Solihull theatre to reopen following RAAC closure

Solihull’s Core Theatre will reopen next month, 20 months after it was closed when reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was discovered in the building.

Remediation works to the roof and 336-seat auditorium have since taken place, with upgrades to the building’s studio space have also been completed.

The theatre’s first performance back will be a fundraising variety programme of events titled We are Solihull, to be hosted by Solihull Mayor Shanin Ashraf on 4 May. A statement from the theatre says a calendar of events will follow featuring theatre, musicals, film, comedy and tribute acts.

During the theatre’s closure, performances were rescheduled, relocated or cancelled. Solihull Council, which owns the theatre, secured a partnership with Bromsgrove-based arts venue Artrix as an alternative venue for a number of shows between September 2023 and March 2024, with 18,000 tickets sold across 86 shows.

The theatre also took to the road, hosting cultural events in libraries, and 44 free events as part of Fresh Air Theatre cultural festival last summer, which attracted 11,000 visitors.

As of October last year, a number of theatres affected by RAAC had yet to announce plans to reopen.