Cultural Essay: The Young Vic The Inheritance of The Cut€¦Cultural Essay: The Young Vic ......
Transcript of Cultural Essay: The Young Vic The Inheritance of The Cut€¦Cultural Essay: The Young Vic ......
Cultural Essay: The Young Vic – The Inheritance of The Cut
The cultural desire of a Young Vic
Linda Mirtcheva
RIBA Examination in Architecture Oxford Brookes University Office‐Based Candidate 10/2/126 Part 2, Diploma 2010‐2011
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‘[...] Theatre demands that you recreate and perform a piece over and over again. It forces you to find
a performance in you afresh every night. {...} The Young Vic intensifies that process to an enormous
degree. {...} There is nothing quite like performing on that stage in such close proximity to the
audience, and seeing the journey they are going on such a visceral level. [...]’
Jude Law
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Abstract
The following essay discusses the cultural and architectural significance of the Young Vic Theatre,
based in The Cut, South London. Initially considered as a temporary solution for young directors,
writers and actors in the 1970s, the Young Vic becomes one of the most important and successful
small theatres in London, surviving 1970s’ London theatre crisis and celebrating its 40th anniversary
this year. Starting off as a theatre for young professionals with classic and experimental showcases,
the Young Vic retains its young artist support with a wide range of theatre productions until today. A
low budget investment in 1970, the Young Vic continues its open and unconventional culture until
today, offering quality theatre at reasonable prices.
This document researches the Young Vic’s historical inheritance of The Cut and cultural integration
of local community within the context of the architectural refurbishment in 2006. Both, the Young
Vic’s inheritance of The Cut’s Sunday trading and the 1970’s spirit of theatre, aim to be translated
into a new architectural language of experience.
Address: South Bank, The Cut Project Type: Non‐commercial resident company Opened: 1970 Rebuilt: 2006 Architect: Haworth Tompkins Total Project Cost: £12,450,000
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Table of Contents
Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... 3
1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 5
1.1. The Cut – A Showcase of Trading History ..................................................................... 5
2. The Young Vic .................................................................................................................... 6
2.1. 1970, a story begins... ................................................................................................... 6
2.2. 2004, a story continues... .............................................................................................. 8
2.3. 2007, an idea and a building (Revision)... ................................................................... 10
2.4. A Theatrical Experience (Revision) .............................................................................. 16
3. Refurbishment Requirements and Results ..................................................................... 20
3.1. The Young Vic Theatre Company ................................................................................ 20
3.1.1. Funding ................................................................................................................... 20
3.1.2. Reopening ............................................................................................................... 20
3.2. Cultural Recognition .................................................................................................... 21
4. Vision for the Future ....................................................................................................... 22
5. Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 24
6. Bibliography .................................................................................................................... 25
7. Tables of Illustrations and Sketches ................................................................................ 26
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1. Introduction
1.1. The Cut – A Showcase of Trading History
The Cut is a South London neighbourhood, known for its Sunday trading culture since the 19th
century. It stretches from the Lambeth Lower Marsh towards Westminster Road Bridge with 220
shops and 120 stalls and has a constant flow of in‐comers and out‐goers. Not only goods trading, but
also speaker and singer performances and oratorical displays of sales enliven the atmosphere of a
Sunday morning trading market. Due to its lively scenery and experience, The Cut has the reputation
of an animated appearance, referring to vendors of delicate products and dealers of miscellaneous
goods. In order to attract new customers and increase their sales in The Cut, the vendor of
miscellaneous goods disguises on Sunday mornings, adapting a new character of trade. The Cut
becomes a stage of product sales, wrapped in good humour and rough language, performed by
vendors in their Sunday morning trading costumes. The trading performance ends at 1pm, when
public houses open. Within less than half an hour, The Cut resumes its ordinary aspects and vendors
disappear in the back streets of Lambeth. The trading showcase founds The Cut’s spirit of
performance and liveliness of expression.
Illustration 1: The Cut, Sunday Morning Trading
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2. The Young Vic
2.1. 1970, a story begins...
Under the climate of an economic recession in the 1970s, the Young Vic is built as a temporary
solution to provide a facility to young directors, play writers and actors to develop and present their
work to the local community. Before the facility is built, the Young Vic Company is founded in 1946 by
George Devine as a division of the Old Vic Theatre, housing the Royal National Theatre at the time,
with the intention of showing classic plays to a young audience aged nine to fifteen. This programme
only lasts for 2 years and is deferred until 1969, when Frank Dunlop takes over the Young Vic Theatre
Company and detaches it from its originator, the National Theatre, in 1974.
