{"id":8153,"date":"2014-07-25T15:58:44","date_gmt":"2014-07-25T14:58:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ihbconline.co.uk\/newsachive\/?p=8153"},"modified":"2014-07-25T15:58:44","modified_gmt":"2014-07-25T14:58:44","slug":"grade-ii-listed-chichester-festival-theatre-reopens-after-22-million-redevelopment-programme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=8153","title":{"rendered":"Grade II* Listed Chichester Festival Theatre reopens after \u00a322 million redevelopment programme"},"content":{"rendered":"

The major redevelopment and repair project to the Grade II* listed Chichester Festival Theatre has concluded this month, with new energy efficient power systems installed and improvements to the facilities under the RENEW project programme.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chichester Festival Theatre writes<\/span>:
\nChichester Festival Theatre celebrated the successful completion of a highly ambitious 21-month, \u00a322 million redevelopment project this week, with the official reopening of its much-loved Grade 2* listed building.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Executive Director, Alan Finch said:\u00a0\u2018The reopening of our Theatre just 21 months after its demolition began is the culmination of an experience that has been exciting, memorable and at times extremely challenging! It\u2019s an incredible achievement to have reopened the building on time, having met our fundraising target. I am immensely proud of the hard work undertaken by our architects, building team and contractors, Theatre staff and our Campaign Committee. We\u2019re extremely thankful for the support we\u2019ve received from our audiences, individual donors, stakeholders and businesses, as well as Arts Council England, West Sussex County Council and Chichester District Council. Our goal was to safeguard this building for the next generation and we\u2019re thrilled to have achieved this.\u2019<\/p>\n

Artistic Director, Jonathan Church said:\u00a0\u2018What\u2019s always been unusual about this Theatre is that it was built by the vision of one local man Leslie Evershed-Martin, supported by hundreds if not thousands of people, all putting their hands in their pockets. The RENEW project feels that it\u2019s recaptured that moment when the Theatre was first built, in a fresh and equally inspiring way. Yet again this city and region has responded and helped in so many ways, sometimes with money, sometimes with time and effort, so it\u2019s been very, very special. It\u2019s going to be tremendously exciting to open the Theatre with Peter Shaffer\u2019s Amadeus, nearly 50 years after the premieres of The Royal Hunt of the Sun and Black Comedy, and particularly special for Peter to be with us to celebrate.\u2019<\/p>\n

The refurbishment of the Festival Theatre has involved a careful marriage of old and new. It has conserved the iconic and architecturally significant features of the original modernist \u2018concrete tent\u2019. At the same time the redevelopment has incorporated essential repairs, major enhancements and a new extension, clad in distinctive Cor-Ten material, to house the new backstage facilities.<\/p>\n

The key improvements include:<\/p>\n