About Barbican Theatre
This theatre is a part of a complex featuring exhibition halls, educational institutions, cinemas and, of course, the theatre. This venue is the largest multi-arts and conference location in Europe. This theatre rose from the ruins of bombings in late 1940. The land lay largely unused until plans to build a complex of a concert hall, three cinemas, a studio theatre and library came to fruition in 1982.
This theatre has a unique design which allows that no seat is located more than 65 feet from the stage.
Located only 250 metres from the Barbican/Moorgate tube station, the theatre is easy to find, even if you are from out of town.
Queen Elizabeth opened the Barbican in 1982. The theatre allows for seating for 1166 persons. Cosmetic improvements in the 1990s helped to beautify the area. There were acoustic changes made in 1994 to control echoes and sound absorption.
The Royal Shakespeare Company considered the Barbican to be its home until 2002. Because of some poor seasons, the company decided to apply itself more to touring shows and is not officially connected to the Barbican at this time. The theatre was the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company for at least six months of the year from 1996 onward until they left Barbican Theatre. Now, the theatre has twelve months of international theatre.
Barbican seats up to 1168 persons on its four levels.