Hertford Theatre
Photo: Hufton Crow
Front cover image: BEAM Hertford Theatre
Photo: Hufton Crow
Director’s welcome
Theatres Trust Director Jon Morgan introduces this issue of TM.
Welcome to the Autumn 2024 edition of Theatres Magazine, published to coincide with Conference 24: Making Theatres Thrive. The conference looks at how people, place and purpose are at the heart of theatres and how they enable theatres to thrive.
Our Showcase feature in this issue is BEAM, the new cultural hub created by remodelling and extending the former Hertford Theatre (pg 13). The BEAM project embodies many of the themes being discussed at the conference, including theatres’ role in placemaking, environmental sustainability, and overcoming setbacks in capital projects.
It is also the last issue of Theatres Magazine to be published before I step down as Director in December and the BEAM story also reflects many of the key things I’ve been talking about during my stewardship of Theatres Trust, namely the civic role of theatres, mid-century theatres reaching the point where they need updating, the importance of local authority support for culture and increasingly, sustainability as a priority. I reflect further on my time as Director on page 2.
Something I’ve considered a lot in my time at Theatres Trust is the balance between what should be preserved and what needs to change. These are common conversations for anyone involved in operating a theatre, especially a historic theatre. On page 10 architect Nicholas Pawlik shares how Brighton Theatre Royal tackled the challenge of rejuvenating the entrance to the building, and particularly its distinctive terracotta colonnade.
It is fitting that in my final issue of TM, we acknowledge three notable names in theatre architecture and preservation. On page 21 we honour former Theatres Trust Director Jon Earl with words of tribute from some of his many friends and admirers. This issue’s book review is the posthumous autobiography of Theatres Trust’s former Chair Rupert Rhymes (pg 23). We also note the sad passing of theatre architect and Theatres Trust Life Friend Andrzej Blonski (pg 7). All are greatly missed but leave the theatre world much better for their work.
On a more positive note, it is also apt that my final issue of TM includes a focus on our Small Grants Programme (pg 8) as one of my aspirations when I took on the role of Director was to increase our grant-giving role, and an update from the Theatre Green Book (pg 5), something else I’m proud to have been part of. Along with our planning and advice service (pg 24), these are vital ways in which Theatres Trust supports theatres to thrive.
I want to offer my thanks to everyone I have worked with over the past eight years including our Corporate Supporters, Friends, Patrons, conference sponsors, funders, and our theatre sector partners, their support is invaluable in enabling Theatres Trust to carry out its work.
MAST Mayflower Studios
Photo: Stuart Martin
Reflections as Theatres Trust Director: the joys, the challenges and the vital work of Theatres Trust
As he prepares to step down, Theatres Trust Director Jon Morgan looks back over his time in the role, his aspirations and achievements.
In December I will be stepping down from my role as Theatres Trust’s Director after eight years. Taking on the leadership of such an established and respected body was a huge privilege and responsibility. The year I joined was Theatres Trust’s 40th anniversary and there was much to celebrate. Set up following the loss of more than 800 theatres in the early-mid 20th century, it was thanks to the Trust’s work it became, and still is, extremely rare that a theatre is lost without there being a suitable replacement. Moreover, the Trust had been successful in helping breathe new life into many former theatres that had fallen into disuse and disrepair, with more than 80 theatres from its Theatres at Risk Register now in active use as performance venues.
Given the Trust’s august history, I was faced with a dilemma – what to preserve and what to change? You might ask, well why change anything? This is a question people sometimes ask when the Trust is considering plans to revive or upgrade our beautiful historic theatres. To my mind, the answer to that question is simple. The best way to ensure a long life for the UK’s theatres is to make sure they evolve with the changing needs of the time. That means responding to new production and technical needs, making theatres more welcoming, democratic and accessible, diversifying community engagement and income streams and reducing theatres’ carbon footprint.
A theatre preserved in aspic will quickly become irrelevant and unviable, and that is the most certain way it will end up redeveloped as flats or demolished completely. The same is true of any organisation. From the start I wanted to respect the values and the undoubted strengths of the Trust, but I also wanted to modernise to ensure the Trust was fulfilling its function as effectively as possible.
So what are those strengths? Theatres Trust is an independent body, we don’t have a membership and we don’t represent a particular constituency. Alongside that we have a highly capable and expert team across a range of specialist areas, which is backed up at board level, and by an extensive network of wider stakeholders and supporters. This means we are able, as far as possible, to reach a balanced and independent expert view on what is in the interests of an individual theatre or theatres as a whole.
Theatres Trust and funders visit Rich Mix 2023
Photo: Sharron Wallace
It also means we sometimes have to say things people don’t want to hear, whether you are a developer looking to bury a theatre five floors underground or a theatre operator proposing changes which would be detrimental to its longer term viability. Or maybe your disabled access provisions are inadequate, or you could do more to make your building environmentally sustainable. In which case we will push you to go further. Do we always get it right? No of course not, we are human. But I have enormous respect for the integrity and diligence the team never fails to bring to bear when deciding what advice we should give or how to respond to a planning application.
So the independence and integrity of our decision making has been the most important thing I have sought to preserve in my time at the Trust. But I also hope I have helped the Trust modernise and evolve with the times. The main thing I wanted to modernise was our reach and profile. Theatres Trust is not a governing body, we can’t make anyone do anything. We are, to use a fashionable term, ‘an influencer’. To have influence, people need to know who you are and to know what you stand for. With the input of expert colleagues on the team and board, we have really increased our profile and strengthened our engagement with stakeholders, particularly with theatres and local authorities.
This has led to much greater awareness of our work and an increase in theatres seeking our advice on a wide range of topics and not just when they have a capital project or when they are ‘at risk’. In our view the best way to save an ‘at risk’ theatre is to help it avoid getting into difficulty in the first place, so we support theatres wherever they are on their journey. Similarly, local authorities are much more aware of our work and consultation rates on theatre plans and local plans have improved dramatically.
To address this increased demand we have successfully raised additional funds to support our work. Not many people are aware that, with the exception of a modest grant from Historic England, Theatres Trust receives no public subsidy. The additional fundraising has allowed us to engage more Advisers, to develop new programmes such as Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities and to award even more grants for vital capital works on theatres.
So what has been my proudest achievement and what is my biggest regret after eight years at the Theatres Trust? Thankfully there have been very few regrets and these are greatly outweighed by those things I’m proud we achieved, including better protection for theatres and wider cultural infrastructure in planning policy in England and Scotland, and supporting the development of Theatre Green Book, which continues to grow in impact across the UK and beyond.
But the achievement I’m most proud of is how we as a team supported theatres during Covid. At a time when other organisations were furloughing staff, we decided it was more important than ever
to be at full capacity so we could support theatres face the greatest existential threat in recent history. We engaged with government to feed into decisions about Covid-safe practice, reopening and funding for both revenue and capital needs through the Culture Recovery Fund. We successfully argued for critical changes to planning law to provide additional protections for theatres. We helped theatres raise over £2.5m and we were a strong public voice for the sector, giving interviews and being called upon to comment by a wide range of newspapers and on radio and TV, with almost 5,000 appearances or mentions across the year.
