Montaigne Theatre

The brief was to design a 370-seat theatre and new drama studio with support spaces. The site for redevelopment was the old hall constructed during the 1960s. The school had a sports gym on the site and the existing hall was used mainly for drama performances. However, the Hall did not meet the school’s requirements for drama teaching. The existing hall was demolished, and the new nine-sided building was linked into the existing dining area.

Unusual geometry makes the Montaigne Theatre a special place and an exciting venue for school productions which required exquisite planning, to make the most of a limited budget but a brief for a world-class theatre with an Elizabethan influence.

Theatreplan’s recommendation for the footprint of Notre Dame School’s theatre was based on the economics: creating a space just the right size to use the budget effectively. The result is a 376-seater auditorium with an innovative design that is both intimate and versatile and takes advantage of the natural ventilation provided by the countryside location.

Influenced by the Elizabethan playhouse, the nonagon building harbours a nine-metre square stage framed by ‘Juliet’ balconies and facing an audience on fixed benches and some individual VIP seats. The pit contains adjustable seating for musicians, and a stage extension and flat floor fill-in provides additional flexibility. Much of the light and sound equipment is on the second balcony, with a circular technical bridge on the tier above: all of it is accessible safely.