The annual Theatres at Risk register, which is collated by the Theatres Trust – the national advisory public body for theatres – lists 30 buildings across England, Scotland and Wales it believes could be demolished or redeveloped, despite having a potential future if restored.
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This article draws attention to preserving the cultural heritage that United Kingdom possesses as a country and it is a very valid thing to be drawn to, given that UK has and continues to be the center of theatrical productions and history. With that in mind, it will be huge loss for the generations to come to not be able to experience the feeling of heritage and culture that one feels when they walk into these theater buildings.
England has always drawn attention to the architecture of its theatrical places and for all the right reason. They are culturally rich places, imbibed with historic architecture practices.
But as this article says, it is paramount to help keep these buildings intact, via either remodeling or demolishing to create something new because it does present a threat to life if they are not necessarily safe buildings to be in, something which the government of the country should pay special attention to.
I feel like in the past few weeks, I have read multiple articles about how theaters / historical buildings are closing down in the UK. I find it quite odd that England has not made a larger effort to preserve and retain its culture and history. It has always been a cultural powerhouse, especially in regards to the arts. It's saddening to see places, theaters, with just rich history are on the verge of disappearing forever. It is not only is that a loss to the theater community, but also to the historical architecture community as many of these theaters have been around since the early 20th century. I do believe transforming the functions of these theaters is a good idea. They can act as a multi-functional space and be supportive of the local community. Although the UK is currently in a tumultuous political and economic time, the government shouldn’t neglect an integral part of its mission: its historical past and culture.
It was so strange reading this headline because last week I commented on an article about Britain’s booming film and television industry. For a part of the world that is basically surpassing Hollywood in the amount of successful onscreen pieces it releases, its theatres deserve way more respect. I can say this about Europe as a whole, but the UK has so many attractions that are beloved because of the history behind them, including a plethora of cathedrals and other commonplace buildings. That said, what buildings have more stories to tell than an old theatre, the hub of sharing storytelling. I would love to walk around the theatres on this list and learn about their histories. Who has performed there? What tales have these audiences heard? What costumes were in these dressing rooms? It is time for all of these people in the UK’s entertainment industry--the same people who are driving this force of creativity--to step up and put stories where they began. Theatres are some of the most architecturally interesting places, and to destroy that would be such a waste.
Losing old theatres makes me so sad. Not just the potential for art is lost, but also beautiful historical landmarks. I saw this a lot in Florida, with theatres I barely remember at this point without the descriptions from my parents. One that they were particuarly fond of was the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami. The building still exists, empty but present. It is located next to a cute downtown area so I think it has so much possibility. The fact that the theatres mentioned in the article have the potential of being saved with monetary support reveals that the public is interested in their resurrection. Theatres need both: the money and the support, especially when it is regional or community. I suppose this explains the limited nature in South Florida. It seems that there is some hope though because two of the building mentioned in the article have now been removed from the list of upcoming demolitions.
I may be wrong, but it feels like there has been a surge of articles (not necessarily here on News From the Real World) about theaters in the United Kingdom losing sponsorship or otherwise being close to shutting down. This is very strange to me because, in my mind, the United Kingdom has always been a cultural hub for theatre, home of the Bard, home to the Globe Theatre. It is strange that the UK is not making more of an effort to maintain their theatres. It would be such a shame to lose them, not just from a cultural or storytelling perspective, but also from an architectural perspective. I love touring theaters and have toured at least one just this winter break past. The grandeur and functionality are unparalleled. I truly hope the theatre scene in the United Kingdom continues to thrive at a minimal compromise to the quality and number of productions.
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