The Brewhouse Theatre & Arts Centre

Taunton Brewhouse (previously The Brewhouse) is the largest theatre and arts centre in Taunton, the county town of Somerset, England. The building opened on 28 March 1977, on the banks of the River Tone, and offers a purpose-built 352-seat auditorium, a supporting 60-seat versatile studio space for performances, classes and conferences, and an exhibition space. It hosts a programme of live professional and amateur theatre productions; live folk, rock, and pop music; comedians; popular and independent cinema; live broadcasts from major international venues, such as London's National Theatre and The Royal Opera House; and visual arts exhibitions. Its first professional production was Alan Ayckbourn’s The Norman Conquests, starring the, then, unknown David Jason. Building The Brewery House The Westward Room and administrative offices reside in the Old Brewery house, a Georgian Grade II listed building, which gives the theatre its name. The Main Auditorium The main house is a proscenium arch theatre with a trapezoidal apron, which can be reconfigured to include a central vomitorium, and includes a flexible orchestra pit. The Studio Theatre The Studio Theatre is a fully equipped performance space with black-out and conference facilities. Removable seating can host up to 60 with playing space for an end-on show, or larger groups for meetings and other events. Workshops and classes benefit from the sprung floor and mirror wall. The Studio Theatre was fully renovated in 2023 thanks to a grant from Theatres Trust. Creative Hub This adaptable teaching space is host to many workshops, rehearsals, and classes. Located under the characteristic saw-tooth roof of the modern wing, the Creative Hub is steeped in natural light and has its own sink facilities. For large group hires of our performances spaces it can also serve as an additional backstage or breakout room. Gallery The Gallery is a versatile white cube, with high ceilings, good natural light and black-out facility; perfect for exhibiting visual arts, film, photography and sculpture. Westward Room Facing out towards the riverbank, the reception room of the Old Brewery House is elegant and cosy. Large, canted bay windows allow for ample natural light. Funding In 2005, Arts Council England announced that it would cut regular funding to The Brewhouse from 2006, following a drop in artistic output. In September 2005 a new director Robert Miles was appointed to lead the artistic re-invigoration of the organisation. It was also the first theatre, apart from the Royal Court Theatre, to stage Caryl Churchill's controversial play Seven Jewish Children. In 2009, ongoing under funding, combined with the impact of recession and a subsequent threat of cuts meant the venue was once again put under threat of closure. With support from its stakeholders Taunton Brewhouse overcame these immediate funding concerns, and in March 2010 it was announced that the organisation had been awarded £487,500 from Arts Council England's Sustain fund to allow it to continue to programme arts and participatory activities during the economic downturn. However despite this local success the Conservative Government brought in the austerity programme and Somerset County Council completely cut their arts funding by 100%. The venue subsequently closed in February 2013 and went into administration. The venue reopened in April 2014 by independent arts charity Taunton Theatre Association Ltd (TTA), having been granted the lease from Taunton Deane Borough Council, who bought the 61-year lease of the site and its contents from administrator BDO. In 2020 Taunton Theatre Association were awarded a significant grant as part of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund. The venue now receives regular funding from Arts Council England and Somerset West and Taunton Council. Cinema Fundraising In 2015, The Brewhouse Theatre & Arts Centre initiated a crowdfunding campaign to raise £40,000. The funds were intended for the installation of advanced audio-visual and satellite equipment to facilitate the live-streaming of global performances and the screening of various films. The project aimed to introduce a cinema that would complement the theatre's existing offerings, providing a diverse selection of live theatre, opera, music, dance, and films throughout the year. The campaign, under the slogan "Play Your Part" encouraged community contributions towards the cinema project, emphasizing the direct allocation of donations to the cinema appeal. This was particularly significant given the lack of County Council or National funding, highlighting the community's role in supporting the theatre’s expansion. Despite the campaign's aspirations, by its conclusion on 1 January 2016, it had raised £12,333 from 116 contributors, falling short of its goal. Nonetheless, the amount collected demonstrated the community's commitment to enhancing Taunton's cultural landscape, and the cinema was installed and opened in February 2016. The effort to fund a cinema at The Brewhouse Theatre & Arts Centre is a significant example of community-funded cultural projects in Somerset. It illustrates the challenges and possibilities of such initiatives in enriching local culture and community engagement, serving as a reference for similar future projects. In 2024 significant funding cuts were announced by Somerset Council, which will take effect by April 2025. The theatre issued a statement confirming that it is working closely with both Somerset Council and Taunton Town Council to develop a plan for long-term sustainability. Despite the funding cuts, Taunton Theatre Association released a statement saying that they have shows booked through 2025 and 2026 and remain committed to serving as a cultural hub for the community. The council has pledged to support the theatre's future with the help of Taunton Town Council and Taunton Theatre Association who manage the venue. The theatre's board believes that the outcome will ensure a secure future for the Brewhouse. National Theatre Live Streaming The Brewhouse was officially authorised to operate as a live streaming venue for the National Theatre in January 2016. This development follows the National Theatre's initiative, NT Live, which aims to broadcast premier British theatre from London to audiences globally, reaching over 3.5 million viewers to date. The first live stream to The Brewhouse was on March 3, 2016, streaming HANGMEN. History of The Site The site on which the Old Brewery House stands was originally a field known as the Rack Hay, where cloth was stretched out to dry on the banks of the River Tone. This area later served various purposes including as a coal store and an orchard, which led to its current name, Coal Orchard. Brewing activities on the site date back to at least the early 18th century. By 1760, the site was described as having been a brewery for 30 years, featuring three houses, a malt house, brew house, coal yard, stable, and cellars. The Old Brewery House, the former brewer’s house, is believed to date from around this period. In 1883-1885, the brewery underwent significant reconstruction by John Sloman of the Stogumber Brewery, who renamed it the West Somerset Brewery. Ownership and usage of the site evolved over the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including a period where it was leased out until at least 1913. After the sale of the Old Brewery House, it served as a social club for various electricity boards up until 1975. An Ordnance Survey map from 1968 shows the layout of the remaining brewery buildings, including a long range adjacent to the northern end of the Old Brewery House. Theatre Construction and Development 1975 Building In 1975, the transformation of the site took a significant leap forward when the premises were leased to the Taunton Theatre Trust. This led to the construction of a new theatre alongside the Old Brewery House, which opened its doors in 1977. The design of the new theatre, featuring warm brown bricks and concrete dressings, complemented the historic Old Brewery House, which was repurposed to include a kitchen, bar, restaurant, and meeting rooms. The theatre itself, with a 352-seat auditorium designed with raked tiers and a flexible orchestra pit, represented a blend of modernity and tradition. The building itself was designed by a local architect, Norman Branson, who also designed the Merlin Theatre in Frome. 1996 Expansion The expansion in 1996 further enhanced the theatre's role as a cultural hub, adding a studio theatre, gallery, and arts spaces. This expansion not only enriched the theatre's offerings but also repurposed the Old Brewery House for exhibition space and offices, cementing the site's status as a landmark in Taunton's civic and cultural landscape. References