Theatre Royal Restoration | Newcastle | Completed

[Newcastle Historian]

So, that concludes the full account (from the information that I have - there may be more out there?) of the last two big renovations / restorations, (1988 and 2007) immediately prior to the one that is now about to commence next month (March to September 2011).

It will be interesting to follow the current project, from now on, in this thread . . .

[Newcastle Historian]

Surgo Construction seals deal to restore Theatre Royal
The Journal, January 17th 2011,


A North East firm has been selected to manage a £4.75m theatre restoration project.

Newcastle-based Surgo Construction has been appointed to manage Newcastle Theatre Royal’s anniversary restoration.

The project is set to take place between March and September ahead of the Theatre’s 175th birthday in 2012.

It will recapture the grand style of Frank Matcham’s original 1901 auditorium design while also introducing modern standards of comfort.

The appointment of Surgo completes the team working on the restoration, which includes specialist architects Sansome Hall, technical theatre consultants Charcoalblue and theatre conservation expert Dr David Wilmore of Theatresearch.

During the restoration process, there will be no shows for six months. However, all the other theatre functions will continue as normal, including the learning programme.


Read More - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business...1140-27999481/

[Newcastle Historian]

Theatre Royal hopes auction will be a sell out
The Journal, January 21st 2011


Theatre Royal, Susan Hampshire, Pride and Prejudice

Fans of the Newcastle Theatre Royal can bid for a piece of its history at a special auction in aid of its forthcoming £4.75m refurbishment.

Among the star lots will be seats bearing the names of famous people including actors Sir Ian McKellen, Susan Hampshire, Richard Briers, Kenneth Branagh, Sir Antony Sher, Tim Healy and Denise Welch, film directors Ridley and Tony Scott and comedian Ross Noble.

All 1,200 seats in the auditorium will go under the hammer unless the people – famous or otherwise – who paid to have them inscribed opt to buy them first.

Whether they do or not, their names will be replicated on the new seats in the refurbished auditorium. But for theatre buffs there is the possibility of having Susan Hampshire’s or Ridley Scott’s personalised seat as a conversation point in the living room.

The seats, which survived the major refurbishment of 1986-88, were made 50 or 60 years ago for use in a cinema. According to theatre spokeswoman Marianne Quayle, they were designed for people looking up at a screen rather than down at a stage so have never provided optimum comfort.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-e...#ixzz1BgNg4hJI

[Newcastle Historian]

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A bit more 'background' about the Theatre Royal, in this excellent VIDEO . . .




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[Newcastle Historian]

Details of renovation work to be done in the Theatre Royal
North East Times, February 2011


Major restoration work gets underway at Newcastle’s Theatre Royal next month, promising to create a spectacular new auditorium in time for the venue’s 175th anniversary in 2012. North East Times found out more.

The Grade I listed Theatre Royal, one of Tyneside’s finest architectural gems and a cornerstone of its cultural offering, is set to be transformed this year thanks to a £4.75 million restoration project.

The work, which will take place between March and September, aims to recapture the grand style of renowned Victorian architect Frank Matcham’s original 1901 auditorium design, while also introducing 21st century standards of comfort.

The major construction work will include selective demolition of post-Matcham interior architecture, structural refurbishments, and restoration of internal walls, partitions, screens and barriers. 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.

There will also be installation of new mechanical and electrical systems and a complete overhaul of technical wiring. The renovation will not only transform the auditorium to its Matcham glory and make the theatre more comfortable for audiences, but will also improve carbon and energy efficiency.


Read More - http://www.northeasttimes.co.uk/Arti...l.aspx?id=2527

[Newcastle Historian]

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The Theatre Royal is now closed for the next six months.


The new renovation project is (at last) now under way.

Hopefully there will be 'progress reports' on this project issued from time to time, by the theatre.

