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Torquil Norman inside the Roundhouse and below the building from the outside
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Torquil’s dream realised at last
Revamped legendary Roundhouse venue to reopen after £30m and 10 years
BUILDERS and stage crew at the Roundhouse are putting the final touches to the former railway shed this week as they look forward to an opening night on Thursday.
The Chalk Farm venue, whose £30-million, 10-year renovation project was the brainchild of toy entrepreneur Torquil Norman, is nearly complete.
The box office is ready to open for the venue’s first show. Called Fuerzabruta, it is produced by Argentinian theatre
troupe De La Guarda.
And this Friday sees the unveiling of a sculpture by Anthony Gormley on the site which the artist has donated to the Trust.
But the main aim of Mr Norman’s project is to provide an arts centre for underprivileged young people to develop their talents. The chairman of the Norman Trust, who bought the building and then raised the rest of the cash to turn the derelict shell into a state of the art theatre with studios beneath, revealed his satisfaction to see opening night preparations under way.
Mr Norman said: “I have just spent 10 years getting to this point. It is a little bit emotional – but I wish it hadn’t taken so long. It is a massive relief that the project looks pretty much complete. But it is what we do with the space now that is most important.”
Mr Norman also revealed he had broken off from the feverish work to get the place ready and had found time to watch rehearsals of a show to be performed in the undercroft, beneath the main auditorium.
Called The Foolish Young Man, the four night run starting next Thursday stars young people who have been working with the arts trust.
Mr Norman said: “Some of the kids involved have no idea how talented they are. I am particularly excited about it. The actors in it come from a tough background and they are putting on a great play.” |
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