In 1969, the Young Vic Theatre Company expands its programme and includes experimental
workshops for directors and play writers to the local community. In order to facilitate the programme
offer, The Young Vic Theatre Company needs to develop a suitable building. Dunlop wants to design a
new kind of theatre, unconventional and circus‐like, inviting and integrating the local community. The
building chosen is a former butcher shop adjacent to a bomb‐site of World War 2nd in The Cut, one of
the most heterogeneous neighbourhoods of South London. It is one of the first theatres in South
London and thus carries the cultural responsibility of the performing arts in South London.
In 1970, a breeze‐block building is built with an intended life span of 5 years of operation. The project
has a very low budget of £60,000 and does not follow prestigious architecture of any kind. It merely
serves the purpose of facilitating culture. Influenced by the French actor and director Jean Vilar,
Dunlop seeks for a theatre that is indispensible to life and independent from cultural mainstreams.
The building is designed by Bill Howell and provides ideal proportions of a thrust‐stage theatre. With
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an overall capacity of 500 spectators, the thrust‐stage auditorium is the only performance space of
the main house. Due to the experimental approach of theatre, the Young Vic Theatre building is kept
simple and does not provide any flexible rehearsal and backstage areas. Exposed steel structure
support the industrial flair and underpin the egalitarian building programme of free seating and
inexpensive theatre tickets, concluding the picture of a class‐free society, enjoying high class
performances.
Illustration 2: The Young Vic Theatre, 1970
With the economic crisis of the 1970s, the London Theatre experiences the possible closure of
sixteen theatres in the West End. Urban redevelopment plans require for these theatres to be
replaced with other commercial projects. But the foundation of the SLTC (Save London Theatre) saves
most of them in 1972. Excluded from the SLTC programme, it is even more surprising that the Young
Vic survives this crisis. Following the approach of freedom of expression and being the only one of its
kind in South London, the Young Vic is highly supported and desired by its local community and
artists and acquires indispensible status to The Cut.
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2.2. 2004, a story continues...
After 30 years of full operation, the Young Vic needs to undertake a refurbishment. The initial
concept of a temporary building does not have the capacity for a theatre to continue operating.
Backstage areas do not offer enough space and do not necessarily comply with health and safety
rules. The missing of a proper entrance lobby and the ad‐hoc structure of the building become a
logistical problem for running the theatre. If the Young Vic wants to expand its cultural value, it will
need an organised building that responds to the core requirements of a functioning theatre building.
The improvisation on space usability and technology has reached its end.
The option of relocating the theatre and/or a complete change of the existing is withdrawn due to
the cultural indispensability to the local community and artists. The intention is to improve the
shortcomings of the building yet retain the original flair and history of The Cut and the Young Vic. In
order to keep the intimate relationship to its local community, local people and artists are involved in
the process of change as they become part of the refurbishment design. In order to define and
control the change and retain of the existing, the refurbishment follows the rationales of:
‐ preserving the original
‐ retaining the best features
‐ providing new space where needed
‐ increasing programme capacity
‐ expanding public facilities
‐ improving The Cut bar
‐ upgrading the backstage areas.
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Sketch 1: The Young Vic, Exterior
The rationales require for the building changes to follow the objectives of a social hub, covering all
deliverables. Part of the social hub is The Cut bar, located in the adjacent building to the Young Vic
and referring directly to the theatre’s historical inheritance. Its purpose is to invite, entertain and
enliven the local community. In the meantime of refurbishment, the theatre goes on a ‘walkabout’
programme from 2004‐2006, leaving the theatre company running in different location; a circus‐like
movement across country, collaborating with other theatre productions and TV channels. Dunlop’s
initial dream of a ‘free‐spirit theatre’ is also fulfilled under the circumstance of refurbishment works.
The Young Vic remains in full operation.
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2.3. 2007, an idea and a building... (Revision)
By the end of 2006, the Young Vic moves back to The Cut. This time permanently. The architect of the
project, Haworth Tompkins, is a well experienced architectural firm in London theatre
refurbishments. With the support of the local community and artists, they are able to transform the
building into a high performance premise with a deliberate integrity of the old.
