Based in Wimbledon, South-West London, Polka Theatre is the UK’s leading theatre for children, producing inspirational theatre and creative experiences for those aged 0 – 13 years old. An Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation, it is housed within Wimbledon’s Holy Trinity Halls and comprises of a 300-seat main auditorium and a 70-seat studio used for early-years performances. It recently completed an £8.5million redevelopment project entitled FUTURE POLKA; the aim of which was to modify and improve the systems within its existing Adventure Theatre space, repurposing this as the Creative Learning Studio, as well as provide a new Adventure Theatre and rehearsal/performance space. Overseeing this refurbishment were Theatre Consultants Charcoalblue and White Light (WL) won the tender to provide the technical support required.

FUTURE POLKA marks the first time that Polka has undergone a major refurbishment in its forty-year history. The upgrade included the creation of the Adventure Theatre, the UK’s first purpose-built ‘Early Years’ theatre, a rehearsal and R&D studio, which would support the PolkaLAB professional development programme, as well as a Creative Learning Studio, which catered to an expanded programme of play-based learning and theatre and has direct access to a new multisensory garden and redeveloped indoor play area-come-foyer.

Charcoalblue provided full technical consultancy expertise for the stagelighting, audiovisual and stage engineering systems throughout the building. A Principal at Charcoalblue, and Team Leader for the Polka project, Jenni Harris, comments: “This was a hugely ambitious project, mainly as all of the spaces had very different briefs. The Adventure Theatre was made for activities aimed at six months to seven-year-old children, with the new technical facilities enabling the productions to reach a higher technical quality, akin to the Polka’s main house productions. The space would be used for up to three performances a day, so needed to be as flexible as possible. With the Rehearsal Studio, this was about providing an extra space for casts to rehearse in, rather than having to outsource. It could also be hired out as a space for private events and children’s parties.

She continues: “As it once stood, the education centre was quite isolated from the main building, situated at the rear of the site in a disconnected annexe. A key element of the brief was to locate the Creative Learning Studio at the heart of the new plans. This space would need to work the hardest of all three; as it was used for classes, workshops, meetings, courses and even performances! It was also required to serve as an overflow for the main foyer space, via the use of tri-folding doors. The main foyer space also needed upgrading as it was intended as a place for interaction between performers and audiences, storytelling, reading, drawing, play, exhibition, and marketing”.

Charcoalblue worked closely with the design team to ensure there would be enough infrastructure, power and structural capacity from which Polka could go on to create its work. To help them fulfil this, WL were appointed as the specialist delivery team, whose on-site team was led by Project Manager Martyn O’Donnell. He explains: “Charcoalblue had provided the design intent so it was our role to then develop and deliver this. As such, we had to work closely with the contractor, architect and venue to ensure we brought this specific vision to life”.

For the Adventure Theatre, the brief was to improve the technical facilities for both the stage lighting and audiovisual systems. Martyn explains: “There are five distributed Production Lighting Facility Panels along with pre-wired Lighting Bars at Balcony Level and at High Level fed by ETC ColorSource Racks. 15 new distributed Audio-Visual Facility Panels ran back to a pair of 36U Equipment Racks containing patching for audio and video equipment, dedicated AV Ethernet, Stage Manager’s Desk and a Cue-Light System. The Audio-Visual Equipment Racks also contains a patching facility for dedicated Stage Lighting DMX Control and Ethernet. There is also a zoned ETC Paradigm Worklight Control System with 7 fixed control panels and a portable pendant control panel. All of this ensured that the standard of equipment matched the new standard of performances being created at Polka, as well as being able to cope with the high volume of shows it would now host”.

The Rehearsal Room sits directly above the Adventure Theatre; WL’s task was, again, to improve the technical facilities for both the stage lighting and audiovisual systems. Martyn explains: “The space has a similar set up to the Adventure Theatre, which included a further five Production Lighting Facility Panels fed by an ETC ColorSource Rack. Audio-Visual Facility Panels run back to 24U Equipment Racks containing patching for audio-visual equipment and dedicated AV Ethernet. There is also an Assisted Listening Induction Loop and the space benefits from a Perimeter Curtain Track, provided by Triple E, as part of the required Stage Engineering”. WL also had to supply a rolling rack to house all of the AV equipment, which could be easily stored away.

For the Creative Learning Studio, WL had to provide the technical infrastructure once again but also ensure all of this was extremely user-friendly, with the equipment being used for the teaching elements of the venue’s Youth Backstage Club.

Alongside this, the team had to upgrade the various other supporting spaces throughout the building, to ensure they were all interconnected and shared a standard of audiovisual infrastructure. This included a shared paging system, ceiling and wall-mounted speakers from Penton and ADS, as well as latecomer screens for any performances.

Jenni states: “As is often the case with many capital projects, the budget was tight and throughout design development there was a series of value engineering exercises which eventually saw the technical systems altered. Working closely with the design team, contractor and WL we are thrilled to have created such an exciting new home for Polka and our next generation of theatre makers.”.

Once the installation was complete, WL’s Sales Team also provided Polka Theatre with a range of loose fittings, which included an EM Acoustics PA system, Epson Projectors, Yamaha Audio Mixing Consoles and various other accessories. The WL Installations team also trained the in-house Polka Team on how to use the equipment and will continue to offer on-going technical support.

Martyn concludes: “It’s been fantastic to work at a venue that is not only literally up the road from WL but allowed us to oversee the transformation of these brand-new, state-of-the-art spaces. When Polka reopens, it will essentially be a new theatre and we cannot wait for audiences and visitors to make the most out of these amazing facilities”.

The post It’s Child’s Play for WL at Wimbledon’s Polka Theatre appeared first on White Light.