And my biggest regret? I never managed to make the case to government for serious investment to protect and improve our nation’s theatre buildings. In spite of working with a number of expert colleagues, internally and externally, to create a strong evidence base and to make the case, there is still no dedicated fund to support the maintenance and improvement of theatres. Some theatres have been successful in raising funds from national and local government and we have encouraged and supported them to access funding through the Cultural Development Fund, the Community Ownership Fund, the Levelling Up Fund, the Towns Fund and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. But without a dedicated and significant central fund, it will always be a lottery as to which theatres get the investment they need and which ones don’t.
It has been inspiring working with passionate and knowledgeable people campaigning to save their local theatre or working hard to ensure their theatre remains a vital social and cultural hub serving their local community. It’s also
wonderful to see how everyone involved in the business of building or upgrading our nation’s theatres, from the architects, theatre and other specialist consultants, and the engineers and suppliers, works so thoughtfully and creatively to fashion spaces that are both beautiful and functional and designed to be as resilient, inclusive and sustainable as possible.
I’m so very grateful to the incredibly talented team at the Theatres Trust for all their energy, commitment, skill and tenacity, and likewise the incredible support I have received from the Board over many years. I also want to thank our many funders, Friends, Corporate Supporters and Sponsors without whom none of our work would be possible.
And I want to thank my predecessors as Director who all did so much to build the Theatres Trust from its humble unfunded beginnings, including of course the brilliant John Earl who sadly passed away earlier this year. It’s been the greatest privilege to take on responsibility for continuing the work of Theatres Trust and, as I pass on the baton, I know my successor Joshua McTaggart (see page 5), with his wide experience of and passion for theatres will build on all that has gone before, and I look forward to observing Theatres Trust go from strength to strength under his leadership.
Theatres continue to face many challenges of which we are all too well aware. And the challenge to the Theatres Trust will be to continue to evolve to help theatres meet those challenges. But in spite of this, I am optimistic for the future of Theatres Trust and I am optimistic for our nation’s theatres. The death of theatre has been presaged many times in the past with the advent of cinema, then television and then the internet. And yet in spite of this, that human need to gather together and to share stories about life and about what it means to human is undimmed. As long as that is the case the lights in our theatres will continue to burn bright.
Theatres Trust visit to Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre
Jon Theatres Trust Conference 2021
Joshua McTaggart appointed as Director of Theatres Trust
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Joshua McTaggart as our new Director.
Joshua will join Theatres Trust in December, taking over from outgoing Director Jon Morgan who is stepping down after eight years in the role.
Joshua was previously the founding Artistic Director of the Bunker Theatre in London Bridge and served as the CEO of the Chelsea Theatre during its multi-million-pound capital refurbishment. He currently works in the London Borough of Lambeth’s Culture and Creative Economy Division as Cultural Development Manager.
He says “It is a real privilege to be entrusted to lead the dedicated team at Theatres Trust as we continue to
ensure every person in the UK, no matter where they live, has access to inspirational live performances. I have experienced first-hand the important and life-changing role that theatres play in our communities, but it is undeniable that the current economic climate presents a multitude of challenges for theatres and the hardworking teams who programme, operate, and manage them. That said, I am hopeful for the future of our sector: I know that there are ambitious and talented people up and down the country who work tirelessly to ensure our theatres are fit for the future, and I
Theatre Green Book News
Thanks to funding from Arts Council England, along with support from The Foyle Foundation, Lilli Geissendorfer has been engaged as the Theatre Green Book Director to build on the success of the Theatre Green Book and take it on the next stage of its development.
The funding will also enable Theatre Green Book bring together the growing number to European and international Theatre Green Book networks in spring 2025 to share experience, knowledge and best practice.
Following the launch of the second edition of the Theatre Green Book in June, Lilli will be responsible for increasing the use of the Theatre Green Book over the next year, developing a sustainable business model for its future growth and
expanding the Theatre Green Book network as an active community, encompassing theatre, dance and opera of all types, at all scales, in all parts of the UK.
The climate crisis has been a golden thread throughout Lilli’s career - from putting on a ‘theatre by bike’ festival at Arcola in 2006, to embedding carbon reporting in Arts Council England funding agreements in 2012, to six years as Director of Jerwood Arts (now Jerwood Foundation) where she funded artist-led projects
am excited to support, empower, and advocate for them as the Theatres Trust’s next Director.”
Dave Moutrey, Chair of Theatres Trust says “Theatres Trust’s Board is delighted to have appointed Joshua McTaggart to lead Theatres Trust in the next chapter of its development, building on the work undertaken by Jon Morgan to modernise the Trust. Joshua brings with him a fantastic amount of energy and passion for theatres, and we look forward to working with him to protect and support theatres across the UK.”
speaking to and/or about climate change. She was most recently Deputy Director of the Creative Policy and Evidence Centre (Creative PEC).
Read more about the Theatre Green Book theatregreenbook.com
Joshua McTaggart
Photo: Rich Lakos
Lilli Geissendorfer
Obituary
Andrzej Blonski’s legacy
Theatres Trust was saddened to learn about the death in March, at the age of 81, of respected architect and Theatres Trust Life Friend, Andrzej Blonski.
Andrzej Blonski studied at the Architectural Association from 1967 to 1972 before going to work on many important theatre and arts projects over the course of his career.
Working with the Peter Moro Partnership, he led the design team on the Theatre Royal Plymouth, one of the most iconic post-war theatres, with its complex octagonal geometric design housing two auditoriums and the adjustable auditorium ceiling, which can be lowered to transform the theatre to a more intimate space. The theatre was awarded Grade II listed status in 2018.
He established his own practice Andrzej Blonski Architects (Studio ABA) in 1988, which specialised in the arts, with projects including Bristol Old Vic, Milton Keynes Theatre, the Peepul Centre in Leicester and Derry Playhouse
Andrzej was a huge advocate for theatres and a Life Friend of Theatres Trust. As well as the legacy of his theatre buildings, he left behind an extensive library of books about theatre design and architecture.
Andrzej’s theatre designs.
The books include:
• The Medieval Theatre in the Round: A study of the Staging of the Castle of Perseverance and Related Matters, Richard Southern, Faber, 1975.
• The Miracle Theatre, The Chichester Festival Theatre's Coming of Age, David & Charles, Leslie EvershedMartin, 1987.
• The Old Vic: The Story of a Great Theatre from Kean to Olivier to Spacey, Terry Coleman, Faber & Faber, 2014.
• The Open Stage, Richard Southern, Faber & Faber, 1968.
• Opera House Lottery: Zaha Hadid and the Cardiff Bay Project, Nicholas Crickhowell, University of Wales, 1997.
• Performing Architecture: Opera Houses, Theatres and Concert Halls for the Twenty-first Century, Merell, Michael Hammond, 2006.
• The Seven Ages of the Theatre, Richard Southern, Faber & Faber, 1953.
• Stage Design Throughout the World Since 1960, Rene Hainaux and International Theatre Institute, Theatre Arts Books, 1973.
• Theatre / Archaeology: Disciplinary Dialogues, Mike Pearson and Michael Shanks, Routledge, 2001.
• Theatre of Dionysus in Athens, Oxford University Press, A W Pickard-Cambridge, 1946.
• Theatres, Friedrich, Jorg; PFP Architects, 2011.
• Theatres of the Troubles, Bill McDonnell, University of Exeter Press, 2008.
• A Treatise on Theatres, George Saunders, Gale ECCO, 2018.
