Hall for Cornwall
In October 2021, Hall for Cornwall raised the curtain on its £26 million transformation when it welcomed audiences to the first preview of its world premiere launch production, Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical.
The 175-year-old Grade II* listed former Truro City Hall had been taken back to its bare bones over the last three years and completely rebuilt. It includes the brand new, three-tiered Cornwall Playhouse auditorium with 1,352 seats (300 more
than previously), new bars, cafés and public spaces.
Get Creative, is Hall for Cornwall’s new community, education and youth programme aiming to involve over 50,000 young people across Cornwall in the next five years, and welcoming 10,000 young people of all ages through its doors. A new digital business hub, Husa has offices to let and co-working hot desks aimed at digital businesses and creatives. And its History and Heritage programme will shine a light on the building’s rich history with an online collection of items, memorabilia and stories, with displays and artist commissions telling heritage stories within the theatre itself.
Hall for Cornwall’s first show, Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical, was a brand-new show and the first to be co-produced by the Hall’s in-house production company, Cornwall Playhouse Productions. The musical charts the rise of Port Isaac’s famous sea shanty group from their major record deal signed in 2010, to playing Glastonbury’s iconic Pyramid Stage.
With Hall for Cornwall’s new auditorium having 300 extra seats, it is able to attract larger shows and has already lined up a packed inaugural programme with hit West End musicals, live music, drama, comedy, adventure and shows for all the family. In line with Hall for Cornwall’s drive to make theatre more accessible, tickets for most shows start from £15.
It is projected that the redevelopment will add an extra £35.6 million to Cornwall’s economy and create 165 additional jobs* by 2025/26. * Oxford economics report.
Hall for Cornwall operates as a charity, with all surpluses invested in working with communities and young people, increasing the impact of Cornish creative industries, and creating co-productions with Cornish and national partners.
