Towngate

The Towngate replaced Basildon Arts Centre on a nearby site. The plan was a progression of the Arts Centre plan with the entrance making the statement of a town gate. The theatre is brick and glass, allowing the foyers to be viewed from the outside. The auditorium is two-tier with curved balcony fronts ending at the forestage lift which can provide an orchestral pit for forty musicians. There is a three-tier tower at each side, the downstage of which forms the adaptable proscenium. Lighting bridges traverse the auditorium. A public gallery runs round the flytower below the working gallery which allows for choral recitals with full orchestra. This 530-564 seat main house can also be used for films, and as a hall for up to 800. The Mirren Studio seats 188 and is also adaptable as a cinema and as a hall. The Olivier Room and bars at both foyer levels complete the accommodation. The venue fell into financial difficulty for a short period, and the main auditorium was dark, with the studio hosting community theatre. The complex fully reopened in 2006, however. In 2012 a £1million investment in the theatre was announced. As of 2016 this has seen the creation of the Towngate Theatre Bar and improvements to lighting and sound equipment and the box office. Future plans include refurbishment of the backstage area.