Opening for business at the end of the month, Arches Lane Theatre is the new name for the former Turbine, and I enjoyed visiting recently for a tour and a chat with the new management, Leo Bacica and Sharon Willems of Kibo Productions.
Adding a big sister venue to the current operation at Barons Court Theatre wasn’t planned. That small venue, in the basement of the Curtains Up pub, was itself threatened by closure last year, but thanks to public support and a generous donation from actor David Jason, it has now had a revamp.
The Turbine closed in November 2024 after 5 years, as artistic director Paul Taylor-Mills chose to concentrate on The Other Palace in Victoria. When we visited, a lot of the old theatre was in evidence, including the set of an old production.
Leo is Executive Director and Sharon is Artistic Director of Kibo Productions and both theatres. Arches Lane is the setting for some big plans, including working with the Battersea community and opening the building during the day.
When we visited, a company was in the auditorium rehearsing, and a few members of the public wandered into the bar to ask about theatre plans. The Turbine management have left fixtures and fittings behind: as they hired stage lighting that’s the only thing Kibo need to immediately replace.
Behind the scenes there is a kitchen, dressing room facilities, and storage space. Out front the auditorium is twice the capacity of Barons Court, and can be configured in different ways.
The Reboot Festival of short pieces of new writing is moving here from Barons Court. Upstairs, in the underused social space, group activities are planned and perhaps performances. The idea is to make Arches Lane Theatre a destination day and night.
Watch a chat with Sharon and Leo to find out about their vision for the new venue:
