Piggott-Smith and Wertenbaker open Oxford’s £3.9m North Wall theatre

Published Tuesday 20 February 2007 at 15:30 by Nuala Calvi

Tim Piggott-Smith, Timberlake Wertenbaker and Lesley Manville were among industry figures who helped open a new theatre in Oxford this month, designed by Young Vic and Royal Court architect Steve Tompkins.

St Edward’s School, which financed the £3.9 million building project and owns the venue, has pledged to make it available for public access for between 20 and 30 weeks of the year.

The North Wall houses a 270-seat flexible performance venue, rehearsal space, dance studio and art gallery and is the brainchild of leading film composer George Fenton, who is also one of the school’s governors.

As well as hosting work by professional theatre companies, the venue will offer a drama summer school, music days and film-making workshops for young people on an all-expenses paid basis.

Writer and director Ed Kemp is overseeing the summer school - auditions for which take place in London and Oxford this Easter - while Oscar-nominated film director Stephen Frears will run a film festival in July, offering screenings and masterclasses.

There will also be a week-long theatre festival, organised by National Student Drama Festival director Holly Kendrick, showcasing work by student drama groups and professional companies such as West Yorkshire Playhouse and Unlimited Theatre.

A week-long music festival takes place in the first week of July, featuring the National Youth Jazz Orchestra among others, organised by BBC Worldwide Music’s creative director Jane Carter.

North Wall chief executive Emily Man said: “I think this is a really exciting new public-private partnership in the arts. It’s a real example of wealth distribution for young people who would otherwise never have access to such a beautiful facility as this.

“Thanks to George [Fenton] we have managed to gain access to leading members of the professional arts world, which we think will really help break down the barriers that exist in the arts and will inspire and empower young people from around the country.”

Members of the theatre’s steering committee include Richard Attenborough, Judi Dench and Sue Birtwistle.

The school will continue to finance the day-to-day running of the building, while funding is being sought from public bodies and private sponsors for those events that are open to the public, with Alan Bennett due to host a fund-raising evening for the venue on March 19.