Jerwood Vanbrugh

• Theatre ID
  2726
• Built / Converted
  1921
• Dates of use
  • 1921: continuing
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Theatre (theatre within drama school)
• Address
  Malet Street, Camden, London, WC1E 6ED, England
• Website
  • RADA

Details

The new RADA building, entered from Malet Street, comprises the Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre and two studios, the GBS and John Gielgud Theatres, as well as recording studios and teaching rooms. The Gower Street façe, entrance and stairways etc, remain original. The construction was made possible by acquisition of buildings in nearby Chenies Street, allowing total rebuild between the Gower Street and Malet Street properties and the development of the courtyard space between the two. The new theatre entrance, foyer, refreshment/bar, and other public areas have a distinctly cinematic appeal. Entry of natural light has been maximised by long windows onto the courtyard area wherever possible in the centre of the building. The new theatre achieves not only a pleasant and intimate auditorium for the audience, but has been designed for teaching both acting and technical skills. It is three-tier with a 'Georgian feel', in light wood colours, except for the grey seating fabric. The auditorium has a tension wire grid to facilitate teaching of focusing lanterns etc; the safety curtain is an acoustic screen, allowing lessons in counterweight flying, etc in the stage area whilst voice lessons, reading, etc take place in front of the curtain. The front stalls area can be raised or lowered; an orchestra pit or apron stage can be introduced; the proscenium can be varied or removed. The GBS takes in old brick walls, steeped in history, with a new sound/lighting room. The John Gielgud is a more regular shape with a rear curved wall, entirely black, also with a sound/lighting room.

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• Events
  • Owner/Management: Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
  • 1921 Use: continuing
  • 1921 Design/Construction: Malet Street Theatre built for RADA at rear of 62/64 Gower Street
    • Gerald Norman - Architect
  • 1931 Alteration: rebuilt to incorporate a new Little Theatre (this renamed GBS in 1978)
    • Gerald Norman - Architect
  • 1954 Alteration: reconstructed main house as Vanbrugh Theatre
    • Alister MacDonald - Architect
  • 1984 Alteration: GBS converted to studio theatre (architect unknown).
  • 2000 Design/Construction: rebuilt and enlarged Vanbrugh Theatre (Jerwood Vanbrugh), retaining GBS, adding a new studio space, the John Gielgud, and improving other RADA facilities.
    • Avery Associates - Architect
    • Ove Arup - Consultant: Structural Engineering
    • Theatre Projects Consultants - Consultant: Theatre
    • Roger Preston and Partners - Consultant: Mechanical And Engineering
• Capacities
  • Original: 203
• Listings
  • Grade Not listed
• Stage type
  • Flat, adaptable proscenium
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 9.2m Width SL: 7.4m SR: 6m
  • Proscenium width: Variable
  • Height to grid: 13.8m
  • Inside proscenium: 7.5m
  • Orchestra pit: Flexible