Brixton House (Ovalhouse Theatre) - news and discussion

[Gramsci]

Looking up the refurbishment of Carlton mansions and see the work units are up for rent.

At £65 per sq foot. Ive no idea if this is cheap or "market" rate. Any one know?

Carlton Mansions, Coldharbour Lane Office to let

WORKSPACE STUDIOS TO LET - Variety of unit sizes to suit your business, Individual units, Internet already installed and ready to use, Air conditioning, heating and opening windows, Passenger lift, Inclusive pricing structure., Shared kitchen areas, Private courtyard, Gated and paved entrance...

www.unionstreetpartners.co.uk

 

[teuchter]

. wrong thread

 

[CH1]

From my theatre archive I went to see this in 2001.
Sounds like the opening production at Brixton House - Mugabe, my Dad and me may have been a mirror image of Full Frontal. Full Frontal was on at the Royal Court in 1979, and updated by Michael Hastings the author for the 2001 Oval House production.

Wikipedia said:
Full Frontal is a one-man, one-act play by English writer Michael Hastings. It premièred at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in 1979 with Winston Ntshona performing and Rufus Collins directing, [1] and was revised by the author for a production at Ovalhouse in 2001.
The play is a monologue by Gabriel Nkoke - a man born in Nigeria but raised almost all his life in England, "the new type of man. I'm neither here. Nor neither there" - delivered to an unseen representative of the National Front, which Gabriel is at first seen trying to join because he agrees with their racialist agenda.
Critical reception: The play was received favourably by critics and described as "Swiftian".

 

[urbanspaceman]

Treading the boards: Foster Wilson Size's new theatre for Brixton

Acoustic separation was key to the floor design at Brixton House, which combines two theatres with studios and creative spaces

www.ribaj.com

A quite detailed article in the RIBA magazine

 

[editor]

Treading the boards: Foster Wilson Size's new theatre for Brixton

Acoustic separation was key to the floor design at Brixton House, which combines two theatres with studios and creative spaces

www.ribaj.com

A quite detailed article in the RIBA magazine

"the powerful barrier block of the Somerleyton Road estate "

I like that

Shame it doesn't mention the ridiculously narrow seats in the main theatre.

 

[spanglechick]

"the powerful barrier block of the Somerleyton Road estate "

I like that

Shame it doesn't mention the ridiculously narrow seats in the main theatre.

Do you mean narrow side to side? Or shallow front-to-back? Because the latter is a bit of a trend in modern theatres.

 

[editor]

Do you mean narrow side to side? Or shallow front-to-back? Because the latter is a bit of a trend in modern theatres.

Side to side. It felt like a little bit of a squeeze for me and I'm slim!

 

[spanglechick]

Side to side. It felt like a little bit of a squeeze for me and I'm slim!

Blimey!

 

[Crispy]

It's been a while since I read the RIBA journal and had forgotten this terrible typographical affectation.
It reads like the writer is lisping.

 

[Jimbeau]

I called by the theatre last night for a nose around and to try the bar. Terrible beer selection and it was a bit dead, but I liked the space and the staff were lovely - really proud of the new building and excited about what it will do for their organisation.

In other local architecture news, Studio Voltaire off Clapham High Street have recently finished their expansion. Lovely work by Matheson Whiteley and really worth a visit.
Plus the new Sudbourne School building by HLM looks as though it is finished. I quite like it, much better than the toytown houses on the old Tuborg site across the street. Does raise the question though of whether the old Lyham Rd School right next door should ever have been sold off for flats.

 

[CH1]

Treading the boards: Foster Wilson Size's new theatre for Brixton

Acoustic separation was key to the floor design at Brixton House, which combines two theatres with studios and creative spaces

www.ribaj.com

A quite detailed article in the RIBA magazine

Thanks - I like the article very much, though partly because it was rather over-the top.
I'm sure the site wasn't just a car park by the way. For years the Brixton BSEC (Social Education Centre) for people with learning difficulties was there. Closed about 2006 I think - cuts cuts cuts. Same time as the Maudsley Emergency Clinic, if you want to see what council and government priorities were at the time.

