Having spent the last four weeks working on design and procurement, the Unusual team entered London's Adelphi Theatre On the 2nd September to commence work on Phase 1 of a major refurbishment project at the venue. Following the load out of Waitress, we began work on stripping out and disposal of the varied existing set below the grid in readiness for a complete replacement of the Fly Tower hemp sets, commencing in mid-November for six weeks.

Our task is to design, supply and install a new front loading 42 set double purchase counterweight system for the theatre. Their existing system is diverse in size and weight and Unusual have been tasked with standardising the whole system. This of course comes with its own set of challenges. The SR wall for example is not flat and the space available between the wall and galleries is extremely small – as is the available wing space on SR. As a result of survey investigations and our design solutions, it became obvious that there was an urgent need to flatten the profile of the SR wall prior to installation of the new system. Having reviewed the structural implications the decision was taken to undertake builders works, and with a very short response time, these works began on the 26th October. Once the wall had been flattened and repainted, installation works scheduled for mid-November can proceed.

This is a long term project with Phases 2 & 3 taking place over the next few years. Phase 1 is vital to the the venue in the short term, as the system needs standardising from an operation point of view and making this item a priority will enable major operational efficiencies. Long term, phase 2 and 3 works will see the entire flytower upgraded – increasing height, depth and capacity throughout.
We consider it an honour to work on historical venues such as the Adelphi, and look forward to the future phases that will ensure the theatre that will continue to welcome audiences and sell-out shows for decades to come.