The Ashcroft Theatre

Named after Croydon-born Dame Peggy Ashcroft, the Ashcroft is a proscenium theatre with a stepped auditorium, giving excellent sightlines.

As well as receiving weekly touring productions of drama, musicals, ballet and opera, the theatre also stages children's shows, particularly during holiday periods, one-night events, concerts and films, conferences, product launches and award ceremonies for such companies as Nestle UK Ltd, Kingston Polytechnic and The International Light Rail Conference.

As a purpose-built, professional, working theatre, the Ashcroft offers high quality facilities for all kinds of corporate events - from a product launch to an awards ceremony, with a dedicated staff who are experienced in delivering client's requirements with both maximum efficiency and minimum fuss.

The Ashcroft stage is equipped with 30 counterweight flying lines and a 12 metre grid. There is a large scenedock with 6 metre high shutters which allow access straight from the yard to the stage. The fore stage in front of the proscenium is electrically operated, and can be at stage level, auditorium level, or lowered further as an orchestra pit.

The theatre can provide up to a 3.5Kw PA system, with up to 2Kw of foldback backstage. 2 stereo compressor limiters, 2 quad gates, 10 channels of graphic, 2 1 in 3 out delays, CD, minidisk, cassette, 4 Revox and a selection of mixers complete the sound facilities, offering systems to suit any event or performance at any budget. Please ask for details and prices.

As far as lighting is concerned, in addition to the 200+ lantern stock available for hire, the theatre offers a Strand Palette 90 Board with Strand EC90 digital dimmers driving 156 circuits. Capable of controlling intelligent units, this board can easily control 500 circuits and run over 500 cues.

A large screen gives full Cinemascope and standard film format, complete with Dolby stereo and Surround Sound.

Full communications and cueing systems (including CCTV), which can be adapted to support most variations, make even the most complex audio visual presentation simple to co-ordinate.

There are 8 comfortable dressing rooms (most with en-suite facilities), as well as a company office with telephone.

An infra-red system provides facilities for the hearing impaired, and there are spaces for 4 wheelchair users at the rear of the upper stalls.

The size of the auditorium can be reduced by screening-off the upper stalls.

Seating capacity: 749 with sound desk in auditorium.