Sketch 2: The Young Vic, Inhabitation
The transformation into an architectural language does not aim for the users to compete with the
building; the approach is rather to express the theatrical essence of the Young Vic. Externally, this is
done by designing a building facade that transforms the building’s appearance between day and
nights. The skin of hand‐painted cement board panels and mesh achieves the effect of daytime work
and night time celebration by illuminating the facade in the evening. The assemblage of mesh and
concrete blocks responds to the ‘mish‐mash’ of The Cut.
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Illustration 3: The Young Vic, External Material
The mixture of a rough appearance during the daytime and a charming gentle presence at show time
shows the building’s engagement with The Cut. Architecturally, the illumination demonstrates the
simple effect of an opaque cladding when lit externally by daylight and transparency when
illuminated from the inside at night time. The impression of opaque and transparent refers to the
building’s activity though the day and through the night: It is closed to the public during the day and
opens its curtains in the evening.
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Illustration 4: The Young Vic, Night Time Illumination
But the building’s exposure to The Cut is only minimal compared to the backstage changes, where
additional spaces are developed. Internally, three distinct parts are chosen to be the Young Vic’s
identity keepers:
‐ the former butcher entrance
‐ structural connection between old auditorium and new workshop space
‐ extending the original thrust‐stage.
The materials chosen for refurbishing of the premise are kept simple and as cost‐effective as possible
in order to prevail low‐cost aesthetics. The threshold of old and new is kept lose for a gentle
experience of transition. Besides the main theatre space, the Young Vic now has two further
workshop spaces with an additional capacity of 150 and 70 seats. These two smaller theatre spaces
are named after the theatre designer ‘Maria’ and the artistic director of the Sheffield Crucible ‘Clare’
and offer flexible space due to their industrial design, allowing the set team to build side scenes and
similar in situ rather than off site. These two additional theatre spaces relate to the auditorium’s
texture of dark, profiled brick. It is aimed to connect to the auditorium in order to avoid a clear
separation. By adapting existing textures to the new and connecting spaces with smooth thresholds,
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the Young Vic becomes its own coherent world of usability and enjoyment. The variable seating
arrangement allows a more flexible stage setting and general usage of space.
The actual bar of the theatre, The Cut Bar, experiences a transformation into an indispensible
element of the Young Vic. The exposure of structure and visibility between ground floor and
mezzanine creates the Young Vic’s theatrical feeling of proximity between audience and performers.
The glazed screen separates the terrace from the mezzanine area, creating a smooth threshold of
inside and outside. The usage of mesh on the facade is incorporated to the interior of The Cut Bar to
support the subtle transition.
Illustration 5: The Cut Bar, Exposed Structure and Existing Material
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The refurbishment of the Young Vic does not only mean to add functionality and practicality to usable
space, it also means to refresh and express the historical value of the building. The refurbishment
also includes a full review of the building and assessment of cultural value that needs to be
emphasised.
The main auditorium experience changes in increasing its headroom height in order to place modern
technical theatre equipment and expanding the backstage area for in‐situ side scene construction.
The auditorium is kept intact and retains its original layout and theatrical organisation. Technical
improvements support the usability of the auditorium and do not interfere with the overall spatial
arrangement. The material used is mainly plywood, indicating exchangeability and flexibility, as the
performance requires. In addition to this, the seating is made flexible in arranging, making the whole
space feel playful and experimental, very opposite to traditional theatres.
Illustration 6: The Young Vic, Auditorium
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The butcher entrance is refurbished into the entrance lobby and box office where the original double
headroom height and tiles of the butcher shop are kept. The entrance remains informal by using
lightweight timber and keeping the steel structure exposed. The whole interior of the refurbished
Young Vic, directed by artists rather than carpenters, retains historical details and only introduces the
new where necessary. It is a very delicate process of change, as the historical experience of building
and environment is subliminal. Original structure that needs to be replaced is rebuilt in the same
manner and aims providing a better spatial connectivity between lobby, auditorium and backstage
areas. All in all, the Young Vic contains as many new as old elements after the completion of the
refurbishment in 2006. Rough edges and smooth transitions give the Young Vic its personality.
Illustration 7: The Young Vic, Floor Plan Changes / Pre – and Post Refurbishment
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2.4. A Theatrical Experience (Revision)
Entrance: Retaining the existing external and internal materials of the old butcher’s shop symbolises
the history and inheritance of The Cut. The lobby’s historic flair becomes a threshold of the old and
the new which is communicated to the visitor by the means of carefully applied detail finishes as well
as deliberately untreated corners. The transparency and roughness of the old and the new converts
the lobby into a transitional space of time.