In the meantime the below items contain the very latest information, some issued by the Theatre Royal themselves, while another is a recent Newcastle Journal newspaper article concerning an auction of unwanted items, held by the Theatre Royal just before closure . . .












Theatre Royal holds auction ahead of revamp
by Nicola Weatherall, The Journal, March 7th 2011



THEATRE lovers at one of the North East’s most prestigious playhouses will of course want the best seats in the house. Now, they can enjoy the seats in their own front rooms, after Newcastle’s Theatre Royal put the chairs up for sale in a huge auction. The event yesterday came as part of preparations for the venue’s 175th anniversary.

In the run up to the milestone next year, the theatre is undergoing a massive refurbishment, leaving its current chairs, curtains and light fittings to go under the hammer. Hundreds of fans and art collectors gathered at the auction, led by Anderson and Garland Auctioneers, in the hope of taking home a piece of theatre history.

The first lot – a single seat with green velvet upholstery – sold for £110 to Allan Symons, 38, from Birtley, Gateshead. and budding thespian Dan Ellis, 22, from Whitley Bay, was delighted with his successful bids, which included more than 20 seats. “The plan is to set up a small community theatre, or pop-up cinema, in Whitley Bay, and these seats will be perfect for it.

The lots which attracted the most attention were the celebrity named seats. These ranged from blockbuster director, Ridley Scott, to North East comedian Ross Noble. Richard Berg Rust, the theatre’s director of development, said: “We received a lot of interest from theatre fans when we announced the auction.

“Between 300 and 400 people turned up to the auction and it was great to see them getting into the spirit of it. “We set a target of reaching about £5,000, but the auction has gone so well that I imagine, once we’ve done all the adding up, we’ll be looking at the £8,000 mark.”

Theatre bosses will bring down the curtain for the final time later this month, closing the Royal to performances until September as it undergoes its £4.75m restoration.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-e...#ixzz1H2KIPuRh

[Newcastle Historian]

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Theatre Royal 2011 Restoration - Builders Diary Week 1 (w/c 14 March ‘11)

• The big auditorium strip-out. The seats are removed from the stalls. Our team of handy men dismantle each one,piece by piece, ready to be collected by the successful bidders from last week’s auction.

• The technical box, currently located in the Grand Circle, comes out. All wires, cables and equipment are removed in one go.

• Surgo arrived today and the auditorium has been officially cordoned off as a building site. Hard hats, sensible footwear and high vis vests only allowed! The seats are now completely removed from the Upper and Grand circles. Floor boards in the stalls taken up.

• Last remaining seats all came out today, and the carpet fully removed from the Stalls. The Grand is also now completely bare - just a series of wooden benches - looks a bit like an old Greek amphitheatre! Orchestra pit and the Stalls area adjoining it is all up.


Week 1 Photos . . .



















Sources . .

1 - Theatre Royal on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Theatr...le/17950275842

2 - The Builders Diary: http://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/restor...lding-progress

3 - Rory Gibson's Photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gibbo_rory1/

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[paddytoonleics]

I'm guessing a few of you already follow, but it's worth keeping an eye on the Theatre Royal's FB page during their restoration...they've so far been incredibly hot at updating the page with images and info about how work is progressing in the restoration, and some little gems they're uncovering as they go along....much of the auditorium's previous life has been lying untouched in a time-capsule under regular 'upgrades' over the years, and it's a treat to see what's there!

If you're a theatre geek like me, do check it out

[Steve Ellwood]

Thought this would be appropriate to the thread as it is an article from the Newcastle Evening Chronicle of July 1981 which deals with the restoration that was required at that time.

[Newcastle Historian]

Very interesting to see people getting quite 'agitated' about spending relatively small sums to preserve and renovate the building, in 1981.

Only five years later in 1986, they started spending £6.3Million on it, over a two year period (when they were largely closed down for that reason) ending in 1988.

The majority of that £6.3M came from the EU.

