THE news that Malvern Theatres has got the go-ahead from planners for its proposed £1 million extension, reported on page 3 this week, is undoubtedly good for the town.
The theatre complex has quite rightly been praised as one of the jewels in Malvern’s crown, and it is indeed a major asset, enabling a modestly-sized town to punch way above its weight in the arts world.
New additions to much-loved buildings are always controversial, and it is quite understandable that some will be sad to see the loss of the late-Victorian colonnade and facade.
But Malvern Theatres - before that, the Winter Gardens, and before that, the Assembly Rooms - has been in a state of evolution since it first opened in 1885.
Its upgrade in the 1990s, leading to the creation of the complex as we know it today, including the Forum and the upgraded Festival Theatre, was hugely divisive at the time, but today, does anyone really regret that it happened?
If the new extension is built as planned, it will increase the theatre’s capacity to host youth and community events.
On page 9, we meet Andrew Aherne, who grew up in Malvern and returned this week in his professional capacity as choreographer to the Rocky Horror Show.
How many young people in the future will have their enthusiasm for theatre kindled at the new facilities, and will go on to make a similar contribution to the arts world?
We cannot say, but we can assume that the new facility will make a positive difference in the future.
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