Nuffield Theatre

Built in 1964 at a cost of £150,000 by the University of Southampton. It was designed primarily for theatre but with flexibility to allow for concerts, film, opera, ballet and lectures. Named the Nuffield Theatre because it was built by means of a grant from the Nuffield Foundation. In 1982, the Nuffield became an independent producing theatre. The stage is adaptable from a proscenium end stage to a large forestage projecting a significant way into the auditorium. There is limited flying height but provision exists for the use of groundrows and advanced cyclorama. Externally a single storey brick structure crisply divided by doors and window bays; within and above this, the body of the auditorium rises as a copper-clad concrete structure with battering faces. The foyer and other walls of the auditorium were lined in fine African walnut panelling, now removed. Seating is on a sharply raked centre block rising from floor level to above the gallery at the back. There are also two stepped side portions at floor level and a pair of raised wings of side seating which curve round from a point half way up the central banks. The auditorium was upgraded in 1987 when a false ceiling was installed and the foyers were refurbished in 2004.