First-nighters at the Abbey this evening are bound to be gobsmacked by the total transformation of the theatre, writes Frank McDonald, Environment Editor
All changed, changed utterly: A terrible beauty is born.
Even WB Yeats would be impressed by the new-look Abbey Theatre - and there is nothing terrible about it. Nearly all of the things that were wrong with the 1960's theatre have now been put right and for a relative pittance in the context of public expenditure.
For years, both actors and theatre-goers had moaned about the poor sightlines and the feeling of disconnectedness between performers and audience, much of which had to do with the low rake of the parterre and the remoteness of the slim balcony.
"The actors all complained that most of the audience was way below their line of sight, so they ended up looking over a sea of heads into the blank wall at the rear of the theatre," said John Keogan, principal of Keogan Architects, who oversaw its transformation.
"It didn't work for audiences either because of restricted views.
"Your sightline has to be 125mm above the person in front of you to give a clear view. The seats were also tilted back, so the effect was somewhere between a cinema and a planetarium."
The essential design problem had persisted for 40 years. But although it was long talked about, nothing happened until the Abbey's current director, Fiach MacConghail, decided to do something about it just six months after taking up his post in February 2005.
Paris-based theatre design consultant Jean-Guy Lecat, a long-time collaborator of the legendary Peter Brook, was called in to advise on the options, and he recommended that the rake of the theatre should be raised substantially to give it more intimacy.
"We did a mock-up with 30 seats on the steeper rake and asked the actors what they thought. Everyone was very enthusiastic," John Keogan explained.
The design was further developed to eliminate the old balcony and integrate it with the main body of the auditorium. "Apart from the geometry, we wanted to get as much seating as possible uninterrupted by aisles to reinforce the sense of intimacy.
"We also extended the tier depth to make it more comfortable and give people more leg room," Mr Keogan said. Along with the loss of four rows at the rear due to the removal of the balcony, this has reduced the theatre's capacity from 620 to 492 seats.
Fiach MacConghail isn't worried. "There have only been about eight shows in last 10 years that have done more than 500, so the box office income won't fall drastically," he said. He also believes that the "new theatre" will draw more patrons earlier in the week.
"It's more audience-friendly. The energy coming from the audience reaches the actors and vice versa, so it's more like a communal experience. And it wasn't a waste of money, because it should be retained as a theatre space, irrespective of what happens."
This was a reference to the Government-approved plan to build a new Abbey Theatre in the Custom House Docks, for which an international architectural competition is to be held.
However, many people may take the view that the new-look theatre is quite adequate.
"A lot of configurations can be easily achieved, and the stage can thrust forward more for different productions," John Keogan said.
Respect for context has also been shown in the use of afromosia hardwood panelling to match the existing wall finishes.
It was installed in just 10 days by London-based specialists Steeldeck and cost €730,000. A further €300,000 was spent on refurbishing the foyer and bar areas, including new red carpet, and putting up black-framed poster boards and giving the Peacock a steel canopy.
These works were carried out by McCullough Mulvin Architects, who also designed the Abbey's portico in the late-1980s to give it a better street presence. Now, the only major defect remaining to be resolved is the lack of back-stage space for sets and bigger shows.
As architect Niall McCullough said, "it's unusual in Dublin to be 100 per cent enthusiastic about something, but the Abbey now looks and feels like a great theatre".
People attending the first night of Billy Roche's The Cavalcaders this evening are bound to be gobsmacked.