Shakespeare North puts historic stage backdrop on show
- Catherine Jones
- May 19
- 1 min read
Visitors to Shakespeare North Playhouse are being offered a close-up view of an elaborate backdrop for the venue’s main stage.
The Frons Scenae, based on a 400-year-old design inspired by ancient Roman theatre architecture, is on display in the Prescot theatre’s ground floor gallery space.
It was created specially for the Cockpit Theatre to act as a backdrop when the theatre-in-the-round is working in an 'end-on' performance configuration, and was installed in the summer of 2023 for Shakespeare North’s production of Macbeth.
In the same year, the venue - which opened in July 2022 - won Theatre Building of the Year at The Stage Awards.
The Frons Scenae is one of only two in the UK, the other being in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.
It was crafted by a team of skilled artisans, designers, and architects, and erected by timber frame specialists McCurdy & Co who built both the Cockpit space at Shakespeare North and the Globe in London.
The architectural feature is on show during Shakespeare North opening hours apart from when special events and activities are taking place in the gallery.
Top: The left side of the Frons Scenae which is on show in the gallery space at Shakespeare North Playhouse.