Letter: Is new theatre up to the job?

Letter: I recently went to the flagship Severn Theatre in Shrewsbury to see the evening performance of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

The production was fantastic - wonderful singing, dancing and sets. The power of the show highlighted, however, the inadequacies of the building.

The auditorium was too small for the sound and to do justice to the scenery.

The sound would have been fine in a decent-sized provincial theatre but in the claustrophobic size of Theatre Severn it was overpowering.

Part of the joy at a musical is to see the orchestra and conductor but at Shrewsbury they are isolated away from the audience.

The decoration, with wooden-slatted uprights on the wall, is 1960s. And who approved the drab seat and curtain fabric colouring?

I understand that many in the circle and upper circle have either restricted views or have to sit sideways to see the show.

There do not seem to be enough seats in the foyer area and the anticipated demand for programmes was not met by the management.

Outside the theatre there is dilapidated wooden slatting which has discoloured and the traffic exit is restricted. Perhaps flagship, at £28 million, should be described as half-mast?

Supporters will say that there are full houses for many shows, but at 600 seats is that a surprise?

The individuals who approved the detail of the new theatre project should be named and hopefully hang their heads in shame at a missed opportunity to provide one decent sized theatre for the town.

Andrew Sceats

Shrewsbury