• Models include Bristol Old Vic, Chichester Festival Theatre education and rehearsal building, Hull Truck Theatre and a wooden model of Plymouth Theatre Royal.
Theatres Trust library and archive is open to researchers by appointment Wednesday to Friday between 10am and 5pm. Please contact us at info@ theatrestrust.org.uk to arrange an appointment.
Theatres Trust is honoured to be able to give a home to a selection of these books in our archive as well as models and plans of
Theatre Royal Plymouth photos
Chichester Festival Theatre model
Milestone for Small Grants Programme
As the latest round of the Small Grants Programme with The Linbury Trust brings the total number of grants awarded to more than one hundred, we highlight some of the projects receiving support.
Our Small Grants Programme has now surpassed the one hundred grant mark, with 112 grants awarded since the scheme was launched in 2021 with the generous support of The Linbury Trust. Grants of up to £5,000 are offered to not-for-profit theatres for small projects that make a big impact to a theatre’s resilience, sustainability, accessibility or improving the diversity of audiences.
The 100th grant
Tron Theatre in Glasgow had the honour of being the scheme’s 100th recipient, receiving funding for a project to relocate its accessible toilet from a less-than-ideal location in a busy part of its bar, to a much more suitable spot. The funding will contribute towards the project to modify one of Tron’s existing non-disabled toilets, whose entrance is discrete and more private, into an upgraded and fully accessible toilet – a simple project that will vastly improve the experience for Tron’s customers.
Other accessibility schemes supported in this round include the refurbishment of the accessible bathroom at The Institute Braintree, replacement of accessible doors at the Guide Bridge Theatre in Greater Manchester, and installation of captioning screens at Macrobert Arts Centre in Sterling.
Supporting sustainability
Worthing Pavilion Theatre receive funding for a project that improves both sustainability and accessibility. It will replace its taps with state-of-the-art sensor taps, reducing water consumption and wastage and improving the accessibility of its facilities.
MAST Mayflower Studios in Southampton received funding for an ingenious project that will create a sustainable loop from waste to resource. It will include upgrading bins for easier recycling and waste sorting, expanding its existing composting capacity and installing a rainwater harvesting system. Green spaces will then be created around the venue, on its rooftop and balcony, using the harvested water and the compost created.
There continues to be a huge demand for funding to upgrade traditional lighting to energy-efficient LED equivalents with The Boardwalk Old Sheriff Court, Glasgow; The Chipping Norton Theatre; Finborough Theatre, London and Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells all receiving funding towards this.
Equipment upgrades
Youth Action Northern Ireland in Belfast is a membershipbased youth work and arts charity, with an 80-year history of working supporting young people to improve their life chances. Its Techie School trains young people in light, sound and audio-visual equipment. The grant will fund replacing outdated equipment with industry standard equipment, which will allow more training opportunities for its growing number of technical volunteers, helping to improve their employability skills.
Tron Theatre Glasgow: Theatres Trust 100th grant
Buxton Opera House; Chisenhale Dance Space, London; South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell and York Theatre Royal have all also received funding to upgrade equipment including communications systems, sound and lighting desks. This will improve the experience of these theatres for audiences and artists alike.
Essential repairs and building improvements
A temporary scaffolding structure is currently in place within the Grade II listed Royal Theatre in Northampton following the failure of the ornate plaster ceiling in the Royal Auditorium in 2023. However, this impairs sightlines, reducing the number of seats available and is unsightly. Northampton Theatres Trust has been awarded a £5,000 contribution towards the major repair works to secure the plaster ceiling. The works will enable the auditorium to open to full capacity. This is an unusual award for the Small Grants Programme, where priority is normally given to projects where we are the main funder, but given the historic significance of the architecture, it was considered a worthwhile exception.
Two other vital repair projects were also supported in this funding round. Royal Court Theatre in London will make emergency repairs to its chiller, an integral part of the air conditioning system for maintaining correct building temperature. Seaford Dramatic Society will repair the roof of its home Seaford Little Theatre to stop leaks, water ingress, mould and further damage. The project will be carried out in time for the group to celebrate its 80th anniversary next year.
Grade II* Victorian music hall Hoxton Hall has received funding to repair its fire safety doors. The project will bring them up to modern safety standards while remaining in keeping with the venue’s Victorian aesthetic and maintaining its ‘wow’ factor for visitors. Another London theatre, Omnibus Theatre, housed in a Victorian library building in Clapham, will make improvements to its backstage facilities, including the creation of toilet, shower and kitchen / green room facilities,
as well as making the space accessible, to provide a better experience of staff and visiting companies.
Theatres Trust is delighted that our partnership with The Linbury Trust, as well as additional funding from The Mackintosh Foundation and Charles Michael Holloway Charitable Trust, has been able to support so many theatres with essential projects to enable them to survive and thrive.
The deadline for the next round of the Small Grants Programme is Friday 17 January 2025. Further information is available on our website theatrestrust.org.uk/smallgrants
Photo: Courtesy of Youth Action Northern Ireland
Hoxton Hall in use
Photo: Sean Pollock
Don’t paint over the cracks
Architect Nicholas Pawlik shares how the team at pawlik + wiedmer architects took on the challenge of rejuvenating Brighton Theatre Royal’s distinctive terracotta colonnade.
In spring of 2021 I visited the muchloved Brighton Theatre Royal to look at how to rejuvenate the front elevation of the building, specifically a street level colonnade. At the time it was mostly covered in safety netting and there was an air of faded greatness. The client, ATG Entertainment, suspected there was some considerable deterioration and was ready to face a challenge.
The theatre has been on this site since 1807. The main bulk of the building is attributed to Edward Hides, it was enlarged by CJ Phipps in 1866 whilst under the patronage of the Chart syndicate. The last major changes were completed in 1894 overseen by CE Clayton, which added brick turrets to the auditorium exterior, expansion into the adjoining property to create a larger entrance lobby and significantly the addition of an ornate terracotta colonnade which extended the full width of the buildings.
Our studio, pawlik + wiedmer architects, was commissioned to look at what could be done about the appearance of the front of the theatre as well as major upgrades to the interior. The netting was removed from the colonnade, which looked decidedly worse for wear. We arranged for an on-site meeting with a specialist stone contractor as well as Brighton & Hove Council conservation officers so that we could collaboratively examine and discover what the true nature of the challenge was.
What we saw were numerous cracks, missing sections of terracotta which had been haphazardly repaired with plywood and liberal amounts of concrete render, several well intentioned but ill-informed repairs, which were doing more damage than good. However, for the most part we found paint, lots of it, some 27-35 layers of it applied over the preceding 75 years or so.
Detailed analysis showed this was for the most part heavy oil-based paint which was intended to last and of course ‘protect’ the terracotta against the corrosive and damp seaside environment. The effect it had is quite the opposite, terracotta like many other traditional materials is happiest when it can get wet and simply dry out again. Unlike stone, terracotta is difficult to repair as it is a fired ceramic, like a kitchen plate – once chipped it will never be as robust again. If you then decide to make a colonnade out of it, it is in essence an elaborate stack of crockery strapped to steel beams, filled with rubble all held in place by lime mortar which tends to move around quite a bit. Add to this the layers of paint which effectively seal the terracotta and supporting steel structure in a salty and damp environment, and you have ideal conditions for steel corrosion. Imagine trying to stay comfortable if your whole body was wrapped in cling film.
