Rose Theatre, Kingston

Infobox Theatre
name = The Rose, Kingston


caption = Fill image
address = Kingston High Street
city = Kingston, London
country =
designation =
latitude =
longitude =
architect = St George (shell)
owner = Kingston Theatre Trust
capacity = 1000 seated
type = Thrust stage
opened = 16 January 2008
yearsactive =
rebuilt =
closed =
othernames = Rose of Kingston
production = Touring productions
currentuse =
website = www.kingstontheatre.org/The Rose Theatre, Kingston is a theatre on Kingston High Street in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. The theatre is also known as the Rose of Kingston Theatre and seats 1,000 around a wide, lozenge shaped stage [Sunday Times report by Hugh Pearman, 30 December, 2007 [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/architecture_and_design/article3099781.ece] ] .

It officially opened on 16 January 2008 with "Uncle Vanya" by Anton Chekhov, with Sir Peter Hall directing [Stage review of Uncle Vanya, Rose, January 2008 [http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/19733/uncle-vanya] ] . Hall had also directed an 'in the raw' production of "As You Like It" [Stage review of As You Like It, Rose, December 2004 [http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/5453/as-you-like-it] ] within the shell of the uncompleted building in 2004. [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1367310,00.html "Rosy future" Michael Billington, 6 December 2007] "The Guardian" accessed 15 Jan 2008]

Design

The theatre's layout is based on that of the Rose Theatre in London, an Elizabethan theatre that staged the plays of Christopher Marlowe and early plays by Shakespeare. It features a shallow thrust stage. Unlike the original Rose, it makes the Elizabethan design more comfortable by adding a roof and modern seats, rather like the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. The front rows of the stall have no seats; patrons bring cushions instead.

Questions have been raised by some critics and the local press about problems of sight-lines in the unraked front stalls area and in the two upper tiers. [British Theatre Guide report, 28 January 2008 [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/articles/280108.htm] ]

History

The Rose was a project supported by Peter Hall and broadcaster David Jacobs CBE, who serves as chairman of the Rose Theatre Trust.

The development was controversial, described by one councillor as an "unnecessary and expensive luxury", at a time when the council is attempting spending cuts to other services. [ [http://www.kingstonguardian.co.uk/display.var.694595.0.rose_theatre_dubbed_a_ridiculous_cash_waste.php "Rose Theatre dubbed a ‘ridiculous’ cash waste" (Kingston Guardian)] accessed 15 Jan 2008] . Attempts at fund raising via the Arts Council and focus on one local "benefactor" failed, resulting in a prolonged delay in the eventual opening.

The construction was undertaken with £5m (of the £11m construction cost) support from the local council, involvement from Kingston University, Peter Hall, and the Friends of Kingston Theatre. The shell of the building was provided to the Trust for free by St George PLC as one of the concessions for the construction of Charter Quay, a development on the bank of the Thames.

Hall had intended to direct 8 productions a year at the theatre, but the theatre still needs to raise the necessary £600,000 to continue in operation beyond its inaugural season. [ [http://www.kingston.gov.uk/leisure/arts/rose_of_kingston.htm "Rose of Kingston Theatre" (RBKuT)] accessed 14 Jan 2008] Other productions will be provided by touring companies and students from Kingston University. A regular programme of comedy and variety is also planned. A successful residence by the Comedy Store has quickly become established and has been playing to full houses on the last Sunday of every month.

In January 2008, a week after the theatre opened, Hall resigned and it was announced that from April 2008, Stephen Unwin, departing director of English Touring Theatre would take over the directorship. Hall will remain as 'director emeritus'. [Stage news report, January 2008 [http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/19597/unwin-to-replace-hall-at-rose-of-kingston] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.kingston.gov.uk/leisure/arts/rose_of_kingston.htm Rose of Kingston Theatre]
* [http://www.kingstontheatre.org/ Official website]
* [http://www.thecomedystore.co.uk/comedy_to_go.php?id=23 The Comedy Store]
* [http://fass.kingston.ac.uk/research/drama/rose_theatre/index.shtml Kingston University: Rose Theatre]