| MAN: | And here on Radio Rivenden we have Lynne
Rawley, the Public Relations Officer of our own Rivenden City Theatre.
Hello, Lynne. |
| LYNNE: | Hello. |
| MAN: | Now, the theatre is reopening soon after
its three-year redevelopment programme, isn't it? |
| LYNNE: | That's right, and there are a lot of
improvements. The first thing people will see when they go in is that the
foyer has been repainted in the original green and gold. Then the box office has been reoriented, with its own access
from the side of the building instead of through the foyer, which
means it can be open longer hours, and has more space, too.
The shop that used to be in the foyer, which sold books and CDs, is the one
part of the redevelopment which isn't yet complete. The plan is to find new
premises for it near the theatre, and we've had difficulty finding somewhere
suitable. We hope to reopen the shop in the next few
months. |
| MAN: | Will audiences find any difference in
the auditorium? |
| LYNNE: | Yes, we've increased the leg-room
between the rows. This means that there are now fewer seats
but we're sure audiences will be much happier. And we've installed air
conditioning, so it won't get so hot and stuffy.
We already had a few seats which were suitable for wheelchair users, and
now there are twice as many, which we hope will
meet demand. Something else that will benefit audiences is
the new lifts. The two we used to have were very small
and slow. They've now gone, and we've got much more efficient ones. |
| MAN: | Anything for the performers? |
| LYNNE: | Yes, we've made a number of
improvements backstage. The small, dark dressing rooms we used to
have have been converted into two large airy rooms, so they're much
more comfortable now. And the state of-the-art electronic sound and lighting
systems have been installed. |
| | |
| MAN: | OK, so what's the first play that
audiences can see when the theatre reopens? |
| LYNNE: | We've got a very exciting production
of Peter Shaffer's Royal Hunt of the Sun, which is currently touring the
country. That starts on October the 13th and runs till the 19th. We're experimenting a bit with the time
the curtain goes up.
We used to start all our performances at 7.30, but that made it difficult
for people to go home by public transport, so instead we're beginning at
7, because at 9.45, when it finishes, there are
still buses running. Tickets are already selling fast. The Friday and
Saturday performances sold out almost immediately and, in fact, now there
are only tickets for Monday and
Thursday. |
| MAN: |
How much are they? |
| LYNNE: | We've introduced a simpler price
structure. Ticket prices used to range from £6 to £30 but now they're all £18. They're available from the box office, in
person, by phone, fax or post, or online. |
| MAN: | OK, Lynne, now if you'd like to give the
contact details for the theatre... |
