Refurbishment Blog #02: The Theatre is Empty

The doors are sealed and the Coliseum has been handed over to the contractors.  The last time I went into the theatre it was beginning to look a little forlorn.  There were no seats at all in the auditorium – they’ve all been given away to good causes – which has left the room feeling curiously small.  The heating has been switched off and everywhere you look there are holes in the walls and floors where the search for asbestos continues.

It’s very strange seeing the theatre so empty – the Coliseum crew have removed everything – a task that felt impossible only a few months ago – and all of our equipment is now safely stowed at our new home in Oldham’s Old Library, which is also now the home of our technical team and the actors that are currently in rehearsal for both Taking Steps and The Hound of the Baskervilles.  We’re also running our busy box office at 12 Albion Street in Oldham’s town centre.  Business goes on as normal, with Taking Steps opening last week in Oldham and Hound four weeks away from its first performance in Huddersfield at the Lawrence Batley Theatre.

I’m really impressed by the way the Coliseum staff have risen to the challenge, actively seeking creative solutions for the difficulties that have inevitably been thrown up and already thinking ahead to how we can make the Coliseum a better place to work when we move back in September.

Over the next few weeks the most destructive phase of the work will be done.  Many of the interior walls and ceilings contain asbestos – either as a component in insulation boarding, or sprayed onto other structures to improve fire safety.  We’ve worked safely with these structures for years, making sure the mineral was encapsulated and controlled, but it will be a relief when it is finally removed from the building.  We estimate that the majority of interior walls and ceilings are going to be taken down over the next ten weeks, including the ceiling to the auditorium – an enormous task in itself.

These works will expose parts of the building that we have been prohibited from entering for many years, including the roof void and the area under the main stage.  This will allow us to make a thorough inspection of the structure and determine precisely what will happen next.

On a lighter note, we’re about to receive samples of new auditorium seating to assess for both comfort and look.  The big question of the moment; what colour should they be!

David Martin
Executive Director