Tara Theatre

Theatreplan joined the project in the feasibility stage, and quickly had to get under the skin of the client to establish a clear philosophy for our proposals. It was obvious from the outset that there were big dreams for the limited budget and site. Artistic Director, Jatinder Verma, had a clear-sighted vision for the new venue, which included thoughts about a distressed design aesthetic. Mathew Smethurst-Evans had recently returned from Beirut and shared photographs from there, which documented a rudimentary public infrastructure, with cables slung between buildings, and distribution boards padlocked to the base of streetlamps. Jatinder was immediately struck by the idea and this sense of place would help form the basis for the design of the technical installations.


Theatreplan worked with manufacturers to develop new finishes and bespoke technical installations that could be achieved on the available budget. The site constraints meant that the electrical and mechanical installations needed to be developed to a very high level of detail to preserve enough space for the theatre operation. We also collaborated with the M&E and structural engineers, along with the architect, to ensure all the installations and systems were as efficient as possible. We supported the client’s dreams from feasibility stage through to post practical completion.


The award-winning success of Tara Theatre stems from the team working closely with the client and architects to translate artistic requirements into practical reality and ensure a high-quality space and technical infrastructure was delivered within the constraints of a very tight budget.


Photographs by Philip Vile