Northcott Theatre

Last updated

Northcott Theatre
Northcott theatre.jpg
The Northcott Theatre after its 2007 refurbishment.
Northcott Theatre
Address Exeter
Coordinates 50°44′09″N3°32′07″W / 50.7358°N 3.5352°W / 50.7358; -3.5352
Capacity 464 seats
ProductionVisiting performances
Opened1967
Website
http://www.exeternorthcott.co.uk

The Northcott Theatre is a theatre situated on the Streatham Campus of the University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, England. It opened in 1967 and was run until 2010 by the Northcott Theatre Foundation, when the company ceased operating after a period in administration. The theatre is now known as Exeter Northcott Theatre and became a registered charity (no. 1151620) in June 2013.

Contents

History

The Northcott is the seventh building in Exeter to be used as a theatre.

In 1962, the Theatre Royal, Exeter, was demolished to be replaced by an office block; however, there were many people in Exeter who were determined that the city should not be without a theatre for very long. Early in 1962, Mr George Vernon Northcott (1891-1963) had started negotiations with the board of directors of the Theatre Royal with the view to "saving" the theatre, and its re-creation as a theatre and arts centre. A small group from the University of Exeter prepared a memorandum explaining how they saw the Theatre Royal functioning in the kind of way that Mr Northcott visualised and outlining some ideas. They submitted this memorandum to the board of directors of the Theatre Royal and to Mr Northcott. After some time, however, negotiations failed to develop and the Theatre Royal was sold.

For a time, informal discussions continued between Mr Northcott and the university, and later in 1962 more formal contacts were made. The then vice-chancellor, Sir James Cook, pointed out that the university had for some time earmarked a site for a theatre on its development plan and it was possible that, in collaboration with the university, Mr Northcott's ideas for a theatre and arts centre could be realised.

Ultimately, the university offered a site: Mr Northcott established a trust with a benefaction of £100,000 (later supplemented by donations of £50,000 from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and from other bodies), to establish the "Northcott Devon Theatre and Arts Centre", which would serve the needs of the community in the region. The Northcott Theatre opened with a production of The Merchant of Venice , starring Tony Church, its first Artistic Director, on 2 November 1967. Barbara Hepworth unveiled one of her sculptures in the foyer on opening night. The architects were Sir William Holford and Partners and the theatre consultant Michael Warre.

Actors who spent time in the Northcott company in their earlier careers include Polly James, Lesley Joseph, John Nettles, Robert Lindsay, Brian Protheroe, Bob Peck, Geraldine James, Paul Jesson, Joanna Tope, Caroline John, Celia Imrie, Nick Brimble and Imelda Staunton; and Nicholas Hytner professionally directed his first straight dramas here. In its first years, the company originated a number of plays of West Country interest, including new historical drama by Jack Emery and an adaptation of the Cornish Mystery Play Cycle. It also toured productions throughout the area.

The Northcott has a strong history as a producing repertory theatre, that is to say the bulk of its historical productions were staged by the company itself, rather than being brought in from elsewhere. As built the theatre was given a semicircular main house auditorium seating 433 people with an orchestra pit on a mechanical lift; being also configurable as theatre in the round or cinema. The capacity of the venue was increased in the 2007 refurbishment and it can now seat 464.

Expansion

The auditorium in 2011 Exeter Northcott Auditorium.jpg
The auditorium in 2011

In March 2005, the directors of the Northcott announced that planning permission and funding would be sought for a £3.1 million building project to expand front of house facilities and increase the capacity of the auditorium to 538 seats. [1]

Having raised £2.1 million, the theatre was closed for refurbishment in January 2007 and reopened on 12 December 2007, near the fortieth anniversary of its first opening.