See earlier posts in this thread, starting here, for details of the 1986-1988 project - http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpo...51&postcount=8

[Newcastle Historian]

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Theatre Royal 2011 Restoration - Builders Diary Week 2 (w/c 21 March)

• Lots of progress this week - the full ‘birdcage’ of scaffolding is now up inside the auditorium, right up to the ceiling (almost). The Gallery is now completely out.

• A very exciting day today - when the old 70s seating was stripped away in the Gallery, we were able to reveal the old original Matcham wooden benches underneath. They are lower and closer in, and in a much better position to see the stage.

• All the plasterwork on the circles has been ‘shrouded’ to protect it while the major seating work is done.

• The 70s doors have now started to come out in the foyer and bar areas.


Week 2 Photos . . .







The below photos show what was discovered in the 'Gallery' area of the auditorium. It reveals the old Matcham wooden benches, underneath the 1970’s seating tier (!!) . . .







Sources . .

1 - Theatre Royal on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Theatr...le/17950275842

2 - The Builders Diary: http://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/restor...lding-progress

3 - Rory Gibson's Photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gibbo_rory1/

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[Newcastle Historian]

Following Weeks 1 and 2 of the "Builders Diary" of the 2011 Restoration Project (see recent posts on this thread) the below shows an interesting exchange I had with the Copyright Owner of some of the photos used in the Diary . . .

To: rory.gibson@rocketmail.com;

Hello,

I am a Moderator on a worldwide construction, development and architecture forum, called "Skyscraper City" and one of our most successful urban forums is our Newcastle Forum,

LINK HERE . . . http://www.skyscrapercity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=2258

One of the current threads on there covers the various restorations (including the currently ongoing one) at the Newcastle Theatre Royal, details and LINK (direct to that thread) below . . .

Theatre Royal Restoration | Newcastle | U/C - http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1251697

On that thread I am covering the ongoing restorations, that started a few weeks ago. As a resource for weekly updates, I am using the Theatre Royal's own public 'Facebook Page', and have included (always with links/credits back to that Facebook page) some of the photos published on there.

I have today noticed your details on some of those photos, and am writing to you now to confirm that you are content with my usage of your photos?

Skyscraper City is a VERY popular Website throughout the world, and I know that the threads on the Newcastle Forum are regularly viewed around the world.

Please have a look at the Theatre Royal thread (the second of the two LINKS, above) and particularly at the two recent "Weekly Updates" posts that I have done, and please let me know if you are content for me to use photos with your details on them?

Regards,
"Newcastle Historian"

From: Rory Gibson
Date: 01/04/2011 10:22:54
Subject: Re: Newcastle Theatre Royal - Restoration PHOTOS

Hello

Thanks for your email. I am happy for you to use my photos on your site, provided of course that the copyright is respected.

You might be interested to know that there are more photographs of the theatre on my own Flickr page at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gibbo_rory1/

I shall be regularly uploading more as the development progresses.

Hope you find them useful and of interest and as always I do appreciate feedback, positive and constructive!

Regards
Rory Gibson

So, now that my 'copyright concerns' about this one are resolved I think we can now look forward to LOTS of new photos of the restoration project, as it progresses over the coming six months.

I will be posting "Week 3" of the Builders Diary shortly . . .

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[Newcastle Historian]

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Theatre Royal 2011 Restoration - Builders Diary Week 3 (w/c 28th March 2011)

• A lot of demolition this week - the Grand Circle and Basement have been totally stripped out and made bare. The Stalls have also been broken out and 'making good' work has begun. The proscenium trusses and decorative edge have been removed.

• The flooring has been removed from the Upper Circle, Gallery & the new area that will become the Amphitheatre (or premium gallery seating).

• Elsewhere, the Kiosk has been taken out, the air conditioning units removed from the roof space and work continues in the ceiling void.


Week 3 Photos . . .
























Sources . .