Brighton Theatre Royal colonnade pillars
Photo: Morley von Sternberg
The issue arises when steel rusts, it expands by 10-14 times its original size. If this is in a confined space anything surrounding it will be forced apart and break. A glance at Brighton West Pier shows what happens when a steel structure is left unchecked like this, catastrophic collapse. Although not as far gone as the pier the theatre colonnade was well on the way.
When working with historic buildings we always aim to preserve as much of the original fabric as possible. Further laser scanning, thermal imaging, test paint stripping and a close visual inspection revealed that over 60% of the terracotta sections or ‘units’ were critically damaged and would need replacing, it is also likely that a further 30% of the units would be broken during dismantling. We met with the conservation officer several times before the difficult decision was made to replace all the terracotta like-for-like, as this would reinstate the colonnade to the CE Clayton design as intended, with the best chance of surviving another century and beyond. In the end only about 10% of the terracotta was in any sort of salvageable state. The cast steel inner columns were in surprisingly good shape whereas the wrought iron beams had corroded and delaminated to the point where I could poke a hole through the flaky laminate with a pencil.
The process of rebuilding the colonnade involved measuring each piece of terracotta and creating a new three-dimensional pattern ready for making moulds. The moulds also needed to be 5% larger than the
original to account for shrinking during the drying and kiln-firing process. This also applied to the highly detailed Corinthian column capitols and decorative column bases. At the same time as mould making, the colour and texture also needed to be matched to the original. Historically there would have been considerable tonal variation in the raw clay product, the modern desire for consistency meant that we had to reintroduce this variation by selecting three differing tones of clay recipe (a closely guarded trade secret), otherwise the final product may appear completely uniform, too perfect, if you like.
Terracotta was the go-to material for quick and repeatable ornament especially in the late 1800’s theatre building boom and there were multiple manufacturers dotted around the country. Now there are only a handful of factories who still have the skill and equipment to do it properly. The original colonnade was made by Doulton, most probably in their Burslem facility. We were lucky enough to work with a specialist only 60 miles away. Where the process is still defiantly analogue, each mould is finished by hand, each profile is meticulously ‘pricked’ out of sheet steel and the green clay is still smoothed with what appears to be a butter knife before it is air dried and fired. The Corinthian capitols and detailed column bases were all manually sculpted the traditional artisan way. I like to think at least one piece of equipment from the Doulton factory made the short journey to the new factory and is still somehow in
use today. The whole process is deeply satisfying and impressive.
The close collaboration between the council’s conservation department, client, architect, specialist contractor and manufacturer enabled a re-design of the unseen areas of terracotta. This meant a new steel structure supporting the façade and a balcony which meets current regulations. A clever concealed electrical infrastructure to the rear of the balcony, means upgrades are possible without damaging the repaired structure. A small adjustment to the terracotta profiles above the dentils within the cornice allowed an elegant solution to lighting the front elevation without interfering with the original appearance.
The story does not stop there as the theatre has also undergone major internal refurbishments and upgrades which make the building sparkle again. One never wants to make the decision to replace a piece of historic building, but choices do need to be made, what we were able to achieve at Brighton felt very poignant as the techniques used today would have been easily recognisable 125 years earlier. In my view it is a small triumph of what can happen when the right combination of client, council and specialists commit to the success of a project, and I am delighted to have played a part.
Brighton
Theatre Royal entrance
Photo: Morley von Sternberg
Brighton Theatre Royal
Photo: Morley von Sternberg
Sustainable Theatres: an event for building professionals
Tuesday 15 October
6pm for 6.30pm
Presentation followed by drinks and networking.
Location: Bennetts Associates, 1 Rawstorne Place, London
EC1V 7 NL or join online.
A series of presentations, case studies and panel discussions to inform all built environment professionals about the 2nd Edition of the Theatre Green Book.
Hosted by Bennetts Associates and Charcoalblue
Speakers include:
• Simon Erridge (Bennetts Associates)
• Christian Wallace (Charcoalblue)
• Andrew Wiley (Buro Happold)
• Claire Appleby (Theatres Trust)
• Emma Wilson (Royal Ballet and Opera)
• Juliet Hayes (SOLT / UK Theatre)
• Lilli Geissendorfer (Theatre Green Book)
To book your place follow this link https://forms.gle/XeZ1q5qUw5PuARKQ9
Showcase BEAM
Hertford’s new cultural hub opens its doors following bold transformation
Architect Bennetts Associates shares how the new vision for the space was brought to life over five years, including the creative design approach, navigating the pandemic, and bringing long-term benefits to the community as a destination for all to enjoy.
BEAM, a new multi-purpose cultural venue on the River Lea in the heart of historic market town Hertford, has opened to the public following an extensive transformation from the former Hertford Theatre into a new and thriving landmark centre for the arts.
Designed by Bennetts Associates to be a new cultural beacon for the town and wider region, BEAM has been reimagined to increase the number and capacity of its cinema and theatre spaces. The building is now able to present a much extended programme of live performance and film, alongside an all-day café/bar and events spaces for the community.
East Hertfordshire District Council invested £30 million in the scheme, which was created by remodelling and extending the former Hertford Theatre, which originally opened in 1978. The old 400-seat theatre space which was designed with a flat floor and retractable seating rake was transformed by the insertion of a new balcony and shallowraked stalls which take the capacity up to 547. The stage and fly tower were retained and upgraded, and the building is now capable of receiving a much wider range of touring shows.
Three new cinema screens, with a total capacity of 200-seats, will allow first-run
BEAM main auditorium
Photo: Hufton Crow
Showcase
cinema to be presented. The cinemas are housed in new extensions on the tight riverside site in the centre of the historic town. In addition, a black-box style studio theatre with 151-seats is due to open later this year. Also included are a hireable dance studio featuring a semi-sprung floor and ballet barre, and a function room. Backstage and office spaces have been reconfigured, and the building’s WC provision increased to accommodate its expanded capacity.
Externally the building is broken down into a series of connected blocks, which respond to the scale and texture of the historic town. Each of the five blocks houses a particular function, whether a theatre, cinema or rehearsal space, and to fit all of this into the tight parameters of the site in a way that fully maximised its potential required robust internal organisation. Now, the spaces feel both spacious and intimate and the blocks work well as a well-balanced ensemble, with everything linking back to that central space.
Theatre and acoustics consultant Sound Space Vision developed the designs for the cinemas, studio and main house, including seating layouts and sight lines, handing the baton over to consultant Charcoalblue later in the project.
The main auditorium transformation was a complex exercise involving the insertion of a new steel-framed balcony with 150-seats inside the existing space, and the construction of new shallow-raked stalls with under-seat ventilation. The balcony extends down the sides of the
space with a zig-zag plan creating groups of seats on the side wall which still face the main stage. The building is equipped with innovative technologies such as digital laser cinema projectors, enhanced assisted listening, and state-of-the-art technical infrastructure.
Immediately inside the main entrance, a double-height top-lit foyer space provides access to all the key functional spaces and has the feel of a town square at the heart of the building. An all-day riverside cafébar overlooks the river Lea, helping to strengthen the vital connection between the building and the river, with plenty of community facilities and spaces to unwind, socialise or work.
