Crucible Theatre

Crucible Theatre
For a list of productions see Sheffield Theatres Productions.
Crucible Theatre

The redeveloped Crucible Theatre, 2010. Also visible is the Lyceum theatre (right) and the redeveloped Tudor Square (bottom)
Address 55 Norfolk Street
City Sheffield
Country England
Designation Grade II listed building
Architect Tanya Moiseiwitsch
Owned by Sheffield Theatres
Capacity 980
Type Thrust Stage
Opened 1971
www.SheffieldTheatres.co.uk

The Crucible Theatre is a theatre built in 1971 and located in the city centre of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. As well as theatrical performances, it is home to the most important event in professional snooker, the World Snooker Championship.

Contents

History

The Crucible Theatre opened in 1971 replacing the Playhouse Repertory theatre in Townhead Street. In 1967 Colin George, the founding Artistic Director of the Crucible, recommended a thrust stage for Sheffield, inspired by theatres created by Sir Tyrone Guthrie. Tanya Moiseiwitsch, who had been involved in designing Guthrie’s theatres, was the designer.[1] The architects Renton Howard and Wood were engaged and the building itself began to take shape in 1969. It was completed in two years, on time for the opening performance in November 1971 of Fanfare an evening’s entertainment comprising -children participating in an improvised scene, Chekhov’s Swan Song with Ian McKellen and Edward Petherbridge and a Music Hall Finale with a Sheffield Brass Band.

This demonstrated the versatility of the stage, which has since been adapted to Dance, Musical performance, as well as classical and modern theatre, and receives touring productions as well as hosting squash and spectacularly, the World Snooker Championship.

The audience sits on three sides but no member is more than the length of a cricket wicket - 22 yards (20 metres) - from the performer, or indeed a snooker ball. Consequently although it seats 980 people the spectator has a intimate relationship with the activity on stage. Colin George and the Administrator David Brayshaw persuaded the Gulbenkian Foundation to finance for the first time the building of a professional theatre - the 400 seat Studio, which opened with the main house.

In 2001 the Crucible was awarded the Barclays ‘Theatre of the Year Award,’[2] and is a Grade II listed building.

The building went through a £15 million refurbishment between 2007 and late 2009 – opening during that period only for the 2008 and 2009 World Snooker Championships.[3]

The Crucible reopened as a theatre on 11 February 2010 with a production of Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People, with the official reopening by the Earl of Wessex on 18 February 2010. [4]

Theatre

The Crucible is a producing theatre, meaning shows are designed and rehearsed in-house. These productions are normally overseen by the Sheffield Theatres Group.

Sports venue

The World Snooker Championship tournament has been played annually in the Crucible since 1977. The venue has also hosted championships of other indoor sports, such as table tennis and squash.

Players with 1000 frames played at the Crucible

Players with 1000 frames won at the Crucible

  • Stephen Hendry

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ Sheffield Theatres - Venues
  2. ^ Sheffield City Council Executive Recruitment - About the City
  3. ^ Guardian Unlimited: Arts blog - theatre: Gone West
  4. ^ [1]

Bibliography

  • Crucible Theatre, Sheffield: A Model Theatre in the Tradition of the Juvenile Drama, Michael D Everett, MDE Pubns (1981), ISBN 0906933013
  • The acoustical design and performance of the Sheffield Crucible Theatre, D. J Oldham, Dept. of Building Science, Faculty of Architectural Studies, University of Sheffield (1973), ASIN B0007BLZYW

External links

Coordinates: 53°22′52″N 1°28′00″W / 53.381012°N 1.466594°W / 53.381012; -1.466594 (Crucible Theatre)


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