First glimpse inside the new look York Theatre Royal

When York Theatre Royal began a £6m restoration project it was prepared for the inevitable glitches and delays which come with any major building project. What nobody banked on was the discovery of an ancient cobbled street and medieval well beneath the main stage.

As a team from York Archaeological Trust moved into the theatre, which is built on the site of the medieval St Leonard’s Hospital, the architects, builders and engineers had no choice but to down tools and plans to reopen in time for last Christmas were shelved.

However, five months late the curtain has finally gone up on the newly restored theatre, which dates back to 1744 and which is the oldest producing house outside of London. At yesterday’s sneak preview there was still the odd workman, paintbrush in hand, but the main work on improving both the foyer and auditorium is now complete.

“When you shut a theatre that hasn’t been closed in 270 years you know that there is a lot at stake,” said lead architect Angus Morrogh-Ryan, from De Matos Ryan Architects. “When you’re dealing with a building which is part medieval, part Georgian, part Victorian and part 1960s there is even more that could go wrong. But we have got there and having spent so much time underneath the stage, ankle deep in soil deposits discussing what could and couldn’t be touched, it’s just nice to see the project has finally all come together.”

Unlike York’s famous Coppergate dig in the 1980s which uncovered thousands of Viking artefacts, the archaeological work at the theatre didn’t reveal any headline-grabbing items. However, the soil samples and pottery shards are now being analysed and will help build up a picture of the city’s past.

“We knew that the theatre had been built on the ruins of the hospital, which in the 13th century was the largest in all of England, but until we could get underneath the stage we had no idea exactly what we would find,” said Ben Reeves, project officer at York Archaeological Trust. “We know that it’s not easy having archaeologists under your feet, but this is the first chance we have had to look properly at this corner of York.

“When the hospital closed in the 16th century, it became the site of the Royal Mint and as part of our work we found evidence of silver refining, which is exceptionally rare. What we would really like to do is to bring some of what we found back into the theatre to help tell the story of its past.”

For now though, the emphasis is on getting the venue back in business. York Theatre Royal will open to the public next week with the world stage premiere of Evelyn Waugh’s classic novel Brideshead Revisited and the changes to the stage area will mean it can attract a wider range of companies.

“Previously we had a sloping, raked stage,” said the theatre’s chief executive Liz Wilson. “That wasn’t good for dance companies and there is an old story that we were often the last venue on any tour because they knew they would have to adapt their set when they came here.

“This season will see a performance from Birmingham Royal Ballet and going forward it will give us more options when it comes to putting together our programme.

“The cast of Brideshead Revisited are currently rehearsing in London with our artistic director Damian Cruden. We thought it best they were away from the work, but the production opens next Friday and whatever finishing touches still need doing then, the show as they say, will go on.”