Shakespeare North Playhouse, Merseyside, UK
Sparking regeneration with a rediscovered theatre
The Shakespeare North Playhouse is a new-build performance venue in Prescot, near Liverpool in the north of England. This innovative building contributes to the regeneration of the town while celebrating its historical links with the plays of William Shakespeare.
Collaborating with Helm Architecture and Austin-Smith:Lord, Arup’s venue specialists worked with Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council to design a playhouse with two theatres, a performance garden and an exhibition centre.
The centrepiece of the building, the cockpit theatre, is a timber replica based on surviving plans of a Shakespearean-era theatre at the Palace of Whitehall in London. It features reconfigurable modular staging, candelabra and a retractable calico ceiling – all informed by historical accounts – while state-of-the-art modern lighting, sound, video, communications and broadcast equipment have been detailed discreetly into the oak frame.
This is a radical new building which strikes a balance between heritage authenticity, modern relevance, and adaptability for the future. By telling the stories of theatres past it helps to inspire modern ideas, support practical research, and provide a welcoming and accessible space for the local community.