The riverside setting recalls Bennetts Associates earlier work at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-uponAvon, and the multi-arts concept behind BEAM builds on the practices more recent experience at Storyhouse in Chester where theatre and cinema coexist in a successful all-day cultural hub.
BEAM Exterior
Photo: Hufton Crow
Breaking down barriers
BEAM is the result of the council’s strong vision to develop the theatre’s identity into a dynamic cultural hub, recognising its integral role in the lives of local people across Hertford and the wider district. As part of that, the goal was to open up the riverside to the public and reinforce the connectivity between the town, theatre, park and adjacent historic motte.
The theatre’s aspiration was to make the venue more accessible, comfortable and welcoming, appealing to all ages and backgrounds. This project set out to enhance the depth and range of its cultural offer while securing its longterm financial future. Alastair Bogle, Associate at Bennetts Associates says that the thoughtful design strategy and interventions were intended to “build on the remarkable work the theatre already does, providing a building that can enhance this offer and sustain itself in the future, continuing to be a place for everyone and so much more than purely a theatre.”
On a practical level, this involved improved accessibility for disabled visitors and performers, while the exterior view of the building is made up of five different blocks that work separately and in unison together, to create an approachable feel rather than one monolithic structure.
Bogle adds, “we really prioritised stakeholder engagement at each stage of the process, frequently gauging feedback from the local public, holding open days and sharing as much information as possible. It was essential to tailor the
building to those who will actually be using it every day, so taking the community on this journey was invaluable for a positive outcome. People wanted a venue where they could go to spend the day, gather, relax or interact with a mix of creative and cultural offerings. The space operates seven days a week, 364 days per year with something for everyone.”
Enhancing the area’s cultural landscape
BEAM is now one of the largest venues in the region, as well as the only truly multiarts all-day building. The building also taps into the site’s history, the Castle Cinema first opened at the site in 1914, and in 1978 the original Hertford Theatre was built as a multi-purpose flat-floor hall with a stage and fly tower. These elements have been retained and re-used in the current scheme.
That sense of a legacy informed the design strategy, which aimed to meld the old and the new. The original zinc-clad ‘malthouse’ shaped fly tower still stands at the heart of the new building, and the bespoke glazed bricks adorning BEAM’s facades tie in with neighbouring buildings in the town.
Inside, interior designers Citizens Design Bureau collaborated with Bennetts Associates to create a theatre which still has a nod to the mid-century style of the original space, with retro ventilation grilles and structure supporting new technical galleries subtly concealed by a new layer of faceted, dark stained panelling. It has also been acoustically upgraded to ensure events can run concurrently inside the building.
Showcase
BEAM Arial view
Photo: Hufton Crow
Showcase
Design that respects and celebrates Hertford
One of the most unique aspects of the design is the clear analogy drawn with the layout of the town itself. As Bogle explains, “BEAM responds to the scale and grain of the historic town, and the irregular edges of the site. It is, in many ways a miniature version of Hertford, with the foyer in the middle acting as the central gathering space. This was also designed to handle the ebb and flow of interval queues without feeling cramped when full, and reducing congestion. The foyer leads into the surrounding five blocks, each with a distinct function, there are also quieter places off the main foyer where people go to spend more time.”
The central foyer space is lined with brick while the adjoining blocks are softer and more intimate, with upholstery, lighting and layers of rich colour carefully chosen by the interior designer.
While the designs went through several iterations, there was a strong focus throughout on the deliberate placement of the series of five volumes to arrange them in a manner that fits cohesively with the proportions and context of the surrounding river edge, the streetscape, and the historic town. “Crafting the individual room volumes became hugely important for us. Rather than simply repeating them all the way around, a lot of thought went into each element and its specific placement, even down to the subtilities of the angle of each roof, to result in a building that does not feel disjointed or out of place”, adds Bogle.
Overcoming project challenges
Placing such a large building on a tight riverside site in a historic town centre presented a significant logistical challenge for the architect and the design and build contractor GPF Lewis, to whom the design team were novated at stage 5. The building is tightly nestled between a pub, a park, historic castle walls and the riverbank. A culverted section of river runs directly beneath the main foyer.
During the project the contractor had to manage complex logistical challenges including undertaking extensive repairs to the sheet piling to the weir beneath the building. During demolition of the existing building’s foyer, temporary works and a crash deck had to span across the river. The project also created a new walkway along the river edge which will eventually connect to the adjacent Castle Park and historic mediaeval motte. The walkway bridges a weir in the River Lea and extends for the length of the building. Detailed negotiations were needed to obtain consent from the Environment Agency for construction along the river edge.
Another key challenge was the pandemic coming at the very start of the project. Lockdowns and other restrictions did not prevent Bennetts Associates from engaging with the public, as it pivoted to virtual stakeholder consultations, shifting all planning meetings online. There was also uncertainty about exactly how society would change postCovid. “Lockdowns stopped all gatherings and entertainment, and there was the question of whether people would still want to congregate or if the growth of streaming platforms would have an impact on that” explains Bogle, “but we thankfully found that people still very much value those real-life, high quality, collective experiences and that will not change.”
BEAM Interior Cinema Screen 1
Photo: Hufton Crow
Construction took place immediately after the pandemic, and against the background of supply chain disruption and inflation that followed. Key to navigating this difficult landscape was the strong, trusting relationship established from the outset between the architect and client, based on effective communication and collaboration. And one big advantage that helped the team mitigate supply chain risks was sourcing materials more locally. For instance, the bricks came from neighbouring Buckinghamshire-based manufacturer HG Matthews, with whom Bennetts Associates had a pre-existing relationship.
Reuse and sustainability
BEAM is an exemplar of sustainability in the theatre sector, the designers focused on reducing embodied carbon by a combination of re-use and regenerative materials like mass timber. A detailed assessment of embodied carbon was made during the design stage by Bennetts Associates which has gone on to inform carbon benchmarking in the cultural sector.
Charcoalblue adapted certain materials, such as the theatre’s flying system, which utilises a combination of new and refurbished equipment, the lighting bridges above the auditorium that are intertwined with the existing steel trusses, and reused the orchestra pit lift frame. Circular economy principles were applied with some of the theatre equipment contributed by other venues to be repurposed at BEAM.
Mechanical and engineering consultant
Max Fordham, who formed part of the design consortium from the earliest phases, focused on decarbonisation, exploring ways to reduce both embodied and operational
carbon. Just some of the energy saving measures at the all-electric building comprised replacing fossil fuel powered gas boilers in favour of electric heating, installing more efficient ventilation systems with heat recovery, the introduction of air source heat pumps, and LED lighting with automatic sensors. The building also forms part of a wider study into net zero theatres commissioned by Bennetts associates that hopes to contribute to the decarbonisation of the sector as a whole.
Construction materials were carefully selected with the environment in mind as well as the building’s aesthetic appeal and performance. This included the specification of carbon-friendly Cross-laminated Timber to be used for the superstructure and the upper levels to decrease the building’s overall carbon footprint.
Showcase
BEAM main auditorium
Photo: Hufton Crow
BEAM Interior
Photo: Hufton Crow
A bright future ahead
Bennetts Associates led on delivering the BEAM vision from concept to realisation, in collaboration with the client and wider design team. The outcome exceeds expectations – a meticulously designed and important cultural project that will stand the test of time, enhancing the town and riverside, and adding value to the community.