Surely this bit is worthy of Private Eye's Pseuds' Corner:

"The decision to specify a poured concrete screed on the floor follows on from this idea of the foyer as a continuation of the street. ‘We wanted it to be as grounded, accessible and open as possible"

 

[Gramsci]

Thanks - I like the article very much, though partly because it was rather over-the top.
I'm sure the site wasn't just a car park by the way. For years the Brixton BSEC (Social Education Centre) for people with learning difficulties was there. Closed about 2006 I think - cuts cuts cuts. Same time as the Maudsley Emergency Clinic, if you want to see what council and government priorities were at the time.

Surely this bit is worthy of Private Eye's Pseuds' Corner:

"The decision to specify a poured concrete screed on the floor follows on from this idea of the foyer as a continuation of the street. ‘We wanted it to be as grounded, accessible and open as possible"

Your right. It was a centre for people with learning difficulties. They got funding to make a really nice garden out the back. Which was removed later when it became a school for a time.

One problem Lambeth have is that their obsession with selling land off means that they now are hard pressed when space is needed. That end of Somerleyton road was well used. Housing and social services.

It wasn't an underused space as the article implies.

 

[editor]

It was also briefly a rather lovely community space

The return of Granville Market Space and the return of Brixton Kaff

The much loved Kaff bar is temporarily returning to Brixton next Saturday after they were forced to vacate their premises in Atlantic Road in July this year. Kaff have teamed up with the guys from …

www.brixtonbuzz.com

Brixton Granville market tonight: ‘Walk-In’ Cinema Bill Murray Double Bill, Sat 10th Oct

Granville Market Space and Kaff have teamed up to present their first ‘Walk-In’ cinema tonight, with the community-minded market staying open till 10.30pm (Sat 10th October).

www.brixtonbuzz.com

 

[Winot]

Plus the new Sudbourne School building by HLM looks as though it is finished. I quite like it, much better than the toytown houses on the old Tuborg site across the street. Does raise the question though of whether the old Lyham Rd School right next door should ever have been sold off for flats.

Yes the building looks pretty good. However Sudbourne school now has falling rolls as does Kings Avenue school round the corner (and has had since before the new building was planned). I’m not sure that there’s any real strategic planning going on.

 

[Mr paulee]

Treading the boards: Foster Wilson Size's new theatre for Brixton

Acoustic separation was key to the floor design at Brixton House, which combines two theatres with studios and creative spaces

www.ribaj.com

A quite detailed article in the RIBA magazine

Excellent article, thank you

 

[editor]

This was fantastic

Cutting Edge Theatre Triumphs at Brixton House with Kabul Goes Pop: Music Television Afghanistan

If you’re lucky you may be able to snatch up one of the last few tickets for Kabul Goes Pop: Music Television Afghanistan. And if you are one of the fortunate, you’ll enjoy the delightf…

www.brixtonbuzz.com

 

[teuchter]

The bar/cafe area always looks deserted when I go past.

A couple of weeks ago, I suggested to meet some people there, to see what it was like. This was on a Friday evening I think. They got there before me - but despite it being virtually empty were told to go away and come back later, as far as I understand because there was a performance on and it was nearly interval time (or something). So we went elsewhere.

Maybe there was some kind of one off special circumstance but you want to have a public bar and centre of activity then it's not a great strategy to be turning people away.

 

[CH1]

The bar/cafe area always looks deserted when I go past.

A couple of weeks ago, I suggested to meet some people there, to see what it was like. This was on a Friday evening I think. They got there before me - but despite it being virtually empty were told to go away and come back later, as far as I understand because there was a performance on and it was nearly interval time (or something). So we went elsewhere.

Maybe there was some kind of one off special circumstance but you want to have a public bar and centre of activity then it's not a great strategy to be turning people away.

The refreshment bar is available during the day to meet people - or so I've found a couple of times.

 

[Mr paulee]

William and Kate – visited Brixton House theatre today (22 June) to learn about and talk to young people involved in Lambeth council’s Elevate project.

 

[editor]

It does look lovely when it's all lit up