Details for The Crucible Theatre

Opened in 1971, the 980-seat Crucible auditorium was designed by Tanya Moiseiwitsch. The Crucible is the main producing venue in the Sheffield Theatres complex, but also receives some touring work as well as hosting the annual World Snooker Championships.

The performance area is a thrust stage which extends into the auditorium, enabling the audience to watch the action on three sides. No member of the audience is ever further than 22 metres from the stage. This versatile space can be adapted by adding a false wall to reduce the capacity or change the playing angle, creating a more intimate atmosphere whilst allowing the production itself to remain large-scale.

The nature of the stage means that productions in the Crucible tend to use minimal scenery so as not to block sightlines, preferring instead to concentrate on attention to detail in props and costumes - vital when the audience is so close to the stage.