| Curve Theatre | |
|---|---|
| Address | Rutland Street |
| City | Leicester |
| Country | UK |
| Architect | Rafael Viñoly |
| Owned by | Leicester Theatre Trust |
| Capacity | Theatre 750 Black box 350 |
| Opened | 2008 |
| Years active | 2 |
| Previous names | Performing Arts Centre |
| www.curveonline.co.uk | |
Curve is a theatre in Leicester, England, based in the Cultural quarter in Leicester City Centre. Before being named Curve, it was referred to as Leicester Performing Arts Centre.[1] It is adjacent to the Leicester Athena conference and banqueting centre.
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Leicester's state of the art theatre, designed by world renowned architect Rafael Viñoly is based in the heart of what the City Council calls the new "Cultural Quarter" on Rutland Street. Curve features two auditoria, one with 750 fixed seats while a 350 seat auditorium provides a versatile smaller space with its own power flying system. When the 32 tonne steel walls separating the stage and the foyer are lifted, the stage is visible from street level. The glass façade encloses an open plan foyer with views onto the café, bars, backstage area, and across the stage.
The theatre was built by a partnership of Leicester City Council, Arts Council England (with funds from The National Lottery), East Midlands Development Agency, Leicester Shire Economic Partnership, with the project part-financed by the European Union (ERDF), in partnership with Leicester Theatre Trust and in association with Phoenix Arts Centre.[2] The project was blighted by huge cost increases that have more the doubled from the initial estimates.[3]
The theatre opened on 11 November 2008 with a celebratory opening show called Lift Off.[4] This was followed by Simply Cinderella, which ran from 4 Dec 2008 (the day it was officially opened by the Queen) until 24 Jan 2009 – a brand new musical of the fairytale, written by Grant Olding and Toby Davies, and directed by world renowned dancer Adam Cooper.[5]
Simply Cinderella by Grant Olding and Toby Davis (2008-2009)
Peter Pan-The Musical by Julian Ronnie and Paul Miller (2009-2010)
A Festival Of Friel: Molly Sweeney and Translations by Brain Friel
The King and I by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II (2010-2011)
Absurd Person Singular by Alan Ayckbourn (2011)
Curve is run by the Leicester Theatre Trust (LTT), an independent charitable organisation.[2] LTT took over the operation of Curve in August 2008. The Leicester Theatre Trust formed in 1969, it is a regularly funded client of Arts Council England (ACE) and receives annual revenue funding from Leicester City Council.
From 1973 to 2007 the organisation programmed and operated the Haymarket Theatre.