Royal Exchange Theatre

Like The Globe in the time of Shakespeare, innovations in theatre design can completely alter an audience's experience of dramatic performance. The Royal Exchange, with its gigantic glass-walled auditorium suspended in mid-air from extremely sturdy pillars, is one such innovation. While the design may sound mind-boggling, the three-tiered circular seating structure allows the audience a 360' perspective of the actors, who are never at more than a 9 metre distance, therefore magnifying every movement between stage and seats.
But listen to us wittering on about architecture. In terms of its what goes on in The Royal, there's everything from classic Noel Coward comedy to adaptations of George Orwell. And in an auditorium with entirely transparent sides, audiences can look forward to finding a new meaning to "fourth-wall drama".