Forum Leisure Centre

Heritage listing

Details 396/0/10020 THE CAUSEWAY 01-OCT-04 Billingham The Theatre auditorium, stage and fly- tower at The Billingham Forum Leisure Complex II Theatre auditorium, stage and flytower. 1965-7 by Elder and Lester, job architect A J Ward, with Michael Warre theatre consultant and Blyth and Blyth structural and service engineers. The first performance was on 16 August 1967, although the theatre was not formally opened until 1968 when the workshops were completed. Brick and concrete structure. Semi-circular auditorium with rectangular stage and flytower, making a horseshoe composition. Fan-shaped stalls in three blocks, surrounded by three shallow tiers and side stepped boxes; total capacity 631 seats. Large stage 11.73m deep by 19.5m, proscenium width 13.4m, with orchestra pit possible by removing forestage. 75ft fly-tower with a 59 ft grid. Steel-clad fly-tower and red brick drum of the auditorium visible externally, with scene dock to side having large steel shutter. To rear is the brick-faced fire exit. The interest of the building is in the novel auditorium and well-equipped stage. Curved brick walls with two openings per level separate the theatre auditorium from the rest of the structure and give on to inner circulation corridor. From this there is access to the stalls, in two sections - there is a traditional style pit at the rear - and on the upper levels to three tiers of boxes. Auditorium has exposed red brickwork, behind stepped boxes forming a horseshoe on three levels faced in timber and with timber side panels. No seat is more than 60ft from the stage. Large canopy in front of stage, which has a canted ante-proscenium with concealed doors but no true proscenium arch. The first 20ft of the auditorium can be removed manually to create an orchestra pit, and rostrum

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.