Embodying a host of new techniques and technologies, it was uncompromisingly designed to create "the best place in the world to perform Shakespeare," in the words of artistic director Michael Boyd.
Members of the technical team behind the Transformation will present a specially made video showing the new building and its many facilities, explain the thought processes behind the design and discuss its implementation and what it will provide for actors, directors and designers alike.
One of the presenters is RSC's head of sound, Jeremy Dunn, who says: "One of the great things about the new RST building is its horseshoe shape, which creates a lot of early reflections within it, which is great for voices. That enables us to create a louder and more interesting ambience and atmospherics with what you might call soundscapes, that can hopefully help to tell the story of Shakespeare and enhance the performance of the actors without getting in the way of the words."
Other radical thinking went into the new theatre's staging, hoist and lighting systems, with pods of moving lights replacing traditional fly bars, stabilised by the RSC's own PLASA Award-winning Lightlock device.
Hear about all these and more in this unique free presentation, exclusive to registered PLASA Focus visitors at 11.30am-12.30pm on Tuesday, 19 April in the Bury Theatre at PLASA Focus: Leeds 2011.
