Creating modern theatre in an ancient space

16 hours ago

Katy Lewis

BBC News, Hertfordshire

OVO theatre company says the Roman Theatre at Verulamium delivers a natural backdrop, complimented by the distant large old trees, allowing the stage to nestle within the flint walls of the Roman remains

Adrian Fisher The Roman Theatre at Verulamium as seen through a picture frame as the sun goes down during a production. It shows a backdrop of distant large trees, and the stage nestles within the flint walls of the Roman remains — OVO theatre company says the Roman Theatre at Verulamium delivers a natural backdrop, complimented by the distant large old trees, allowing the stage to nestle within the flint walls of the Roman remains

As the sun sets over the Roman Theatre at Verulamium, audiences enjoying its latest summer season of productions will know that some 2,000 years previously, people were doing the same. But what is it like putting on modern theatre in an ancient space?

Built in about AD 140 in what was then the country's third-largest town, the theatre is thought to be the only example of its kind in Britain, having a stage rather than being an amphitheatre.

Sited just south-west of the modern city of St Albans, it was rediscovered in 1847 but not fully uncovered until the 1930s.

Since 2014, local theatre company OVO has produced the Roman Theatre Open Air Festival there every summer, but staging shows in such an important historic site leads to both challenges and delights.

An illustration by Alan Sorrell depicts a reconstruction of the Roman Theatre of Verulamium in about AD 180

St Albans Museums A black and white illustration showing a reconstruction of the Roman Theatre of Verulamium at about AD 180 with walls, seating and a stage with columns, plus the buildings that would have surrounded it. — An illustration by Alan Sorrell depicts a reconstruction of the Roman Theatre of Verulamium in about AD 180

'You have to respect the site'

Head of production, Mark O'Sullivan, says there are "very strict rules" about what can be put where in the theatre

Alex Lee Johnson Mark O'Sullivan has short brown hair and wears a dark blue open-necked shirt. He is looking at the camera with a half smile. — Head of production, Mark O'Sullivan, says there are "very strict rules" about what can be put where in the theatre

Head of production Mark O'Sullivan says there are "quite rightly, very strict rules about what can go where" but it is about "bringing live theatre to the audience in a way that also respects the archaeology and the history".

For example, the Romans put the stage in a place where the audience would have the sun on their backs, but the company has moved the stage to the opposite side to protect the foundations of the original performance area.

"We can't put anything into the ground, because we don't want to disturb any sort of archaeology that hasn't yet been discovered," he says.

"So it's about putting things on top of and around what's there in a way that protects them."

Modern sets carefully rest on the excavations; nothing is drilled in

Katy Lewis/BBC Part of a wooden stage carefully rests on excavations at the Roman Theatre at Verulamium. — Modern sets carefully rest on the excavations; nothing is drilled in

He says those who performed there nearly 2,000 years ago are never far from their thoughts and actors new to the venue are "almost always awestruck" by the legacy.

"There was one actor who was crying on the site one day, and I thought, 'Oh, no, what's happened":[]}