1 - Theatre Royal on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Theatr...le/17950275842

2 - The Builders Diary: http://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/restor...lding-progress

3 - Rory Gibson's Photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gibbo_rory1/

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[Godscrasher]

Brilliant NH, keep up the good work of updating this page, it's becoming very interesting.

[paddytoonleics]

The Popolo, Paradiso, Alvino etc crew will be operating the Cafe and bars at NTR when it re-opens. Good news for a local business, and certainly good news if you like decent coffee and drinks!

[Newcastle Historian]

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In continuation of - this was in today's Evening Chronicle . . .

[Newcastle Historian]

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Theatre Royal 2011 Restoration - Builders Diary Week 4 (w/c 4th April 2011)

1. Work is progressing so quickly now, the auditorium is completely unrecognisable!

2. The bird cage scaffolding dominates the central area totally, like a scene from The Matrix! Workmen all around at different levels. All the wallpaper is gone now and the walls are being prepared for their make-over. All the original Matcham features are bound up in Polywrap and very protected.

3. Lots of interesting work happening off-site this week, including the preparation of the Matcham Arcading. When ready, this particular section will go in the Grand Circle.

4. Critical electrical and mechanical work is now taking place in the Basement – the mysterious area that audiences never see, beneath the Stage and Stalls.

5. All the external non-Matcham paneling is being taken out of the Entrance Lobby this week – it’s nearly completely stripped of artificial trappings now and ready to be restored.

6. Roof covering has now begun – an important phase in the repair process.


Week 4 Photos . . .
















Now, a first look at some exterior works (see 'point 6' of this weeks Diary) . . .






Sources . .

1 - Theatre Royal on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Theatr...le/17950275842

2 - The Builders Diary: http://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/restor...lding-progress

3 - Rory Gibson's Photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gibbo_rory1/

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[Newcastle Historian]

Just to keep us going, until this weeks 'Builders Diary' (reminds me of a film I once saw . . .) here are some VIEWS of the City Centre taken from the Theatre Royal roof, as work on the exterior of the building started last week . . .










Source - Rory Gibson's Photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gibbo_rory1/

[Newcastle Historian]

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Theatre Royal 2011 Restoration - Builders Diary Week 5 (w/c 11th April 2011)

1. Electrical and mechanical work commenced in the Entrance Lobby this week.

2. The new Matcham ceiling fresco (for the Lobby) is coming on very nicely at the artist’s workshop down in Bristol. It’s a very specialist piece of work and will look truly beautiful – the artists/restorers preparing it are Bush & Berry.

3. Demolition and strip out work is now well underway in the Upper Circle and Amphitheatre. The Matcham stone benches are very clear to see now. Although they can’t have been very comfortable for those Victorian audiences, they are amazing to look at!

4. Some of the friezes in foyer areas have been ‘sugar soaped’ to try and clean them. They became dirty over the years as a result of smoking in the building – thankfully something we stopped here a LONG time ago!


Week 5 PHOTOS . . .

The Matcham stone benches are very clear to see now (first two photos) . .















Repainting taking place inside the auditorium . . .



Cleaning in progress on the gallery front . . .



The Concessions (sweets) Counter, and if you look at this photo closely, you can now see RIGHT THROUGH to the stage! . . .



The Grand Circle (bar area) showing part of the ceiling area cleaned, and part still uncleaned. The 'uncleaned area' shows the impact of all those years of smoking, though this was stopped in the Theatre Royal many years ago . . .



Finally, this is the gallery bar - or at least, it was . . .




Sources . .

1 - Theatre Royal on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Theatr...le/17950275842

2 - The Builders Diary: http://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/restor...lding-progress

3 - Rory Gibson's Photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gibbo_rory1/

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[Damon]

Your weekly updates are exemplary NH. Keep up the good work! I have to say, seeing the auditorium forested with scaffolding is quite evocative of other theatre renovations I have known; being allowed to walk around on the planking directly beneath the ceiling is a special experience! Great stuff.