OLD VIC, Bristol
Incredibly the Bristol Old Vic theatre opened way back in 1766 and next year it will be set to celebrate its 250th anniversary. Currently the theatre team are busy fundraising in order to help complete works on the theatre to celebrate its historic birthday in 2016 with a world-class upgrade. Haworth Tompkins architects have received much praise for their impressive work on the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool and are now looking to bring their experiences with them to work on the Old Vic theatre as it undergoes the final stages of its makeover.
Now in its third year, the theatre will be playing host to the 2015 Bristol Proms from the end of July. The event will feature a number of musical talents including Daniel Hope, Milos Karadaglic and Alison Balsom who can all to be enjoyed thanks to the wonderfully intimate acoustics provided by the theatre.
EVERYMAN THEATRE, Liverpool
This popular theatre found on Merseyside recently went through its own changes with award-winning architects Haworth Tompkins at the helm of the alterations once more. The redevelopment has since picked up a number of prestigious architectural awards and has been met by much praise from visitors to the theatre and its locals. It was important that during these renovations none of the most iconic aspects of the building were lost but its upgrade did include an extremely impressive large-scale art feature found on the west facing side of the theatre. The façade included 105 individually moveable metal sunshades which featured different life-sized portraits of a number of Liverpool residents.
Throughout the month of July the Everyman Theatre will be featuring a new production of Arthur Miller’s The Hook, an unseen play from the American playwright who sadly passed away back in 2005.
ROYAL ALBERT HALL, London
The Royal Albert Hall is one of London’s most iconic theatres and plays host to a number of performances throughout the year including concerts, ballets, operas and charity performances. It is of course a highly distinctive building which is found in South Kensington and it includes its very visual frieze feature. The frieze is positioned high up on the exterior of the Hall and is a beautifully designed mosaic that really catches the eye of passers-by and visitors to the Hall. Leeds based electric gates company, Portcullis Gates, has also worked on the historic building since its renovation back in 2004 by updating its ageing stage delivery gate and modernising its control system and adding in much needed safety elements.
As usual there is an incredible range of events and shows performing at the Albert Hall this spring and summertime. Musical legends Nick Cave, Status Quo, Chris de Burgh and Eric Clapton are just a few of the headline acts performing this season. Aside from being able to enjoy the musical experiences in the historic Hall there are also a number of other showcases including the Rockarchive and Print Bank photography exhibition which runs from May to June.