The refurbishment provided the following;

The day before the rebranded Exeter Northcott reopened in December 2007, Arts Council England threatened withdrawal of its entire £547,000 annual grant. The loss of a third of the theatre's operating costs would result in a drastic cutback in production and job losses, if the theatre even managed to stay open. [2] [3] However, on 1 February 2008 the Arts Council England announced a reprieve for the Exeter Northcott and its continued funding. [4]

Following the discovery of a legacy of accounting problems inherited from the previous management, the trustees placed the theatre into administration on 25 February 2010. This decision was opposed by Arts Council England which had earlier sent in a forensic accountant to investigate the extent of the problem. These investigations had not yet been completed. [5] Geoff Myers, chairman of the theatre's trustees, said: "We took this decision with a heavy heart but when presented with the latest financial information we had no choice but to place the theatre into administration. It is to be hoped that a way can be found to effect a rescue of the theatre." Exeter City Council and the university have agreed to help find a way to save the theatre. [6] [7] On 5 June 2010 it was confirmed by administrators Begbies Traynor that a new company set up by the university had purchased the theatre, the Exeter Northcott Theatre Company, and the immediate future of the theatre was thought to have been secured. [8] In September 2014 Exeter Northcott Theatre announced a new major sponsorship agreement with law firm Browne Jacobson. [9] In 2015, under Artistic and Executive Director Paul Jepson, the theatre returned to producing its own work with A Christmas Carol followed by Betrayal, by Harold Pinter, in 2016. In 2017, the theatre made a return to producing its own pantomime with Dick Whittington, directed by Tony Lidington [10] In January 2018 a performance exploring epilepsy and created by the theatre in collaboration with the University of Exeter, Beyond My Control, went on a national tour [11]

Artistic directors

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristol Old Vic</span> Theatre in Bristol, England

Bristol Old Vic is a British theatre company based at the Theatre Royal, Bristol. The present company was established in 1946 as an offshoot of the Old Vic in London. It is associated with the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which became a financially independent organisation in the 1990s. Bristol Old Vic runs a Young Company for those aged 7–25.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southbank Centre</span> Complex of artistic venues in London, England

Southbank Centre is a complex of artistic venues in London, England, on the South Bank of the River Thames.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regent's Park Open Air Theatre</span> Theatre company in London, England

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre is an open-air theatre in Regent's Park in central London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen Elizabeth Hall</span> Concert hall in London

The Queen Elizabeth Hall (QEH) is a music venue on the South Bank in London, England, that hosts classical, jazz, and avant-garde music, talks and dance performances. It was opened in 1967, with a concert conducted by Benjamin Britten.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Citizens Theatre</span> Theatre in Glasgow, Scotland

The Citizens Theatre, in what was the Royal Princess's Theatre, is the creation of James Bridie and is based in Glasgow, Scotland as a principal producing theatre. The theatre includes a 500-seat Main Auditorium, and has also included various studio theatres over time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnfield Theatre</span>

The Barnfield Theatre is a theatre in Exeter, England, located near the centre of the city on Barnfield Road, Southernhay. It was originally built as the Barnfield Hall near the end of the 19th century by Exeter Literary Society, and was converted to a theatre in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen</span> Theatre in Aberdeen, Scotland

His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen is the largest theatre in north-east Scotland, seating more than 1,400. The theatre is sited on Rosemount Viaduct, opposite the city's Union Terrace Gardens. It was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1906.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dundee Repertory Theatre</span>

Dundee Repertory Theatre, better known simply as the Dundee Rep, is a theatre and arts company in Dundee, Scotland. It operates as both a producing house with some shows co-produced by other theatres and a receiving house - hosting work from visiting companies throughout Scotland and the United Kingdom including drama, musicals, contemporary & classical dance, children's theatre, comedy, jazz and opera. It is home to Scotland's principal contemporary dance company, Scottish Dance Theatre. ‘’'The Rep'’’ building is located in Tay Square at the centre of the city’s "cultural quarter" in the West End.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theatre Royal, Bath</span> Theatre in Bath, England

The Theatre Royal in Bath, England, was built in 1805. A Grade II* listed building, it has been described by the Theatres Trust as "One of the most important surviving examples of Georgian theatre architecture". It has a capacity for an audience of around 900.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canberra Theatre Centre</span> Performing arts venue in Canberra

Canberra Theatre Centre (CTC), also known as the Canberra Theatre, is the Australian Capital Territory’s central performing arts venue and Australia's first performing arts centre, the first Australian Government initiated performing arts centre to be completed. It opened on 24 June 1965 with a gala performance by the Australian Ballet.