Illustration 8: The Young Vic, Entrance
The Cut Bar: The newly developed Cut Bar is accessed through the lobby and becomes the heart of
the refurbished Young Vic as it connects directly to the existing theatre auditorium to the east and to
the two new performance and rehearsal studios to the west side. Not only does the Cut Bar function
as a pre‐ and post performance occupation area, but also as a dynamic space of circulation,
accessibility, acting as a threshold of the public, private and shared.
Spatially, the Cut Bar creates a spectator‐performer relation amongst visitors and staff which is
extended to the hidden roof garden for staff members. The hidden roof garden connects the private
staff area to the shared mezzanine of the Cut Bar, whilst the central void of the Cut Bar connects the
shared mezzanine area with the public entrance/ground floor area.
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Putting an emphasis on transparency, the Cut Bar connects private, public and shared areas. It
resembles the typology of a theatrical arrangement and becomes what Peter Brook calls ‘the rough
theatre’, a place of inspiration with audiences joining in, connecting locations, people and activities.
Sketch 3: The Cut Bar: Linking Element
Sketch 4: The Young Vic: Vertical Transparency
Theatre Space: The architectural relationship between a conscious and functional design suggests a
relationship between visitors and users. The ‘rough theatre’, as described by Peter Brook, sees a vivid
and lively inhabitation of space as becoming the core of a theatrical experience, described as an
appreciation by the crowd. Transparency by the means of openness and thresholds of materials and
structure supports the effect of a shared theatrical experience throughout the building. In particular,
the changes made to the auditorium respond to the approach of transition and transparency:
backstage access balconies are accessible from the stage and can be converted into performance
areas.
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Illustration 9: Auditorium ‐ Access Balconies to Backstage Area
Increasing the headroom height of the auditorium also allows more technical advanced features to
be installed which in return give the flexibility of scene adaption and change, expanding backstage
area in height and length.
Illustration 10: Auditorium – Headroom Height Increase
Illustration 11: Auditorium
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With a more flexible set up, the auditorium allows for the stage and seating arrangement to be
adapted to specific performance requirements. The effect of dropping the curtain rather than lifting
it and revealing the sub‐stage storage space in close proximity to the audience communicates the
theatrical experience of a rough and transparent architectural composition of private and public.
Illustration 12: Auditorium Stage Curtain
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3. Refurbishment Requirements and Results
3.1. The Young Vic Theatre Company
3.1.1. Funding
In 1997 the Young Vic Theatre Company starts the fundraising of a future refurbishment as it
becomes apparent that the building requires more space and a better accessibility routes within the
premise. The first task is to gain support from the Lambeth Council, owning the freehold of the land
and building. The agreement includes a new 99‐year lease with more additional space for the building
to adapt and integrate to the existing. The high cost of refurbishment is funded by private investors
and the Arts Council of England with £3.85 and £6.25 million. The uncertainty of the actual amount of
construction refurbishment reaches £7.1 million, about 60% of the total project cost. At this stage it
becomes apparent that the refurbishment has to put an emphasis on better accessibility and space
connections in order to develop an efficient building structure.
3.1.2. Reopening
The intention is to reopen the Young Vic with a gradual build‐up of performances and events. This is
due to the aim of strengthening the production, controlling the expansion of the theatre programme
and reintegrating to The Cut. After two years of ‘walkabout’ projects, the Young Vic aspires a gentle
return to The Cut with many different events to get back to the scene and reconnect to its local
community. However, the refurbishment works exceeds the programme plan. The Young Vic loses
the slow roll out of new premise. At the same time, the ‘walkabout’ programme keeps a professional
and experienced team on board, capable of integrating to the new facility without problems.
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3.2. Cultural Recognition
The refurbished building of the Young Vic is shortlisted for the prominent RIBA Stirling Prize in 2007
for its outstanding integration of the old, rough historic site to an enhanced theatre of excellent
function and flexibility of space. The success of the refurbishment is measured by the integration to
the local community of The Cut and records a very positive response to the reopening of the theatre.
Only one year after the Young Vic’s new presence in The Cut, the theatre wins the 2008 Laurence
Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival and Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre. The
successful realisation of theatre productions and parallel running workshops for young artists is made
possible by the flexible usability of the facility. The touch of a clear cut post‐modernist design
combined with the harsh appearance integrates successfully into The Cut’s new generation of
spectacle and freedom of performance.