From the client to the staff and the volunteers at BEAM, as well as members of the public, the feedback has already been overwhelmingly positive.
Project Data
Floor Area (GIA) 3228m2
Total Project Cost £30m
Gross internal floor area 3228 m2
Start on site May 2022
Completion May 2024
Seating Capacities:
Main Theatre: 547
Screen 1: 81
Screen 2: 65
Screen 3: 54
Studio Theatre: 150
Upfront Carbon (A1-A5) 560kgCO2e/m2
Showcase
Councillor Sarah Hopewell, East Herts Council’s Executive Member for Wellbeing, spoke about what this amazing project means for the region: “Re-launching with a different identity reflects the fact that BEAM is, to all intents and purposes, a brand-new venue. With varied programming and an on-going commitment to engaging the local community, there will be something for everyone. BEAM is a fantastic community asset which will enhance the cultural life of East Herts for years to come.”
BEAM takes its place as a fixture of the town that the community can be proud of, becoming a major destination, with a diverse mix of art, culture, and beautiful spaces to be enjoyed residents and visitors alike for generations to come.
Sequestered Carbon (in structural timber): -165kgCO2/m2
Client
East Hertfordshire Council
Architect
Bennetts Associates
Main contractor
GPF Lewis
Theatre and Acoustics Consultant
Sound Space Vision (to Stage 3)
Theatre and Acoustics Consultant
Charcoalblue (Stage 4 onwards)
Interior design
Citizens Design Bureau
Structural Engineer
Integral Engineering
Mechanical and Engineering
Consultant
Max Fordham
Lighting Design
Pritchard Themis
Inclusive Design
David Bonnett Associates
Fire Consultants
The Fire Surgery
Landscape Architecture Fabrik
Cost Consultant and Employer’s Agent
Bristow Consulting
Location
BEAM, The Wash, Hertford SG14 1PS
BEAM Interior
Photo: Hufton Crow
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THEATRE ACOUSTICS EXPERIENCE
Pictured: The Hall at the Aviva Studios, Manchester Charcoalblue / OMA (photo ©Mark Cappelletti)
John Earl: a giant in the world of theatre preservation
With the sad news of the death of Theatres Trust’s first paid Director, we pay tribute to his legacy with reflections from those who knew and worked with him throughout his career.
In June Theatres Trust shared the news John Earl had passed away at the age of 95. John served as the Trust’s first paid Director from 1986 to 1996. He leaves behind an unrivalled legacy through his contribution to the development of Theatres Trust, greatly enriching what is known about the UK’s theatrical architecture, and in the theatres he helped save that continue to entertain and serve their communities.
John Earl's contribution to the cause of theatre preservation started long before his involvement with - and even the creation of Theatres Trust, and was, in the words of his Theatres Trust successor Peter Longman “born of an intense appreciation of the world of the music hall and popular entertainment”. He was an early voice in the long fight to save and restore Wilton’s Music Hall, launching a campaign that had the backing of Sir John Betjeman, Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan. John Earl, along with Betjeman, spoke at the public meeting in 1964, which resulted in Wilton’s being spared demolition.
A building surveyor by profession, John became the section leader of the Greater London Council’s (GLC) Historic Buildings Division. Former Theatres Trust Chair Rupert Rhymes described John as “the human face of GLC’s theatre sector…able to explain the bureaucracy so even the most hard-pressed theatre manager accepted the authority’s rules and regulations.” In this role he continued to push for the restoration of Wilton’s and spurred on by the 1971 demolition of the Granville Theatre of Varieties in Walham Green, Fulham, John played an instrumental role in the council undertaking a survey of all remaining old theatres in Greater London and making recommendations for listing.
When Theatres Trust came into being through an act of parliament in 1976, in the words of theatre historian Iain Mackintosh it was ironically “without anybody knowing what theatres there were to entrust”. A voluntary project began bringing together a crack team of experts and enthusiasts to assess theatres across the UK. David Wilmore describes the team as a “group of people all passionate about the same thing – Empires, Palaces, Royals and Hippodromes”. The project asked the questions “what’s gone, what’s left, is it any good, what do we do with it?”. John was a key member of the committee and principal author of what would become the 1982 publication Curtains!!! (or a New Life for Old Theatres). He offered to take on London, undeterred by the making of value judgements that could potentially conflict with his GLC role.
Wilton's Auditorium 2013
Photo: Theatres Trust
John Earl and Peter Longman
Photo: Theatres Trust archives
Iain Mackintosh, who chaired the project, recalls “those judgements would be carefully researched and lucidly set down. No sensible person, colleague or politician would question them”.
The abolition of the GLC in 1986 came at an opportune moment for Theatres Trust. It was looking for a director to take over from Lord Jenkins of Putney who had undertaken the role on a voluntary basis and the fortuitous timing meant that John Earl was available to take on the role. He took over at a key point, building the Trust’s influence and profile on modest resources and enabling the Trust to establish itself as an important source of advice and advocacy for the nation’s network of theatres. With his knowledge of the GLC’s assets, John was able to negotiate the freeholds of the Lyric Theatre, Garrick Theatre and Lyceum, which gave Theatres Trust an independent income and firm financial footing, that ultimately allows it to support more theatres. “I have absolutely no doubt that, but for his efforts, the Trust would not have survived, let alone prospered” says Peter Longman.
John was also responsible for establishing the Theatre Protection Fund, the umbrella term for Theatres Trust’s various grant schemes that continue to this day to provide financial support directly to theatres. Mhora Samuel, Theatres Trust Director from 2006 to 2016 says this had been “one of the early ambitions for the Trust - as a ‘National Trust for Theatres’. It's fantastic to see how the Trust has fulfilled this ambition and has developed its role as a strategic funder in recent years.”
After his tenure as Director had finished, John continued his association with Theatres Trust as valued special adviser. Along with Michael Sell, he co-edited the Guide to British Theatres 17501850, a successor to Curtains!!! which was published in 2000. Fran Birch, former Information Officer at Theatres Trust recalls John coming into the Theatres Trust offices every Wednesday to work on entries for the Guide. “John taught me how to appraise the information sent in to us - to really fact check, and make sure that we only ever published what we knew to be true - and to dispel the myths that are so commonplace in theatre histories…John taught me how to look up - to see the wonder in the architecture all around us”
Throughout his illustrious career (and into what was officially his retirement), John provided his firstrate knowledge of historic theatres to owners, operators, architects and designers with his conservation plans and heritage statements attaining near legendary status –“a delight to read over and over again, just like favourite novels” says Theatre Historian Mark Fox. Colleagues and collaborators across the sector praise John’s ability to steer the debate between change and conservation. Architect and designer team Nick Thompson and Clare Ferraby describe John as ‘a true ally’ in their refurbishment work in listed buildings including the Old Vic and Sheffield Lyceum. They say, “His greatest contribution while at the Theatres Trust was with the rethinking of the London Coliseum as a working opera house with some considerable alterations and additions, while revealing Matcham’s masterpiece in its true glory.”
Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Julian Middleton and Rosy Runciman describe John’s invaluable guidance to Delfont Mackintosh over the years with its refurbishment projects in its historic West End theatres “He could read a theatre like a book, understanding the subtle difference between the auditoriums and building layouts of Matcham, Sprague and their contemporaries… We continually need to adapt these remarkable buildings to meet the demands of contemporary productions and changing audience expectations. John implicitly understood that theatre must not remain in aspic and needs to evolve.”
