Theatres are different

The writer draws on personal experience to suggest that theatres, as a building type, are particularly vulnerable to ill‐advised alteration. He describes the peculiarities of design and construction which distinguish theatres from other types of public buildings and sets out a number of ways in which theatre operation can be damaged or even destroyed by seemingly unimportant interventions. The role of the Theatres Trust in protecting theatres not currently in use as such is detailed and justified, pointing out that many theatres have, in recent years, been returned to their designed use after decades in other employment. The importance, in this context (and having regard to modern theatre economics), of low‐cost reversibility is emphasised. Finally, comments drily on the psychology of theatre operators and theatre purchasers.