Lyric Hammersmith

• Theatre ID
  442
• Built / Converted
  1979
• Dates of use
  • 1979: continuing
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Theatre (recreation of an 1895 theatre)
• Address
  King Street, Hammersmith & Fulham, London, W6 0QL, England
• Website
  • http://www.lyric.co.uk

Details

Matcham’s original Lyric Theatre was designed and built in 1895. Following a public inquiry in 1969, the theatre was demolished but key parts of the plasterwork were recorded, removed and stored. The auditorium was, after a long delay, reconstructed by the Borough Council in 1979 within a modern building. The new building is a typical town centre block of the 1970s, unexceptional inside and out. The discovery of a late Victorian Rococo theatre embedded within it, two storeys above ground, is one of the most bizarre architectural suprises that London has to offer. The new auditorium is still essentially Matcham’s beautiful 1895 design, modified in dimensions but adhering so closely to the original architectural vocabulary that only the keenest observer would be aware of the changes. The widening of the proscenium by about 1.2m (4ft) necessitated an increase in the height as well as the span of the semi-circular arch, and this, in turn, led to changes in the height of the auditorium and the overall dimensions of the ceiling. The problems have been cleverly overcome by stretching Matcham’s design without obviously interfering with the proportions of the parts or introducing any new ornamental elements. Lighting positions and ventilation inlets above the ceiling have been accommodated by introducing mesh in place of the flat plaster ceiling bed, the paintings on which had been lost in the 1920s. This is a splendid interior with a wealth of lively Rococo ornament (one of the very few for which an original Matcham sketch exists). It has two balconies. The proscenium has a round arch enriched with leaf scrolls in the architrave and a fantastic openwork valence made of repeating scrolly elements. The ceiling is boldly coved. There is now a forestage elevator with three positions (forestage, orchestra pit or additional seating) carefully planned into the old plasterwork details. The most disappointing aspect of this fine theatre is that, apart from its name in large letters, there is nothing externally to announce its presence in what can only be seen today as a dull and uninviting block. This should be rectified. A theatre should be a cultural landmark, recognisable by architectural signals (a distinct and notable frontage, an ornamental canopy, etc) as well as by daytime and night time signage. The original theatre was listed. The difficulty of listing part only of a modern, clearly unlistable, building is obvious, but in this case it seems absurd not to recognise and protect what is, in all material respects, a Frank Matcham design.

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• Events
  • Owner/Management: (See separate entry for original theatre)
  • 1979 Use: continuing
  • 1979 Design/Construction: (following the original design by Frank Matcham)
    • Hammersmith & Fulham Borough architect - Architect
  • 1979 Design/Construction:
    • Jackson’s - Consultant: Plasterwork Detailing And Execution
• Capacities
  • Original: 541
  • Current: 537
• Listings
  • Grade Not listed
• Stage type
  • Pros flat
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 27ft (9m) Width SL: 8m SR: 8m
  • Proscenium width: 27ft 9in (8.25m)
  • Height to grid: 15m
  • Inside proscenium: 8.3m
  • Orchestra pit: Forestage elevator