The is operated by the Ambassador Theatre Group. Worldwide 10 million people a year attend a live performance at one of the 57 iconic venues we operate. Our portfolio includes many of the world’s most historic theatres and music venues, from ’s West End to Broadway. We also own regional venues across the UK, the USA and in five major German cities.

The Playhouse Theatre is one of those important historic venues, a unique small which is located on its own, a short distance from the busy West End, close to Embankment. The Theatre has shown successes, most recently with productions such as The Jungle 2018 and Fiddler on the Roof 2019, and a host of other productions since the Ambassador Theatre Group have maintained, programmed and operated the venue.

The Ambassador Theatre Group’s mission is to bring the very best in live entertainment to the largest possible number of people. As custodian of these theatres, we are committed to investing and securing their long-term future through innovative and exciting programming.

As we emerge from the devastating consequences of the pandemic the Ambassador Theatre Group is keen to invest in developing new and exciting projects in order to bring audiences back to the West End as well as bringing in a new younger audience to experience these historic venues for the very first time.

In a bold and dynamic project to breathe new life into the Playhouse Theatre following its closure during the pandemic, theatre experts Charcoalblue have formed a professional and experienced team, including Carmody Groake architects supported by world class engineers and consultants, to support the creative team put together by the Ambassador Theatre Group. The design and creative teams are sensitive to the theatre’s heritage and will work together to transform the Playhouse Theatre into the round and enhance an immersive experience in support of an exciting new production.

The Playhouse Theatre has been selected for this project partly because its existing architecture lends itself well to the concept and partly as the venue’s off-pitch location and size have made it challenging to program. We are certain it will benefit from this long-term investment to provide an alternative for unique productions in the future beyond what the other West End theatres have to offer and are committed to making the project a success.

Alongside the proposed entirely reversible transformation of the auditorium into the round we are seeking to make some minor, more permanent physical changes to the building. Crucially we will significantly improve access to the venue through a new permanent accessible entrance to the foyer, which will replace the existing temporary internal ramp. We are also seeking to provide some operational upgrades to the back of house and front of house services, with larger bar and circulation areas and a food prep kitchen. This will enable us to better provide for the new audiences, both for this unique production and for the longer-term future. As part of the project, we will also be carrying out various improvements to the theatre’s ventilation systems.

The entire project has been inspired by the beautiful, historic Playhouse Theatre and the design and creative teams for the production and renovation have set out to embrace the conversation between the architecture of the existing theatre and that of our intervention within it. It is our belief that, well executed, these improvements will provide long-term benefits for audiences both for this specific immersive production and for other productions for many years to come.

THE AMBASSADOR THEATRE GROUP LIMITED 39-41 Charing Cross Road London WC2H OAR T 020 7534 6100 F 020 7534 610

The Ambassadors 2nd Floor, Alexander House, Church Path, Woking Surrey GU21 6EJ T 01483 545800 F 01483 770477 Registered Office The Ambassadors Peacocks Centre Woking Surrey GU2I 6G0 Registered in England and Wales Company Number 2671052