Everyman Theatre in Liverpool to have a £28m redevelopment

Jul 30 2009 by Paul Mannion, Flintshire Chronicle

£28m face-lift for Everyman

PLANS to create a new Everyman Theatre for the 21st century have been given the green light.

The £28m redevelopment of Liverpool’s most famous theatre will now begin in the spring of 2010, with the building due to open in 2013.

Architects Haworth Tompkins will start finalising designs, which include a new 400-seat auditorium, a recreation of the much-loved Everyman Bistro and improved Youth Theatre facilities.

The theatre’s management team welcomed the announcement, which it says will inspire future generations of actors and audiences.

Deborah Aydon, Everyman and Playhouse executive director, said: “This decision is a bold and emphatic endorsement of the value of the arts to our city and to all our lives, in hard times more than ever. Soon we will be hard at work to create an inspiring new Everyman which honours its history, expresses its unique personality, and takes it confidently into the future.”

Artistic director, Gemma Bodinetz, is convinced the new surroundings will inspire the theatre’s output.

She said: “Liberated from cramped conditions and ancient technical facilities, the work on stage can flex its muscles and grow in a building which harnesses the spirit of its beloved predecessor but is fit and inspiring for future generations. Perhaps most importantly of all, our work with young people and community groups will be right at the heart of the building, making it truly an Everyman for everyone.”

The national endorsement follows extensive discussions with the Arts Council, the Northwest Regional Development Agency and Liverpool City Council.