MONTH IN FM
FEBRUARY 2019 49
FMJ.CO.UK
RESTORATION WITHOUT THE DRAMA
- THOMANN-HANRY REVIVE THREE OF
LONDON’S MOST ICONIC THEATRES
Wyndham’s, the Gielgud and the Prince of
Wales… three evocative names, synonymous
with the glamour and prestige of London’s
theatreland, have all recently been restored to
their former glories by Thomann-Hanry. Using
their patented façade gommage technique, the
company wound the clock back over a century
at each of these iconic buildings, revealing their
glorious frontages as they first appeared.
Today, all three theatres are owned and run by
Delfont Mackintosh Theatres. Impressed by the
spectacular results achieved by Thomann-Hanry
at other landmarks such as The Bank of England,
The Ritz - and more than 30 Listed Buildings in
St James’s borough alone – Delfont Mackintosh
appointed Thomann-Hanry to stage similar revivals
at their theatrical landmarks.
Echoing the magic of miraculous scene changes
between acts, each façade clean was completed
with no sca olding, minimal disruption
and, at around a week in each case,
in next to no time. Carried out from a
boom-mounted cabin, this unique process
projects fine particles under compressed
air across the building’s surface, gently
erasing decades of accumulated grime.
Underscoring the system’s impeccable
environmental credentials, powder / dirt
cleaning residues are then e iciently
filtered, collected and recycled.
Occupying
a landmark
corner location in
Coventry Street, Leicester
Square, the Prince of Wales
is actually the oldest of
the three theatres, with
origins dating back to 1884.
However, the current Grade
II Listed structure was built
in the 1930s, designed by
renowned cinema and
theatre architect Robert
Cromie in classic art deco
style. The recent façade
clean, stone restoration and decoration project
carried out by Thomann-Hanry is the first major
restoration work since a £7.5 million refurbishment
in 2003. In just six days, some 1,003 square metres
of reconditioned stone, render and Portland Stone
across two elevations were gently revived and
revealed in their original splendour.
Designed by prolific theatre architect WGR
Sprague, Wyndham’s first opened on 16th
November 1899. Situated on Charing Cross Road,
this magnificent Grade II* Listed building was built
in Modern Renaissance style, with an imposing
free classical Portland Stone frontage. Inside, the
auditorium was constructed on four levels and
decorated in Louis XVI style. Other than a restoration
of its stunning ceiling in the 1970s, much of the
auditorium has been carefully preserved as it was
first built, making it an outstanding exemplar of
Victorian architecture and design. Cleaning three
elevations in just eight days, Thomann-Hanry have
ensured that the elevations of this fine building do
justice to its spectacular historical interior.
Located on Sha esbury Avenue and with 986
seats on three levels, the Gielgud is another WGR
Sprague masterpiece. Having opened as the Hicks
Theatre in 1906, it was renamed the Globe Theatre
in 1909, changing again to its current name in 1994
in honour of Sir John Gielgud, a legendary English
actor whose extraordinary career spanned eight
decades. First refurbished in 1987, the theatre last
underwent an extensive renovation in 2007, when
the exterior was clad in sca olding for months.
In stark contrast, the recent cleaning works by
Thomann-Hanry were completed - sca old-free
- in just eight days, with two elevations and some
1,086 square metres of Portland Stone restored to
their pristine original state with minimal disruption
to theatre goers and passers-by in the heart of
London’s bustling theatreland.
thomann-hanry.co.uk +44 (0) 20 8453 1494 info@thomann-hanry.co.uk
link
/www.thomann-hanry.co.uk