Thea Sharrock is an English theatre and film director. In 2001, when at age 24 she became artistic director of London's Southwark Playhouse, she was the youngest artistic director in British theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derby Theatre</span>

Derby Theatre is a theatre situated in Derby, England, located within the Derbion shopping centre. Formerly known as the Derby Playhouse, it was owned and run by Derby Playhouse Ltd from its opening in 1975 until 2008, when the company ceased operating after a period in administration. The theatre was reopened in 2009 as the Derby Theatre under the ownership of the University of Derby, who use it as a professional and learning theatre. In addition to the 531 seat main auditorium, the building contains a 110-seat studio theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swindon Arts Centre</span>

Swindon Arts Centre is a 212-seat entertainment venue in the Old Town area of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. It opened in 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal & Derngate</span> Theatre in Northampton

Royal & Derngate is a theatre complex in the Cultural Quarter of Northampton, England, consisting of the Royal Theatre, Derngate Theatre and the Northampton Filmhouse.

Erica Whyman, OBE is an English theatre director who became deputy artistic director at the Royal Shakespeare Company in January 2013.

Trestle Theatre Company is a professional theatre company specialising in mask and physical theatre. Currently based in a renovated chapel in the city of St Albans in the county of Hertfordshire, England. The company creates its own masks, performances, workshops and training, sending the masks nationally and internationally.

Daniel Buckroyd is a British theatre director and current Artistic Director of the Exeter Northcott Theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jasmin Vardimon</span>

Jasmin Vardimon is an Israeli-born, UK-based choreographer, dancer and artistic director of the Jasmin Vardimon Company, which she formed in 1998 in the UK. Vardimon is an associate artist at Sadler's Wells Theatre, since 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jasmin Vardimon Company</span>

Jasmin Vardimon Company is a UK based contemporary dance-theatre company. The Company was founded in London in 1997, and became a significant element within the British dance scene. The company is dedicated to the choreography of Artistic Director, Jasmin Vardimon – Associate Artist of Sadler's Wells Theatre since 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swan Theatre, Worcester</span>

The Swan Theatre is a theatre currently run by the Worcester Theatres Charitable Trust in Worcester, England. It is the official residence of the Worcester Repertory Company, Swan Youth Theatre and Young Rep. It stages drama, music, dance and spoken word as well as being hired out to local, regional and national amateur groups. It was built in 1965 and was designed by Henry Gorst. The Swan Theatre was built a decade after the demolition of the Worcester Theatre Royal, which was condemned due to fire damage.

References

  1. ↑ "The Next Stage Appeal". Archived from the original on 21 July 2006. Retrieved 21 June 2006.
  2. ↑ Maddern, Kerra (28 December 2007). "Theatregoers backing Northcott campaign for Arts Council cash". Express & Echo.
  3. ↑ "The Stage - News - Exeter's Northcott Theatre faces closure threat as ACE withdraws annual grant". www.thestage.co.uk. 12 December 2007. Retrieved 11 March 2008.
  4. ↑ "The British Theatre Guide: ACE Funding - Successful Appeals". www.britishtheatreguide.info. 1 February 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2008.
  5. ↑ http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/27400/exeter-northcott-placed-into-administration [ dead link ]
  6. ↑ "Northcott's cash woes are a shock for board". This is Exeter. 1 March 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  7. ↑ "Northcott Theatre in Exeter is put into administration". BBC News . 25 February 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  8. ↑ "Theatre rescue deal is signed | This is Exeter". Archived from the original on 2 January 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  9. ↑ "Theatre fundraiser attracts major support from UK law firm | Western Morning News". Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  10. ↑ "Great British panto: Why we love it and how you absolutely have to join in". 26 November 2017.
  11. ↑ "Arts Centre's BEYOND MY CONTROL Offers a Glimpse into Epilepsy".
  12. ↑ List formerly published on the Northcott Theatre website
  13. ↑ "Exeter Northcott Theatre's new director reveals ambitious new plans". Express & Echo . 20 January 2015. Archived from the original on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  14. ↑ "Special Collections Archives: Northcott Theatre Archive".

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.