Northcott

• Theatre ID
  1117
• Built / Converted
  1967
• Dates of use
  • 1967: continuing
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Theatre
• Address
  Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QB, England
• Website
  • Exeter Northcott

Details

The Northcott Theatre was named after George Northcott, a wealthy businessman from Exmouth who, having made an unsuccessful bid to save the Theatre Royal from demolition, offered £100,000 towards the cost of a new theatre. The site was donated by the University, and the rest of the finance came from the Gulbenkian foundation and the Arts Council. The theatre is magnificently sited high on the hill. Externally the Northcott is characterised by very fine quality brickwork which clads the shell and has a sweeping curved rear wall. The auditorium walls are of black brick and dark wood veneer panels, and the seating rises in a steeply raked fan from the stage at floor level. For in-the-round staging a mixture of two and four rows are arranged on rostra, accommodating 150 more than the 433 in the flat proscenium arrangement. The sightlines and acoustics are excellent. The stage is 32ft deep (but with little wing or working space) but in front there is a semi-circular forestage which can be lowered to provide a orchestra pit. There is a flytower over the stage with 24 counterweight sets. The proscenium opening is so wide (52ft) and so high (22ft) for so small a building that the effect of an open stage is achieved. Fitted with projectors, films may be shown. Touring shows and amateur shows are staged, but it is basically run as a repertory theatre. Four dressing rooms accommodate thirty. Front of house facilities are attractive and adequate, with a large foyer suitable for exhibitions, and incorporating a sculpture by Barbara Hepworth and floor tiles on the walls. The theatre is blessed with plenty of parking. During 2007 the theatre was closed for almost a year as it underwent its first major redevelopment in 40 years. The £2.1m refurbishment gained the theatre full accessibility for all patrons, a re-seated auditorium, and refurbishment of all the public areas. In early 2010 the Northcott company went into administration, but in May 2010 the university of Exeter (who own the building) set up a new company to run the theatre until the end of the financial year, to keep the theatre open.

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• Events
  • Owner/Management: University of Exeter, proprietors; Northcott Devon Theatre & Arts Centre, lessees
  • 1967 Use: continuing
  • 1967 Design/Construction:
    • Sir William Holford & Partners - Architect
    • Michael Warre - Theatre
  • 2007 Alteration: Major refurbishment, including all public areas and re-seating of auditorium.
  • 2010 Owner/Management: University of Exeter, owners and management.
• Capacities
  • Original: 433; plus 150 with centre-stage arrangement
  • Later: 460; from 2007
  • Current: 460
• Listings
  • Grade Not listed
• Stage type
  • Pros flat and flexible in-the-round
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 9.14m Wing width 2.74m each side
  • Proscenium width: 15.85m
  • Height to grid: 14.63m
  • Orchestra pit: 18 (forestage lift)