Norwich Playhouse in Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom | Theatre

Norwich Playhouse is a superb venue in the heart of the city of Norwich in the United Kingdom, and the most modern performance space of its size in East Anglia.   Norwich Playhouse opened 12 years ago, created from a riverside maltings dating from about 160 years earlier.  In the interim, the building had been the Crown Public House, the head office of the Norwich Mercury Newspaper, the depot for Ruymps builders’ merchants, the warehouse of a motor-cycle dealer and a Greek restaurant.

In all, from launch to opening, the project of creating  Norwich Playhouse with its open end-stage took six years. It was undertaken by Henry Burke, the founder, and the consultant Iain Macintosh of Theatre Projects. They worked with a team of experts headed by local architects Lambert Scott and Innes.

The cost was £2,500,000, of which an astonishing 80% was raised from private individuals and small businesses. Grants of £400,000 from the Arts Council Lottery Fund and £100,000 from the Foundation for Sport and the Arts made up the balance.

When Norwich Playhouse opened in December 1995 the national press called it “warm… welcoming… a cause for celebration… a great new space…” I t is an excellent building with pleasant front of house facilities and good disabled access. Excellent acoustics, sightlines and legroom all create a friendly relationship between audience and performers at  Norwich Playhouse.