HRH The Earl of Wessex visits the Marlowe Theatre under construction

His Royal Highness Prince Edward The Earl of Wessex, visited the Marlowe Theatre construction site to see for himself progress on the delivery of this remarkable cultural building.

The Earl of Wessex who is Patron of the Marlowe Theatre was escorted by Keith Williams along with Peter Williams, Chairman of the Marlowe’s fundraising campaign, Janice McGuinness Head of Culture & Enterprise at Canterbury City Council, and Colin Farmiloe of contractors ISG Jackson. Prince Edward praised the efforts and enthusiasm of the project team for the work that they are doing to ensure the building programme is on schedule to open in the autumn of this year, and made a particular point of speaking to as many members of the actual construction workforce on the site as possible, whose job in the end it is the actually build the project.

Marlowe Construction Facts

• 1,040 tonnes of concrete were used in the new building together with 550 tonnes of steel
• It has more than 372,000 metres (230 miles) of electric cabling which is the distance from Canterbury to Liverpool
• Each stone column weighs more than 4 tonnes.
• 1,700 contractors worked on the site during construction
• The auditorium has 1,200 seats, none of which is further than 25m from the stage
• A maximum of 12 permanent wheelchair positions in main auditorium
• The orchestra pit is big enough for 80 musicians
• The Studio has fully retractable seating and accommodate up to 150 seated, or 300 in standing room format.
• The highest part of the theatre is the same height as the nave of the city’s Cathedral roof