John Earl is remembered by those who knew him well for not just his encyclopaedic knowledge of theatres, but his willingness to share it. Mike Sell describes him as “certainly the best mentor and friend one could have”. John Faulkner, Theatre Consultant, sums up his impact “No-one deserves recognition more, whether in the London Theatre Department, at the Trust or in more recent years, much valued for his undemonstrative wisdom, balanced advice or infectious wit - always directed at making something happen for the good of theatre.”
Curtains!!! Launch – Michael Sell, Victor Glasstone, Iain Mackintosh, John Earl and David Willmore launch ‘Curtains!!!’ at the Royal Hall, Harrogate, November 1981.
Vade Mecum: Forty Years in Theatre’s Hotspots
By Rupert Rhymes, UK Book Publishing (17 April 2024)
ISBN 978 1916572393
£20.00 Paperback (2024), 314pp
Whether you knew Rupert Rhymes or are a budding theatre historian, his Vade Mecum: Forty Years in Theatre’s Hotspots will ensure that his voice is clearly heard. I first encountered him at the Theatres Trust in 2003, and in this work I can still discern his ever-helpful observations, promptings and reflections. The book as autobiography is warm. The book as theatre history is valuable.
An account of his student days in Oxford is lively and engaging, helping the reader to understand how, despite his treading the boards there, he opted for theatre administration. Elizabeth Sweeting, who managed the Playhouse during this time and was considered the Grande Dame of the professional theatre in Oxford, is credited for her part in this discernment.
Rupert is always delightfully, modestly starstruck, detailing encounters with royalty, people of celebrity and dignitaries of the day. After six months in front of house administration at the Aldwych Theatre in London, Sadler’s Wells beckoned. He speaks fondly of it as an exercise in deep immersion in the realities of theatre management – ticketing, running the house, catering – in a place which held the nation’s passion for good music in such high regard.
It was at Sadler’s Wells that Rhymes’ association with theatre historians Raymond Mander and Joe Mitchenson began. It would be a lifelong friendship, and Rupert became their biographer, also chairing the Mander and Mitchenson Theatre Collection.
When an opportunity arose to manage the Old Vic, then temporary home to the National Theatre, he relished the opportunity. The first performance of the National Theatre was on 22 October 1963 where Olivier complimented his post-show organising skills.
It was not without its challenges, particularly finding efficient ways of working and recruiting new staff. His most
Reviewed
by
Mark Price, Heritage Adviser for Theatres Trust
revolutionary change at the theatre was the way the box office was run. Rather than waiting in queues, patrons were invited into an open plan box office and given coffee. This was in the days before computers. Rupert was involved in the design of the National Theatre’s new-style programmes. It was there he met his wife, Sue, who had been recruited to work on graphics. He set about bringing younger audiences to the theatre by persuading the Inner London Education Authority to let children see shows at reduced prices. This led to Special Arts Funding, enabling the National Theatre to build a basic auditorium behind an old butcher’s shop, specifically for younger audiences, and designated the Young Vic
In 1969 he took up the post of assistant to the Administrative Director, Edward Renton, at the London Coliseum. As well as learning about opera, touring and ballet, Rupert’s management of theatre enabled him to renegotiate the lease on the building after 10 years in post. The new lease meant consideration of the property portfolio and new band rooms, dressing rooms and a new off-site rehearsal space, Lilian Baylis house in West Hampstead.
Rupert left the London Coliseum in 1987 and was nominated chief executive of the Society of West End Theatres, renamed the Society of London Theatres (SOLT), supervising significant changes in arts management and audience development. These included theatre tokens, with sales reaching £4m a year. Rhymes was appointed OBE in 2002 and became chair of many theatre building-based organisations, including National Campaign for the Arts, Theatres Trust, and the Frank Matcham Society as well as serving on the Board of PERSPECTIV, the Association of Historic Theatres in Europe.
It was a life well-lived, chronicled well by his own hand. Buy it, read it, and appreciate afresh the life’s work of one who, like so many, passionately worked to preserve and enhance provision of and appreciation for theatres' hotspots.
Vade Mecum: Forty Years in Theatres Hotspots cover
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Our Work
We provide advice on the planning and development of theatres.
New theatres and major developments
Theatres Trust actively supports theatre owners and operators who plan positively for cultural use and much of our advice is around ensuring proposals for theatres offer the most viable solution. Cultural facilities are increasingly recognised as vital for arresting decline and encouraging activity within town centres because they generate footfall and spending in other businesses.
We were consulted on plans and listed building consent (24/01188/F, 24/01189/LB) for works to The Guildhall of St George in King’s Lynn. Constructed between 1410 and 1420, this Grade I listed building is claimed to be the only remaining theatre at which William Shakespeare himself performed. While the hall saw theatre use commence in 1445, the development of a specific theatre space didn’t come about until 1766. The submitted applications propose a significant programme of restorations, alterations and refurbishments, both to the theatre itself and to the surrounding complex in which the
theatre is housed. Included in the plans are the reinstatement of the Georgian-era gallery, along with exposure of traces of the medieval archway and infilled Tudor window within the new foyer. Theatres Trust has been in contact with various interested parties working towards the development of The Guildhall for around ten years, most recently with consultation on the Conservation Management Plan. We are keen to see the theatre used to its full potential, enhancing the local arts and cultural offer in King’s Lynn and support the proposed plans for the theatre element of the scheme, which are influenced by the original 1766 design. While falling outside of our remit, we also welcome plans to the surrounding complex which would see improved service access and accessibility for visitors to the theatre.
In 2022, Theatres Trust met with the project team seeking to transform Telford Theatre, providing a letter of support at that time for the approach and principles of development. The theatre, previously known as Okengates Theatre and The Place, opened in 1968 with the current
Guildhall St George Internal
Photo: Ian Grundy
auditorium added in the 1980s. Plans have now been submitted for the project (TWC/2024/0521), which would see partial demolition of the current theatre and construction of a new main auditorium, along with a new 100-seat studio theatre. Expansion and refurbishment of both back and front-of-house facilities include a new restaurant and bar, library, rehearsal space and the provision of a changing places facility and family WC. This project will significantly expand the theatre. An increase to the capacity of the main auditorium from 600 to around 750, along with the new studio theatre, will expand the range of performances and functions it can host. Theatres Trust continues to support the principle and ambition of this scheme but has urged further review to ensure the venue delivers to its potential and sees a viable, sustainable and thriving future. Specific concerns raised include sightlines in the main auditorium from flat floor rows and slip seats, and the location of wheelchair places and companion seating. We have also put forward suggestions for signage, wayfinding and corridor widening to limit potential congestion, and suggest alternative locations be sought for additional WCs to relieve pressure on one area. We encourage more thought is given to storage in all areas, as well as the potential for provision of additional bar space and seating, dressing rooms and broader back of house functions.
Planning permission was sought in Herne Bay for the change of use of a community hall to a theatre (CA/24/00813). The plans were submitted by the Herne Bay Musical Theatre Society who own the building and currently use it as a rehearsal space as well as hiring it out to the wider community. This amateur theatre group has struggled to secure suitable sites to host their productions and consequently already use the hall as a theatre. Theatres Trust supports the approval of these plans, which would formalise theatre use and support the ongoing role and operation of Herne Bay Musical Theatre Society as an important local organisation enabling the participation of local people in theatre and the arts.
