Redevelopment

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Malvern Theatres is undergoing a major £20 million re-development. This development on the south-east, Priory Park side of the building will add a 240-seat studio theatre to the venue’s four existing auditoria. Beneath this studio, at park level will be two additional studios for classes and workshops. The re-development will also improve access to the building from Priory Park and enhance the existing Forum Theatre, making it more comfortable and more accessible. An outdoor amphitheatre will also be built overlooking Priory Park, with capacity to seat 100 people.

The project has a number of core aims: to increase community use of the theatres, to provide opportunities for participation in the arts, to promote well-being and to enrich the programme with a greater range of shows on offer. In particular, the 240-seat will be ideal for work that demands a smaller-scale, more intimate performing environment than our existing 800-seat venues can provide. The completed building will have six seated venues in total and will comprise almost 2500 seats. The new building is scheduled for completion in autumn 2027 and once open, will be one of the largest multi-venue arts centres under a single roof in Europe.

The theatre is committed to remaining open during the build and the Festival Theatre, Cinema and Studio One as well as the café, restaurant and bars will all operate at maximum capacity. The Forum Theatre will be closed during the build but many of the shows which usually perform in that space will be programmed in the Festival Theatre instead. Nor will the usual entrance from Priory Park be operational during the build, although a temporary side entrance is being created for those entering the building from Priory Park.