Mercury

The Mercury was built to rehouse the Colchester Repertory Company which was founded in 1937, and had occupied the theatre converted from the assembly rooms and art gallery in the High Street.

Designed by Norman Downie, also architect of the Salisbury Playhouse, both externally and internally the Salisbury and Colchester theatres are almost identical, but the colours of the brickwork at Salisbury are softer, the wing and rear stage space larger and the foyers more spacious.

Plain brick ground floor, recessed entrance under columns, above which is restaurant behind vertical windows around the public areas. Figure of Mercury on roof. The rear is brick with small windows where there are dressing rooms etc and imposing slate grey fly tower.

The building virtually follows the contours of the hexagonal stage. The auditorium seating is stadium rising from three sides of the hexagon. The stage is adaptable for proscenium productions by means of towers, which can be moved to give variance. Forestage can be removed for orchestral space. There is a studio theatre, seating 75.