Shropshire Magazine

Theatre Severn holds an imposing position by the river, just over the Welsh Bridge.

Neil Thomas on the passing of Shrewsbury Music Hall and exciting times ahead at Theatre Severn

It’s not every day that a brand new, purpose-built theatre costing £30m is unveiled anywhere in the UK, particularly in such austere times. So there is much to rejoice at in the opening of Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury this month. 

The very first public performance at the state-of-the-art riverside venue launches a series of lectures in connection with the Darwin Festival Celebrations, marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of the famous Shrewsbury-born naturalist. It will be delivered by Lord May and it is difficult to think of a more distinguished speaker. Robert May holds professorships at both Oxford University and Imperial College, London, and was formerly President of The Royal Society, Chief Scientific Adviser to the government and head of the UK Office of Science and Technology.

His appearance on Sunday, February 22, will be a red-letter day in the cultural life of Shropshire. The opening of this theatre marks the realisation of decades of dreaming and scheming, of ideas and arguments, of hopes raised and dashed.

The idea of a new theatre was mooted as long ago as the mid-1940s when Shrewsbury Borough Council took over the Music Hall. 

“The need for a new theatre stemmed partly from the fact that the Music Hall was never built as a theatre but an assembly room,” says Theatre Manager Lezley Picton.

The Victorian building would have been difficult to renovate without virtually ‘gutting it’, driving up the cost to that of a new-build, says Lezley. She believes that building had about two years left before it needed big money spent on it just to ensure it was safe.

What’s more, its town-centre location was as often a hindrance as a help. Large-scale productions were impossible to stage there because of the difficulty of transporting big props and gear through the narrow streets to the rear stage-door entrance which opened onto College Hill. For instance, a large BBC outside broadcast transporter got stuck when bringing equipment for an edition of Question Time.

For performers, there were “access issues” hidden from the audience, says Lezley. “It was not easy to get from the dressing room to the stage, particuarly for the more elderly and frail like Mickey Rooney and John Mortimer.”

When 88-year-old Hollywood legend Rooney appeared three years ago, it took him 15 minutes to make it to the stage from his dressing room.

“It took a lot out of him and was frankly embarrassing from our point of view,” says Lezley.

None of this should detract from the phenomenal success of the Music Hall, which closed its doors for the final time in January.

The irony is that purpose-built theatres in Shrewsbury like the Granada and Theatre Royal closed down, while the one building that was never intended as a theatre surived and thrived.

Programme and marketing manager Adam Burgan believes the Music Hall has “punched above its weight” for years and eventually became a victim of its own success.

“Too many people used it and it couldn’t cope. Theatres across the country are, on average, 50 to 60 per cent full. At the Music Hall the average per show was 90 per cent. What an achievement!”

However, without the scope to expand the facilities, so many opportunities for revenue were lost. For example, when comedian and actor Lee Evans played the venue, the 384-seat auditorium could have been filled five times over. There was similar demand for tickets to see deadpan comic Jack Dee. In turn this limited the budget for attracting performers.

The Blues Band will be one of the early attractions at Theatre Severn.

Luxury

That should be considerably less of a problem at Theatre Severn, which boasts a 650-capacity main auditorium featuring luxury seating and air conditioning. It also has a range of sophisticated backstage facilities providing the most up-to-date potential to create theatrical make-believe. For example, the first panto next winter will see Peter Pan ‘fly’ across the stage, a feat that would have been impossible at the Music Hall without the risk of bringing the roof down. As well as arts and entertainments, it is envisaged that the auditorium will host medium-sized conferences and lectures.

In addition there is the 250-seat Walker Theatre, which will house a more experimental programme by a range of creative artists.

“Shropshire has a wealth of talented performers of all ages and they will have an affordable space to present their work in the Walker,” says Adam. The Walker Theatre can also be transformed into a 500-standing venue for live music as well as cabaret seated events. It can be used for conferences or lectures. It has been named after The Walker Trust in recognition of its generous donation to the Theatre Severn project.

The restaurant will offer meals throughout the day including fine dining, while the bar is housed within an exisiting building, the former chapel dating back to 1865, and has floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the town.

With natural light, a fully sprung floor and state-of-the-art sound system, the dance studio will host classes every day and be used by people of all ages and abilities. The Viv Kelly School of Dance and Centre Pointe Dance School will both hold regular classes which are open to all, ranging from baby ballet to tap dancers in their 80s.

The Haydn Smith Room is the hospitality suite and can be used as an additional dressing room or space for artists to relax.

It enjoys breathtaking views of the river and Shrewsbury and can accommodate up to 80 guests for corporate hospitality. The room is named after Haydn Smith, who was heavily involved in developing the theatre’s IT system until his death last April.

Theatre Severn’s official opening – with performances on March 25 and 26 – will be a musical for children called Romany Wood, featuring Shropshire Youth Orchestra and a 300-strong choir of primary school children from across Shrewsbury and surrounding areas. The classical work has been adapted by David Gaukroger and David Carr from the book written and illustrated by Beshlie, a Romany who lives in Shropshire.

Treasured

It will be narrated by one of Britain’s most treasured stage and screen actors Timothy West CBE and will feature as guest soloist Shrewsbury’s own Melanie Nakhla, of the classical girl group All Angels.

Timothy West will narrate the opening production, Romany Wood.

“We were looking for something special to open the theatre and discovered this perfect piece which, although having its origins and roots firmly planted in Shropshire, has never received the local premiere it deserves,” adds Adam.

Act Two will be the premiere of Romany Wood Ballet, specially commissioned to celebrate the theatre’s opening and directed by Desmond Kelly, one of the leading figures in the world of ballet, and choreographed by Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Kit Holder.

Early indications are that Theatre Severn will build on the popularity of the Music Hall. The number of theatre-lovers signing up to be ‘friends’ at £25 a year has already doubled from the Music Hall days to 1,000.

Among the early acts to appear at Theatre Severn will be poet, writer and broadcaster Pam Ayres. Her show on February 24 quickly sold out and a second night was hastily arranged – which has also sold out. 

Clearly theatre is alive and well in Shropshire and in for exciting times.

• Visit www.theatresevern.co.uk for comprehensive listings.

Staff at the Music Hall, with Adam Burgan and Lezley Picton centre.