- Turbine Theatre in Battersea to Close After Five Years
- Closure blamed on lack of investment and philanthropy
- Final production to run until December 22
The Turbine Theatre, a 92-seat venue located in Battersea Power Station, has announced its closure after a successful five-year run. Citing a theatre landscape lacking “serious investment and philanthropy,” artistic director Paul Taylor-Mills made the announcement, expressing pride in the theatre’s achievements.
“My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?)” and “I Wish You Well,” a Gwyneth Paltrow comedy musical, are among the notable productions that originated at The Turbine Theatre before transferring to the West End.
Taylor-Mills reflected on the theatre’s humble beginnings, saying, “Just over six years ago, I walked into an empty railway arch at The Battersea Power Station. It was leaking, there was no dressing room, no bar – a few fold-out chairs. With an equal mixture of excitement and fear, we created a theatre.”
He acknowledged the shifting landscape of theatre production, stating, “Without serious investment and philanthropy, a 92-seat space just can’t work, and it’s time for me to focus my efforts elsewhere.”
The Turbine Theatre has been a labor of love, according to Taylor-Mills. “It shouldn’t have worked. But it did, and I’m so incredibly proud of the lives it’s changed and the dreams it’s made come true.”
The venue will stage its final production this Christmas, concluding on December 22.
The closure announcement follows concerns raised by arts union Equity regarding employment practices at the theatre. Equity spokesperson stated, “A number of Equity members have come forward with concerns, which the union is providing support on. We hope to resolve the issues constructively with The Turbine Theatre and Paul Taylor-Mills.”
Taylor-Mills, also artistic director of The Other Palace, has not responded to Equity’s comments.
