It was reported widely this week that the producer and theatre owner Cameron Mackintosh will be making big changes to the Ambassadors Theatre in the West End. Unless you are a devotee of Tap Dogs or Stomp, it's unlikely that many young theatre-goers will have any idea of what the Ambassadors is actually like inside. In fact, I only went in there for the first time last year for a show as part of the London Cabaret Festival and I was utterly surprised at how small it actually was. Three full coaches and you would probably have to put the All Seats Sold sign up!
Mackintosh's plan is to create a modern space with between 450 - 475 seats, able to house smaller shows in transfer from the subsidised sector. Runs would last 8 - 16 weeks only. It's a bold, philanthropic move and the plans are in the process of completion before they are handed over to be approved by Westminster authorities.
I, like many other theatre people are welcoming this move as a valuable step forward both practically and artistically. I do however have one gripe and that is the intended name for the converted space. Mackintosh plans to call it The Stephen Sondheim Theatre. As much as I admire Sondheim, I am not sure it is particularly appropriate to name a British theatre after a living, American composer. There are plenty of British musical theatre names, which would lend themselves admirably to the space - Vivian Ellis, Sandy Wilson or Lionel Bart for instance - I particularly like the idea of The Lionel Bart Theatre. Or if it has to be a living giant of the musical theatre stage, why not The Don Black?
In the end, I suppose it's up to Cameron Mackintosh to decide and lets face it, in 50 years time we are bound to be heading - quite rightly - for opening nights at The Cameron Mackintosh and The Lloyd Webber, but that is the future. All I am saying, is that there was a British musical theatre before Sondheim came along so let's commemorate that with this new space.
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