Rosehill

Silk manufacturer Sir Nicholas Sekers converted a 19th century barn in the grounds of his home at Rosehill into a theatre. Snecked stone denotes the nineteenth century fabric of the building with additions in brick and timber. Sekers wanted to incorporate the interior of an old music hall in Whitehaven, the Royal Standard, but this proved impossible although painted panels from the Standard can still be seen along the front of the circle. Theatre designer Oliver Messel was then commissioned to produce a scheme for the interior of the theatre. This included stylistic features from the Royal Standard, in particular the griffons above the proscenium arch. The griffon continues to be the theatre's emblem and a pair of modern contemporary stainless steel griffons now flank the entrance in the portico installed in 1998 with National Lottery funding. The intimate interior is in good condition, the walls having been relined in 1997 with Sekers silk fabric identical to that used originally. The Theatre was also reseated and recarpeted at this time. The colour scheme is red and gold and the auditorium was referred to as a "rose-red silk lined jewel box" at its opening in September 1959. Messel’s original sketches for the decor of the auditorium and foyer are now displayed in the theatre’s bistro. There is a small stage with limited flying. The "BBC" box was removed to provide a cinema projection room, with the loss of ten seats. Capacity is 120 in the stalls and 88 in the circle. A toilet for the disabled and a chair lift were installed in 1995 together with a new heating and ventilation system. In the late 1990s an adjacent barn was converted to rehearsal room, studio theatre and workshops. Extensive refurbishment is underway in 2016. The main auditorium and circle together with a single storey bar are to be fully refurbished. A new entrance and exhibition space are to be created along with a new 60-seater restaurant overlooking the Solway Firth. Backstage facilities for performers will be substantially increased and improved. A second phase is planned to create more function spaces and an outdoor performance space.