Almeida Theatre
‘A small room with an international reputation’, innovative theatre in North London
Client: Almeida Theatre
Listed Grade II
Status: Complete
Location: Islington
Burrell Foley Fischer were the Almeida’s architects from 1982, shortly after its inception as a theatre in 1980, working with successive generations of directors. The theatre has been developed into a venue of exceptional quality for the drama, opera and music, and other arts activities. Despite its modest size, the space works equally well for performances on an epic scale as for intimate productions. The audience occupies the same space as the performers and neither is further than twelve metres from the other.
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Development works have included extending the backstage accommodation, building a completely new foyer, bar and technical areas, providing new service installations and seating, and improving disabled access and acoustics. The new foyer continues the theme of the former open-air yard where, because of limited site access, the single entrance is used as the foyer for the theatregoers and as the space for the technical get-ins.
The extensive overhaul of the auditorium, seating capacity 321, has preserved the special ‘found’ quality of the Theatre.
“Seating only 325, the Almeida is now a theatre space at once epic and intimate. Both the atmosphere and the geometry of the Almeida are special.”
— Iain Mackintosh, Theatre Spaces 1920 - 2020
“This is, in my view, the most exciting theatre space in the country. And I intend to continue to fill it with thrilling experiences; epic events - emotional, intellectual, linguistic - in an intimate setting.”
— Michael Attenborough, Artistic Director, Almeida Theatre
Awards
2004 Civic Trust Award
2004 Islington Access Award
2004 RIBA Award for Architecture - Shortlisted