There are now over 280 venues up and down the country where you can spend your Theatre Tokens as we’re always adding new venues to give you even more choice. We’re excited to announce that we have recently welcomed an award-winning theatre to the mix!
Shakespeare North Playhouse were delighted to receive the award for ‘Theatre Building Of The Year’ at this year’s The Stage Awards in association with Tysers, which celebrates outstanding theatre across the UK.
The Prescot theatre opened on 15 July 2022 as part of the town’s regeneration project, built during the pandemic after almost two decades of planning. The venue is inspired by a playhouse that stood in Prescot in the 1590s, thought to be the only purpose-built indoor playhouse outside of London at the time. From the capital, players travelled northbound to the playhouse with new shows by a popular playwright of the day: William Shakespeare. While the theatre’s frontage is ultra-modern, at its heart you will find a 470 seat timber replica of sixteenth century architecture, designed to draw in Shakespeare enthusiasts from across the globe.
In addition to adaptations of The Bard’s classic plays, Shakespeare North Playhouse offers a diverse range of events making it a venue for every kind of theatregoer. Its performance schedule ranges from mixed-bill comedy nights to contemporary plays championing new writers. Also hosting storytelling activities for young children and Elizabethan portrait sketching afternoons, the theatre is not just a performance space but a creative hub for local residents. It is these community values, along with the ambitious architectural vision of the venue, that impressed the judges of this year’s awards.
Chief Executive Melanie Lewis described winning ‘Theatre Building Of The Year’ as “an honour”. “It is a building that connects people and communities to culture, sparking intrigue in those who may have let theatre and performance previously pass them by. Our spectacular space has been brought to life by the people who have inhabited it over the last six months and the architecture and building will continue to inspire and house future generations”.
To visit Shakespeare North Playhouse using your Theatre Tokens, email hello@shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk or call 0151 433 7156. Find out what events are coming up here.