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Dateline: 3rd February, 2006
The Roundhouse Reopens in June London's almost legendary Roundhouse in Chalk Farm Road, originally built for the repair of steam engines and then used as a gin warehousde fopr 91 years, which became associated with some of the great names of sixties and seventies pop (The Rolling Stnes, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd - and the only UK venue where The Doors played) and some of the most exciting experimental theatre of the period (Peter Brooke and New York's Living Theatre), and which fell into disuse in the eighties, is to reopen on 5th June after a £27.7m refit. Principal contributors include the Norman Trust, Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund, Department for Education and Skills, Wellcome Trust, London Development Agency and Camden Council. In the Main Space, adaptable seating in end-on, thrust and in the round configurations can also be removed for standing events. A second level, the Circle, adds a new perspective and brings total capacity to 1,800 people seated and 3,300 standing. The roof has been replaced and its central glass lantern restored allowing natural light into the space for the first time since the 1860s, when Gilbey's bought the building and painted over the glass to stop the sun heating up the spirits and wines that were stored in the Main Space. Now simple, manually-operated blinds can be used to block out the light. In order to maximise use of the Main Space for performance and events, a new wing has been built in an arc that hugs one side of the building. The New Wing houses a café, bars, box office and public areas, as well as some back stage and office facilities. It also includes Studio 42, a 150 person seated or 200 standing capacity studio theatre space, named in recognition of Sir Arnold Wesker's pioneering Centre 42 which launched the Roundhouse as an arts centre in the 1960s. At street level, the previously little-used Undercroft has been completely transformed into a warren of spaces called Roundhouse Studios. Facilities including rehearsal rooms, sound recording studios, and video editing and production equipment ring the outside and internal perimeters. Together with the Hub, a central social area, each year the Studios will provide opportunities for up to 10,000 young people aged 13-25 to develop skills and explore their creative potential. The relationship between activities in Roundhouse Studios and the Main Space and Studio 42 lies at the heart of the organisation. The artistic plans for the Roundhouse are ambitious. Events including contemporary dance, classical, jazz, rock and pop music, installations, talks, screenings, theatre, contemporary circus and more details will be announced later in the year. The opening show will be Fuerzabruta, a very physical performance:
"twelve performers hurtle through this 65 minute show at breakneck
speed, using every elemental force known to man. At times the performance
treads the edge of real danger with alarming effect, the audience engages
with what increasingly becomes an investigation into the mind of a crowd,
where occasionally one person is left alone, struggling against the
masses." Please note that all three Archive indices are very long and will therefore take some time to download.
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