Although the Marlowe Theatre is one of the region’s cultural success
stories it is now in urgent need of refurbishment. We cannot meet the
sophisticated requirements of major productions and our growing
audiences. Here are some of the problems we face:
- With only 950 usable seats the theatre cannot respond to the demand for tickets for nearly 40% of shows.
- With
fewer than 1,000 seats, flexibility in programming is severely
restricted. The largest scale productions, especially opera and
musicals for which there is greatest demand, are not economically
viable.
- There are no production facilities and the
opportunity for creative development and training are restricted by the
space available.
- The cinema-style auditorium is inflexible
and the rear seats are more than 35 metres from the stage which can be
disappointing for the audience.
- The front-of-house facilities
and bar are extremely limited resulting in regular overcrowding before
shows and during intervals. Physical access to the building is
problematic for those with limited mobility.
- Extensive
refurbishment is urgently required for seating, electricity, plumbing,
air-conditioning, technical equipment, office accommodation and the
external fabric of the building.