Rose Theatre - Kingston

'The real hero of the evening is the Rose itself. Modelled on the 1587 theatre on Bankside, where Shakespeare's early plays were first seen, it's an unpretentiously excellent space, which can seat 900 people round a lozenge-shaped stage that allows closeness as well as airiness. Some audience members sit (for £7) on cushions directly in front of the stage, where they look as if they're being a told a story by the fireside.' The Guardian

'The new Rose, seating 900, an imposing but welcoming space. The seating is comfortable, the acoustic excellent. The stage, not square and thrust, but wide and curved' - Sunday Times

'The Rose in Kingston upon Thames is a wonder. The curved foyers are instantly pleasing, like a snug ship with steel staircases and wood floors. The roofed-in auditorium is horseshoe-shaped with a surprisingly wide and gently curving thrust stage.' The Independent on Sunday

'The theatre, which has been doggedly championed by Sir Peter Hall, is a palpable hit. Based on the layout of the Elizabethan Rose Theatre, with a horseshoe-shaped auditorium surrounding an unexpectedly wide and shallow stage, it seats an audience of 900 in comfort and close proximity to the performers' The Daily Telegraph

The theatre itself fulfils every promise Hall made when showing us its shell three years ago. The stage is a wide, shallow lozenge shape and the space feels far more intimate than its size would suggest: When actors here deliver soliloquies standing downstage centre, straight out to the audience, the impression is not that they are orating but simply sharing their thoughts with us.' Financial Times