NEWS RELEASE
19 February 2010
THEATRE ROYAL UNVEILS ARCHITECTS’
BLUEPRINT FOR ANNIVERSARY RESTORATION
The North East’s favourite theatre, the Theatre Royal, will this Friday (19
February) unveil the detailed plans behind its £4.75 million restoration project.
Due to take place between March and September 2011 in readiness for the Theatre’s
175th birthday in 2012, the restoration work will ensure the Grade I listed Theatre,
often termed ‘the greatest building on Britain’s greatest street’, is protected and
enhanced for the enjoyment of future generations. It will recapture the grand style of
Frank Matcham’s 1901 design while at the same time introducing twenty first century
standards of comfort and improving energy and carbon efficiency. It will include
renovation of both the interior and exterior.
In the auditorium new seating will be installed at all levels, new lighting and
ventilation systems introduced and major renovations made to all fabrics, with new
carpeting and paintwork and reinstatement of extensive gold-leaf work present in the
Victorian era. A further feature will be a new historical resource developed in
collaboration with London’s V&A museum. Conservation measures will also be
implemented to protect the outer fabric of the building including the auditorium roof
and the famous Portico on Grey Street which has been subject to rainwater damage.
At an invitation-only preview event this Friday, the full set of plans produced by
specialist architects Sansome Hall will be unveiled. These will include a detailed plan
of each level of the Theatre, from the Stalls right up to the Gallery, showing the
changes in red against the original designs. These will be supported by internal
elevations showing the detailed plaster and ornate work across all levels, and a
reflected plan revealing how the ceiling will be changed.
The plans are overlain with technical specifications concerning site-lines, seating,
ventilation and lighting, provided by theatre consultants Charcoalblue.
Theatre conservation expert Dr David Wilmore will provide assorted samples of
historical material including photographs and prototypes, which are being used to
inform the entire restoration process. On display will be the textile designs for
carpets, curtains and wallpaper – all based on the original Victorian interior, as well
as the new seat samples and some of the furnishing details that will make a big
difference to restoring the Theatre to its original Matcham glory. These will include
the sunburner and other brassware, ceiling roses and mouldings, signage, fixtures
and fittings.
During the restoration process, the Theatre will go dark* for five months. However,
all the other Theatre functions will continue undisturbed, including the Learning
programme, Caffe Teatro and box office. There will also be a new Heritage Learning
Programme for visitors to explore the Theatre’s colourful history.
Theatre Royal Chief Executive Philip Bernays said: “This is a very exciting time for
us. We are now moving from the feasibility stage to the full development of technical
proposals – the vision of this restoration is now becoming a reality, and audiences
can look forward to a much more comfortable and special experience.
“The Theatre Royal is not only one of the most impressive buildings in Britain, but it is
also a major monument of civic pride. It has a place in the hearts and minds of every
person in the north east and also many further afield. Its protection and
conservation is of national importance”.
Funding for the project will come from a number of different sources including both
private and public, and a financial plan to support the project was endorsed by the
Theatre Royal Board in December 2009.
As the Theatre is an independent charitable trust and its future depends on public
support, a Heritage Fund has been set up to enable members of the public,
businesses, and charitable foundations and trusts to contribute to the restoration. A
limited number of patron packages are available, offering seat dedications, invitations
to exclusive patron events and various other benefits. Every theatre ticket purchased
also includes a contribution to the fund.
The Theatre is also bidding for £250,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, which, if
successful, will form part of the overall funding package.
James Ramsbotham, Chief Executive of the North East Chamber of Commerce,
said: “We’re right behind this development - the Theatre Royal is one of Europe’s
great theatres and a flagship building in the North East. It is a key part of the
impressive cultural fabric here and brings real economic benefits as well as great
cultural impact. People like to live in the region and to visit the region because of
places like the Theatre Royal.”
-ENDS-
For further information / images etc, please contact Marianne Quayle, Press &
Communications Officer for the Theatre Royal on details above.
* In the world of theatre, ‘going dark’ refers to a period when there are no shows,
when the lights are switched off
Theatre Royal Newcastle
Opened in February 1837, Theatre Royal Newcastle is one of the finest theatres in
the UK and a key date in the touring calendar of some of the world’s leading theatre
companies; performances include the biggest and brightest West End musicals,
thought provoking drama from the world’s leading playwrights, contemporary dance
from internationally acclaimed choreographers - not to mention the North’s favourite
pantomime, attracting more than 75,000 people.
www.theatreroyal.co.uk