Refurbishment, restoration and sustainability
Theatres Trust encourages theatre owners and operators to invest in their buildings to meet the needs and expectations of modern users and improve accessibility and sustainability to increase their viability and social value.
We were made aware of plans at Chichester Festival Theatre for the construction of a temporary structure to house a new external studio and performance space (24/00804/FUL). To be called ‘The Nest’, this year-round structure would remain in place for five years, providing a studio with an audience capacity of up to 120 people, along with a small bar/foyer area and toilets. The facility will provide space for education, rehearsals, outreach programmes, and the development of new works, including public performances. We support the principle of this development which will further expand and enhance the theatre’s important social and cultural role. We also welcome the approach to the sustainability of its construction, re-using an existing structure operated at the Pleasance Theatre in London, which itself included the use of reclaimed materials.
In Nuneaton, planning, change of use and listed building consent applications (036709, 036735, 040315) were resubmitted for works at the former Ritz Cinema to facilitate its return to use as a community facility. The proposals include cinema, theatre and live performance space, along with a bar and restaurant. This Grade II listed, art deco cinema opened in 1937 and became a bingo hall in 1984 before closing its doors 24 years later. We previously supported plans back in 2018, but they had since lapsed, and we hope that this resubmission will see a positive step forward in bringing this cultural and heritage asset back into use. As a condition of our support, we have made suggestions for improvements to the plans to address concerns we have regarding access for wheelchair users to the stage, backstage and upper levels, and we have strongly advised that that the building’s historic fabric and decorative features are protected, with any loss or harm robustly justified and recorded for the benefit of future generations.
Guildhall St George External
Photo: Ian Grundy
Following previous consultations in June and October of 2023, we received revised proposals regarding the alteration of supporting brick structures within a third party operated basement area of the London Palladium (24/01962/LBC).
Built in 1910, the theatre building is Grade II* listed, with the piers and arches in question of particular historic interest as original fabric from the 19th century wine cellars previously on the site. Theatres Trust has not objected in principle to previous plans, providing that alterations to these important architectural features are fully assessed and justified, and that any loss is fully recorded. This iteration of plans sees the welcome retention of more of the original structure, however, as the proposal was missing a heritage statement, our position remains the same in that justification is needed to demonstrate that any harm in heritage terms is acceptable.
In Boston an application was submitted for listed building consent for works to Blackfriars Arts Centre (B/24/0171). Built in 1967 in the remains of a thirteenth century Dominican Friary, this Grade II* listed arts centre hosts a varied programme of professional stage productions as well as being home to successful local amateur dramatic and operatic groups. The planned alterations would see the reconfiguration of an under used studio and storage area into an office, storage, and separate rehearsal space for the theatre’s youth and educational provision, which we welcome and support.
We were also pleased to support listed building consent (F/YR24/0507/LB) at the Angles Theatre Wisbech. Proposed works at include improved access for wheelchair users, along with the installation of air conditioning units. Built in 1793, the Grade II listed theatre was within other uses from the late 1800s until the 1970s, when local
drama enthusiasts recovered and restored it as a theatre. It is now a registered charity, largely staffed by volunteers and has ambitions to invest in further development of its facilities, with this phase of the project focusing on providing a safe, comfortable environment for its users.
Also looking to improve accessibility is Cromer Pier Pavilion Theatre. Listed building consent (LA/24/1408) and planning permission (PF/24/1407) was sought to revise back of house layout and function, provide better back of house accessibility and improve thermal performance. Built in 1901 as a bandstand with seating, it was roofed over in 1905 and, in 1912 the bandstand was replaced with a stage and proscenium. An integral part of the Grade II listed pier it sits on, Cromer Pier Pavilion Theatre remains one of the few remaining pier theatres, adding to its historic significance and cultural interest. Plans include the provision of an accessible dressing room and an accessible WC and shower, along with a combination step and stairlift providing stage access. Externally, refurbishment of wall fabric will provide greater insulation and dressing room windows will be double glazed, improving energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, as well as reducing operating costs. These plans are welcomed and supported by Theatres Trust.
London Palladium
Photo: Ian Grundy
Blackfriars Theatre 2018
Photo: Theatres Trust archives
Pavilion Theatre, Cromer
Photo: Ian Grundy
Photo: Theatres Trust archives
Further along the east coast, The Embassy Theatre in Skegness began life in 1926 as a ballroom built on sand dunes. The current octagonal auditorium, constructed partially on the site of former sea water bathing pool, was added later. Theatres Trust supported plans submitted in 2022 and permission was subsequently granted. We have since been made aware of a revised proposal (S/153/00936/24) which reduces the scale and ambition of the previously permitted redevelopment. While this is disappointing, we are pleased that the improvement and refurbishment of the theatre remains a priority, and welcome revisions that now include the refurbishment of dressing rooms, performer WCs and studio/ rehearsal areas, along with upgraded auditorium seating. The previously planned extension to the front of house area has been scaled back with the revised plans proposing a new entrance area and refurbished WCs, both of which are welcomed; however, we have encouraged reconsideration of the removal of a Changing Places facility from plans. We continue to support The Embassy’s plans for an improved theatre which will better meet the expectations of its users.
Plans were submitted by the Lyceum Theatre in Crewe for the replacement of a gas-fired boiler with the installation of an air source heat pump and associated pipework (24/1607N). Opened in 1889, the Grade II listed Lyceum is the only surviving Edwardian theatre in Cheshire, and we welcome its efforts to improve future efficiency and environmental sustainability. The location of the proposed new heating system is in the more modern part of the building and set back to minimise visual impact, Theatres Trust therefore supports the proposal.
Another theatre looking to improve its energy efficiency and sustainability is Theatre Stiwt in Wrexham. Originally the Miner’s Institute, this Grade II* listed building was funded by a grant from the Miners’ Welfare Association, with donations by local miners collected weekly. It housed an auditorium, reading room, games room, billiard room, assembly hall and a residential flat which was subsequently replaced by a library. Reopened in 1999 after a period of closure, the theatre is now a registered charity run by the community, and an important social and cultural facility for local people. We supported the application for listed building consent (P/2024/1025), proposing the installation of secondary aluminium framed glazing behind retained painted timber framed windows, which forms part of a wider environmental project.
Developments affecting theatre buildings
Theatres Trust is also consulted on works to former theatre buildings, and we welcome proposals that retain significant architectural features or allow for a return to public use, or live performance.
The Aldwych Theatre was built in 1905 as a twin to the Strand (now Novello) Theatre, standing either side the Waldorf Hilton Hotel in London’s West End. Planning permission was submitted to return a fourth-floor office within the building to residential use (24/03155/FULL). While this part of the building is within the theatre’s ownership it operates independently and with separate access and can, in effect be considered a neighbouring development. The office in question has historically been used for residential purposes, as have the two floors below and we therefore have no overall objection to the plans in principle. We have, however applied conditions to our support to safeguard the Aldwych against possible future noise complaints from residents through robust planning conditions and legal agreements.
Contact us if you are planning a capital project or want advice and guidance on maintaining your theatre building: advice@theatrestrust.org.uk
Embassy Theatre, Skegness
Lyceum Theatre, Crewe
Photo: Theatres Trust archives