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4. Vision for the Future
Since the refurbishment in 2006, the Young Vic has gained its peak of cultural recognition since
opening in 1970. The Young Vic proves to be an artistic institution seeking for permanent
improvement and high class theatre programme and performance. The theatre counts many
successful artists and actors performing in the Young Vic in their early days of profession. The
inheritance of providing a platform for actors, who once will become very successful, is of high
cultural value as it proves the Young Vic’s original thought of young artistic support.
Jude Law explains the importance of the Young Vic in his life as a school boy and in his career as an
actor. The intimacy between performance and audience makes the Young Vic a different kind of
theatre in comparison to traditional theatre. Law states that this intimacy makes the audience
‘experience the passion and strength of the play’. With David Lan taking over the Young Vic in 2000,
life and spirit is brought back to the world of theatre. Lan makes the most of space usability and
programme and seeks for a unique experience of theatre. With free tickets for the local community,
the Young Vic is highly visited, also because it is one of the most influential theatres in South London.
Law states that the refurbishment of the Young Vic still ‘makes narrative sense to the audience’ with
an unpressured yet inviting character in The Cut. The most important aspect of the refurbishment
according to Law is to ‘keep its wonderful communal quality. It’s the only theatre like it in London.’
Due to its high recognition in society, the Young Vic carries the responsibility of following its original
idea of supporting young artists and being innovative in performance and theatrical experience. The
refurbishment offers a functional building with cultural status of past, present and future. Needless
to say, the Young Vic will remain one of the most important theatres of London with a non‐
prestigious but naturally evolved recognition.
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5. Conclusion
The refurbishment of the Young Vic reflects the cultural integrity and response to The Cut and the
artistic world, as it projects the future of a faithful past into an enjoyable present. Haworth architects
manage to take the building apart in order to put it back together and convert it into a permanent
presence of culture. Exposing structure, the solids of the building, and leaving them untouched where
possible, shows the unbroken evidence of time and history. The architecture puts an emphasis on
the aim of the local community to preserve the informal experience of theatre. The concept of a
collage of old and new supports the sense of a creative environment. Combined with the reminders
of the past, such as the butcher shop’s entrance, the Young Vic merges with the culture and history of
The Cut.
After 40 years of inviting community and young artists, the Young Vic does not change its philosophy
of its strong cultural belief of artistic purpose and dedication. Audience and members confirm the
indispensible character the Young Vic has for South London and the theatre world.
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6. Bibliography
Arts Council England, (2007): Capital case study: Young Vic Theatre. London.
British History: Sunday trading – The Cut.
Brook, P., (2008): The Empty Space. London: Penguin Classics.
Connellan, P., (2000): Sponsor to be damned. London: Socialist Review.
DesignBuild Network: The Young Vic Theatre, London, United Kingdom.
Dorrell, E., (2006): Howarth Tompkins’ Young Vic renovation unveiled. London: The Architect’s
Journal.
Law, J., (2004): Why I love the Young Vic. London: The Independent.
Peters, T., (2008): Young Vic Renewal. London: Architecture Week.
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7. Tables of Illustrations and Sketches
Illustration 1: The Cut, Sunday Morning Trading .................................................................................... 5
Illustration 2: The Young Vic Theatre, 1970 ............................................................................................ 7
Illustration 3: The Young Vic, External Material .................................................................................... 11
Illustration 4: The Young Vic, Night Time Illumination .......................................................................... 12
Illustration 5: The Cut Bar, Exposed Structure and Existing Material ................................................... 13
Illustration 6: The Young Vic, Auditorium ............................................................................................. 14
Illustration 7: The Young Vic, Floor Plan Changes / Pre – and Post Refurbishment ..............................15
Illustration 8: The Young Vic, Entrance .................................................................................................16
Illustration 9: Auditorium ‐ Access Balconies to Backstage Area ..........................................................17
Illustration 10: Auditorium – Headroom Height Increase .....................................................................17
Illustration 11: Auditorium ....................................................................................................................17
Illustration 12: Auditorium Stage Curtain .............................................................................................19
Illustration 13: The Young Vic ‐ Local Community ................................................................................23
Sketch 1: The Young Vic, Exterior ............................................................................................................ 9
Sketch 2: The Young Vic, Inhabitation ................................................................................................... 10
Sketch 3: The Cut Bar ‐ Linking Element ....................................................................................17
Sketch 4: The Young Vic ‐ Vertical Transparency ..................................................................................17
Illustrations are taken from the websites:
http://www.hughpearman.com
http://www.britishhistory.ac.uk