The Curve

When replacing an existing theater with a contemporarybuilding, the City of Leicester wanted a venue that wasvery open to the city and capable of attracting people whohad previously been reluctant to enter a theater widelyperceived as a faithful representative of British culture andBritish culture alone. The architectural and scenographicresponse was “The Curve,” a new and unusual structure.The building consists of a classic auditorium and a moreexperimental black box-style room, equipped withretractable seating and removable chairs. The originality ofthis “upside-down” theater lies in the large shared stagespace between the two rooms facing each other. The sidesof the stage are equipped with gigantic telescopic acousticdoors that open onto the foyer surrounding the two theaters,
directly at street level. The life of the theater is thereforevisible behind the façade throughout the day, bringing thebuilding to life during the day while allowing daylight toenter during set-up phases. The stage is equipped with twolevels of under-stage space, an orchestra pit, and an 80-axis computerized fly system to meet the needs of the manymusicals that make up the varied and popular program. Theacoustic and fire doors in the stage area allow the stageto be used with either of the two auditoriums, or the open space to be used in conjunction with the foyer.