Peter Bailey, Deputy Technical Director explains how the Company will transfer the Histories from The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon to the Roundhouse in London.
Transferring to London
When we arrive at the Roundhouse our task will be to build a stage and auditorium that will effectively recreate as closely as possible Stratford's new Courtyard Theatre within the space of the Roundhouse. This will enable us to present The Histories in London without any major changes to the staging, so audiences will have a similar experience to those who saw the productions in Stratford-upon-Avon.
In order to achieve this we will be building everything, including the stage and backstage facilities, the full lighting and sound rigs, and installing the upholstered seating. Physically it's one of the biggest projects we have ever undertaken at the RSC and bigger than our previous visit to the Roundhouse. As audiences are aware, the Roundhouse has undergone extensive redevelopment since our last visit, offering significantly improved facilities that enable us to fully realise our ambitions to recreate The Courtyard Theatre auditorium.
It's a massive undertaking but one we're confident will provide our audiences with a unique theatrical experience in one of London's most iconic venues.
