Five things you may not know about our Redevelopment Project!

As the building work for our exciting Redevelopment Project began at the start of this month, we wanted to share some fun facts about what’s happening, or what’s to come over the next 10 months. Did you know…

1. The first phase of our Redevelopment Project includes an extensive number of improvements to our theatre, which we’re very excited about… A full refurbishment of our auditorium, upgraded technical equipment, environmentally-sound air conditioning systems, improved sightlines and enhanced accessibility and audience facilities (yes, we’re re-doing the toilets!).

2. The seats have already been removed. The hardworking team of builders managed to remove all 666 auditorium seats from the Stalls and Circle in one day! We’re thrilled to be donating the seats to another theatre, which we’ll share the story of very soon.

3. Very strange things have been found during the building work so far. We’re starting a ‘Lost Property’ social media series where we share our discoveries, which so far includes an old theatre ticket from 1999 to Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company!

4. The Boxes have been dismantled! A very strange sight to see was the Rylands and Keynes Boxes being dismantled ready for the Circle to be reconfigured. The new architectural designs have a smoother and more curved edge than our current balcony, and the Boxes will be replaced with slip seating for more comfortable viewing.

5. The wooden paneling has been stripped (see an image below), which will soon be replaced. Our auditorium has definitely transformed into a building site now, but we can’t wait to see the changes over the coming months!