Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Avenue
Mark Price was asked to provide a Heritage Statement for Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Avenue, London.
The Playhouse Theatre opened as the Royal Avenue Theatre in 1882. It is a Grade II Listed Building, within the Covent Garden Conservation Area in the City of Westminster.
The theatre was originally design
ed by F. H. Fowler. Francis Fowler was a British commercial architect who designed the Metropole Hotel (now the Corinthia Hotel) with James Ebenezer Saunders in 1885. The auditorium was horseshoe form with two balconies curving along the side walls to meet flanking boxes.
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In 1905, Cyril Maude took over management of the building. He set about plans for the reconstruction of the theatre. The works were almost completed when, in 1905, part of Charing Cross Station collapsed onto the theatre. Maude begun rebuilding the theatre, but this time to the designs of Messers Detmar Blow and Fernand Billerey.
The original façade was retained, but inside a completely new interior was constructed within the walls of the old theatre. The interiors were designed in the Franco-Venetian style, with two large paintings represented the origin of modern comedy and Florentine lamp standards. The rebuilding incorporated a complex set of timber understage machinery.
Today the theatre is owned by American theatrical producers, Ted and Norman Tulchin’s Maidstone Productions with the venue being managed by the Ambassador Theatre Group.
A Heritage Statement was required to support a major refurbishment scheme which aimed to convert the building for a venue for cabaret.
Mark Price was able to provide a comprehensive Statement of Significance not only supporting the application, but justifying new interventions within the auditorium, making the theatre fit-for-purpose. He was also able to source original plans and photographs to assist with the restoration and develop an understanding of the original design and finishes.
