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In the End Stage form, the entire audience faces the stage in the same direction.
Sightlines are kept simple, making these layouts perfect for lectures, films and
slide-based presentations. They also fit well into conventional rectangular
plans.In this form, theatre seats are placed within a 130-degree angle of
inclusion. This brings in the audience closer to the performer, establishing a more
intimate experience.Audience sightlines, accessibility and acoustics all make
theater seating a hugely precise art. As part of their set of online resources for
architects and designers, the team at Theatre Solutions Inc (TSI) have put together
a catalog of 21 examples of theater seating layouts. Each layout is well detailed,
with information on the number of seats, the floor seating area and row spacing.
These layouts fall under three general forms; to supplement this information,
alongside TSI's diagrams we've included the pros and cons of each type, as well as
examples of projects which use each format. Read on for more.A shopping promenade
that incorporates six cinema halls with capacities ranging from 150 to
310 locations has been built in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina. The authors
of this project
were the architects Mariani, P�rez Maraviglia and Ca�adas. The employer of the
project was
Florencio Aldrey Iglesias, who has a long and recognized trajectory both locally
and nationally.
The place chosen by the company was the former terminal bus station in the city,
maintaining
the main building, but reorganizing spaces and functions. In the docks area, a new
building
housing the shopping promenade has been built, with the six cinema halls on its top
floor. The
whole building complex alternates the respect for the tradition of the city, with
the most
innovative design. The indications given by the customer to the acoustic
consultants were very
clear, in the sense of providing an excellent acoustics quality, complemented by
the latest
technology equipment, including the new Atmos format of the Dolby Laboratories Inc.
Starting
from these premises, the following tasks were developed: a soundproofing project; a
HVAC
systems project with perfect accordance of the acoustic requirements, and an
acoustic
treatment project, developed using the AFMG�s EASE software. The project with its
construction
details, the model executed on software and the main measurements performed are
presented.
I unexpectedly became a theatre owner
20 years ago when I was invited to purchase an
interest in two 1930s musical houses, the Prince
Edward and the Prince of Wales. By 2002 a further
five playhouses had been added to my portfolio,
all designed by William Sprague and built 1900 �
1910. Now known as the Novello, Wyndham�s,
Noel Coward, Gielgud and Queen�s, they have
always been ideal for plays and medium-scale
musicals. I discovered great pleasure in reinventing
these remarkable historic buildings so that they
would be glamorous, comfortable and practical.
During this process my team collaborated with
Westminster Planning Department, English
Heritage, The Theatres Trust, and other specialist
bodies. Their experiences have influenced this
book which, I am sure, will prove an invaluable
resource for anyone involved in renovating existing
theatres or in building new ones.
I only agreed to take an interest in the first two
theatres if a commitment was made to refurbish
the Prince Edward, which had become faded and
run down, a cold barn of a building that felt more
like a cinema. With its auditorium seating 1,690,
there was also a need to create a feeling of greater
intimacy. We achieved this by introducing stepped
loges at either side of the auditorium with glowing
illuminated front panels decorated in warm shades
of pink and red. Decorative plasterwork was added
to the auditorium above the stalls; fretwork screens
were installed down the side aisles of the stalls;
and the anti-proscenium was dropped down.
As I acquired further theatres, we began planning a
major refurbishment of them all. The work involved
hours of planning, both on and off site, for me, my
in-house team and my consultants Arts Team at
RHWL. Although I hugely appreciate the benefits
of digital design, nothing quite compensates for
the reality of sitting in a theatre and physically
assessing everything from sightlines to leg room to
the visual impact of a decorative feature. I believe
in being a very hands-on theatre owner.
My aim throughout has been to upgrade the
theatre facilities to the standard expected by
modern audiences and performers while being
sensitive to the period style of each theatre, using
and recreating original details wherever possible.
The Prince of Wales Theatre gave us the greatest
scope for realising a completely new vision as
its original auditorium was in a terrible state and
the cramped front of house was packed with
unnecessary offices. We inserted a totally new
auditorium into the building and ripped out
the front of house to create spacious foyers and
� what was previously completely missing �
masses of public space and bars. My other
theatres offered less scope for structural alteration;
nevertheless, we improved access at the Novello,
by breaking through walls and reusing old classsegregated
staircases so that all the audience,
whatever price they pay, can enjoy the same
comfort and facilities. At Queen�s, we remodelled
the foyers and decorated and reseated the entire
auditorium, even adding extra rows on all levels
and installing two loges � a remarkable feat of
organisation for my Theatre Division and our
contractors, as we had to work around
Les Mis�rables� eight performances a week.
There is no nook or cranny of my theatres that
I don�t know and love; each one has its intrinsic
charms and eccentricities. I am proud that they
are now in such a good state that they should
last for at least another century, dramatically
improving the experience of visitors to London�s
world-class theatres. They will be my legacy
to West End theatre and my way of returning
something to a profession that has given me
so much fun and enjoyment.
Cameron Mackintosh

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In the End Stage form, the entire audience faces the stage in the same direction.

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