The last six months have been a strange time for everyone. Businesses have had to find a new way to operate and manage, with families and groups adjusting to completely new ways of working and communicating.

The Shaftesbury Theatre closed its doors at the end of March, following the Youth Group's production of The Crucible. There were two productions in rehearsal and a summer season planned, as well as plans for the new season. For the theatre community the - albeit - temporary closure of the theatre has been a big loss but, as the saying goes – the show must go on!

Improvements made to theatre during closure

During the enforced closure, much has been done to make the theatre building ready for opening. We were delighted to work with the team at Stage Electrics for the installation of new stage lighting equipment, helping bring the theatre up to date.

The installation included three new Zero 88 Chilli By-Pass dimmers, a new lighting desk as well as new DMX infrastructure around the stage and front of house. Showbiz Ltd provided new LED lighting, making the lighting opportunities for future productions a really exciting prospect (and promising a cooler auditorium!)

A new air conditioning system is now in place, supplied by ACS Electrical, which will allow a more even flow of air throughout the auditorium and help maintain a steady temperature throughout the year. The auditorium has been decorated, bringing a smart new look for when we can finally open. We are also now in a position to introduce on-line ticket sales as soon as theatres are able to reopen.

Big changes backstage too

Not to be outdone, the maintenance team of John, John, Dave and Derek have been busy backstage. The dock areas have been cleared and tidied and the green room has been completely refurbished.

A new communications system is in place, enabling all those backstage to see and hear what is happening on stage. All electrical equipment has been tested and the cyclorama and stage are due for painting. Under the auditorium and stage have been cleared, with the team finding a wide range of resources and equipment from past productions and the paint store has been revisited!

The theatre is in a good place ready for re-opening as soon as government guidance allows. The Youth group is currently embarking on an exciting new project, rehearsing via Zoom, and the committee continues to explore all the options to ensure we will be ready to open. Well done to everyone for their effort and support - we will be back bigger and brighter than before!