The architect of a theater building, which was the first of its kind in Europe when it was built almost 40 years ago, says he still feels 'touched' when he sees its auditorium full of people. John Sambrook, who designed the New Vic theater in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, said the building took four years to plan and another two to build. It remains one of only a handful in the country and is among only a small number of purpose-built theaters in-the-round globally. 'It was the best time of my working life, designing and building this building,' Mr. Sambrook said. 'I thoroughly enjoyed it more than anything else in the world, it was absolutely brilliant.' The theater company that took on the building previously operated from a former Victorian cinema in Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent. Designing the New Vic, however, was a particular challenge as there were no existing blueprints or previous examples to follow. During planning, the late theater director Peter Cheeseman decreed that no member of the audience should be more than 28 feet away (8.5m) from the main acting area, Mr. Sambrook said. The theater's setup is still considered highly unusual today. 'There's not a single part of the stage where you can hide and not be seen by the audience,' said the theater's creative director, Theresa Heskins. 'One of the things that I love most about it is that it includes the audience in the most amazing way. It feels very accessible.' The New Vic has subsequently hosted teams from other theaters who have visited to help them plan their own venues and learn from how the New Vic operated. This included the New Vic's own production of 'Marvellous' which went on to be the opening production at Soho Place in London when it launched in 2022 as the first new-build West End theater in 50 years. But here's where it gets controversial... The theater's design has made some aspects of putting on a play impossible, such as large pieces of set, which block lines of sight. 'In here, it's really more about the performer and the relationship between the performer and the audience,' Ms. Heskins said. 'I think that's one of the reasons audiences love it, and it's one of the reasons performers love it as well.' So, what do you think? Do you agree or disagree with the theater's design choices? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
