Yvonne Arnaud Play Your Part campaign

Karen Neville

Renovation work at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre is now in full swing developing the much-loved theatre as a cultural hub

This year the Yvonne Arnaud turns 60. Help the theatre be there for future generations by supporting the Play Your Part campaign to ensure it meets the needs of the community for the next 60 years. 

The theatre is building new multi-purpose spaces for wider community and artistic benefit providing an artistic resource and a safe space for many communities to participate in the thrill and delight of live theatre and arts activities, enabling people of all ages to come together, whether they choose to see a play, take part in a workshop or event, or meet a friend for coffee.  

The project will: 

• Improve accessibility throughout the front of house areas including the provision of a lift to all floors. New accessible toilets have already been added. 

• Create a multipurpose accessible community room for engagement activities, events, rehearsals and workshops.  

• Remodel the theatre’s public spaces to make them fit-for-purpose to meet the growing demand for these areas.   

• Improve its environmental sustainability by replacing outdated electrical and mechanical services with energy efficient alternative.  

In June 2023 the theatre received £3m from Surrey County Council’s Your Fund Surrey which added to the £2.28m raised to date. The theatre still needs to generate a further £715,000 in order to complete the planned works and asks you to please consider donating to help the theatre reach its target.  

Work is due for completion in the summer, the theatre’s 60th anniversary year. To celebrate, the Yvonne Arnaud and Guildford Shakespeare Company have partnered for two ambitious and exciting productions running from 10th to 26th July: The Comedy of Errors and A Company of Rascals. Performed simultaneously on both the Main Stage and in promenade around the theatre, inside and out, this will be an unmissable theatrical event for the town. 

The theatre will remain open this spring and summer whilst most of the work is done and has devised a building programme that still brings you the best in drama, comedy, family shows and entertainment. The new Riverbank Kitchen at the rear of the ground floor has now come to life and is open Tuesdays to Saturdays for delicious homemade cakes, light bites and lunches.