Following a fire in 1899 the theatre’s interior was redesigned by renowned theatre designer, Frank Matcham. More recently the Theatre Royal underwent a major refurbishment and restoration in the late 80s.
SURGO now faces the challenge of restoring the auditorium to its full splendour and bringing it into the twenty-tens.
Speaking about appointing SURGO, Philip Bernays, chief executive of the Theatre Royal, said:
“We chose SURGO for a number of reasons - they have good, local, relevant experience, particularly in theatres and listed buildings. What’s more, their submission was very articulate and showed how well they understood us and the importance of the project. They have also demonstrated excellent relationships with their sub-contractors, a comprehensive approach to programming and a proactive approach to consultation and partnership.
“The success of this project is of critical importance not only to us, but also to the Theatre-going public in the region and beyond, so this is no small undertaking, but we are confident SURGO will do an excellent job and very much look forward to working with them.”
The major construction work will include selective demolition of post-Matcham interior architecture, structural refurbishments, roof repairs, and restoration of internal walls, partitions, screens and barriers. New mechanical and electrical systems will be installed along with a complete overhaul of technical wiring.
SURGO will also manage the full suite of internal finishings, including doors, screens and ironmongery, ceiling finishes, re-carpeting, fittings and fixtures. The contractor will further manage the installation of all the new seating for the auditorium, the stage engineering and refurbishment of the toilets.
Speaking on behalf of SURGO Construction, director, Jeff Alexander added:
“We are delighted to be working with the Theatre Royal and other professional partners, on such a prestigious project. In response to the challenges ahead of us, as always, we will be fielding a talented and experienced team who will carry out the work required to bring the Theatre back to a standard of which, I believe, Matcham himself would be proud.”
The renovation will not only transform the auditorium to its Matcham glory and make the Theatre considerably more comfortable for audiences, it will also improve carbon and energy efficiency.
On this latest contract SURGO will be working alongside professional partners including specialist architects, Sansome Hall, technical theatre consultants Charcoalblue and theatre conservation expert Dr David Wilmore of Theatresearch.
During the restoration process, the Theatre will go dark* for six months. However, all the other Theatre functions will continue as normal, including the Learning programme and Box Office. There will also be a new Heritage Learning Programme for visitors to explore the Theatre’s colourful history.
The Theatre will re-open its spectacular new auditorium in September with Alan Bennett’s magnificent The Madness of George III, a brilliant theatrical profile of the eccentric King who granted the theatre its Royal licence in 1788.
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