Our Playhouse Transformation Ambitions

Entertaining audiences since 1866, the Liverpool Playhouse has played a vital role in the cultural lives of our communities for almost 160 years and is one of the oldest working theatres in the UK. Over the past few years, a partnership with Liverpool City Council, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Liverpool Business Improvement District (BID) has prompted much wider conversations about the civic role the theatre can play, its place in the city and how together we might inspire and create a positive change for Williamson Square, which dating back to 1745 is one of the city’s oldest civic spaces.

In August 2024, we hosted an event for BID to launch the Williamson Square Activation Plan, at which Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region said:
"Williamson Square has long been a cornerstone of our city's history, and the Playhouse is one of our most cherished cultural landmarks. This activation study, which we've backed in partnership with Liverpool BID and the theatre, offers a bold vision for the future. It’s about more than just revitalising the square; it’s about creating a vibrant, accessible space that breathes new life into the Playhouse and the wider city centre. This is a key part of our ongoing regeneration efforts, reinforcing the Liverpool City Region’s place as a powerhouse for the creative industries."

 
You can read more on the study here

Our vision for a transformed Playhouse was also unveiled in a short video from Nathan Powell, Creative Director for Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse:
 

 
 
A cultural gem of both local and national significance, the theatre is in need of major refurbishment, to ensure it survives for another century and is as environmentally sustainable as it can be, while acting as a catalyst for a cultural regeneration of its surrounding area. Building on our successful delivery of the Stirling Prize-winning Everyman capital project in 2014, we commissioned an in-depth feasibility study and detailed designs from leading architects Haworth Tompkins  with a multi-disciplinary design team, including Liverpool based architects MGMA, Charcoalblue as Theatre Consultants, Layer Studio as Landscape Architects and Local Engagement by Placed.

As custodians of the Playhouse, we’re excited to continue to collaborate with our partners to ensure the Playhouse is here for generations to come and drives forward a vibrant Williamson Square in heart of the city.
 
Updated: 5 September 2024
 
The video has been created by SketchBenjamin and we’re grateful to the BID team for their drone footage and to Radio City for access to the tower .