Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
It had always been the intention to build a small (350 seat), indoor auditorium as part of the Shakespeare’s Globe complex, but it was not until 15 years after the opening of the Globe Theatre that the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse project was started. Intended as a representation of the Blackfriars Theatre, used by Shakespeare’s company in the early seventeenth century, it is a foil to the much larger open air Globe.
Greenfield’s focus was on the auditorium design, which fitted inside a pre-existing shell that had been built in the first phase but used as a rehearsal studio in the interim. Taking the role of ‘reconstruction architect’ and working with scholars and specialists, particularly Professor Martin White and Peter McCurdy of historic timber frame company McCurdy and Co, a reconstruction of an indoor Jacobean private playhouse was created. The oak frame galleries, together with ceilings and walls decorated with exuberant paint and gold leaf decoration, and plays performed by candlelight, have resulted in a unique addition to London’s theatre scene. It opened in January 2014 with ‘The Dutchess of Malfi’ and Gemma Arterton playing the title role. It has also become a celebrated venue for early music.
