Three major West End theatres to be revamped

Published Wednesday 8 August 2007 at 15:40 by Alistair Smith

Three leading West End playhouses are set for major refurbishments, The Stage can reveal.

The Gielgud Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue has just begun internal improvements, the Vaudeville Theatre on the Strand will undergo proposed works in 2008, while the Duke of York’s Theatre is, in the longer term, preparing for a redevelopment which will see the upper circle returned to full use and its capacity increased.

All three sites, which are owned by Delfont Mackintosh, Nimax Theatres and Ambassador Theatre Group respectively, are to see improvements to their auditoria and toilet facilities.

At the 900-seat Gielgud, work is now underway with the refit being undertaken by Vivid Interior, which has been behind Cameron Mackintosh’s refurbishments of both the Novello and Prince Edward theatres. Existing seating is being refurbished and replaced, while the boxes are also being completely overhauled, with some new ones created. VIP areas are also being introduced. The project is due for completion in September and will cost £1 million.

Meanwhile, work at the 700-seat Vaudeville is expected to begin in 2008, following an extended consultation period. The redevelopment will see improved disabled access introduced and work on the front of house. Nimax chief executive Nica Burns said: “The refurbishment will happen in 2008, we will have our next production Swimming with Sharks, then most likely one more, then the work will start.”

The refurbishment planned for the 600-seat Duke of York’s Theatre is expected to be two to three years away, but will involve reseating the auditorium with “big comfortable seats”, increasing the venue’s capacity in the upper circle, improving accessibility to the building and installing a lift shaft to the offices above the theatre, which will also be improved.

ATG joint chief executive Rosemary Squire told The Stage: “We’ve got ambitious plans for the Duke of York’s, which will include enhancing the theatre and improving the facilities, and looking at reinstating the seats which were taken out in the eighties from the upper circle. We have the planning consent already, but we’re evaluating a number of options.”