In June 2016, a unique new building was completed in the three-hectare landscaped gardens of the Entente Cordiale cultural centre near the fishing port of Boulogne-sur-Mer. The round, wooden building is the first theatre in France designed on the Elizabethan model and is similar in size to London’s 1587 Rose Theatre.
While the English original was notable for its multi-sided, simple, basic form in timber and an internal, open courtyard with a surrounding pitched roof, the newly opened theatre shows some unusual touches in its appearance: behind a circular bamboo curtain lies an additive composition of cylindrical spaces of differing heights.
The inconspicuous entrance leads via a small foyer directly to the centrally located theatre hall. This auditorium will also host other events, such as conferences and operas. The stalls and two other tiers of seating can accommodate up to 388 spectators. The band of windows in profiled glass towards the top of the walls admits ample natural light. (Laurent Mouly, Grégoire Mouly)
While the English original was notable for its multi-sided, simple, basic form in timber and an internal, open courtyard with a surrounding pitched roof, the newly opened theatre shows some unusual touches in its appearance: behind a circular bamboo curtain lies an additive composition of cylindrical spaces of differing heights.
The inconspicuous entrance leads via a small foyer directly to the centrally located theatre hall. This auditorium will also host other events, such as conferences and operas. The stalls and two other tiers of seating can accommodate up to 388 spectators. The band of windows in profiled glass towards the top of the walls admits ample natural light. (Laurent Mouly, Grégoire Mouly)