The Spread Eagle Theatre

The Spread Eagle Theatre is a small studio theatre with fifty seats. It sits above the Spread Eagle pub in Croydon, south London. The space opened in October 2013 after the Warehouse Theatre closed the year before. It was created by converting the pub’s upstairs function room into a theatre. The theatre’s name comes from the pub beneath it. It has become a local cultural landmark since opening. The theatre plays an active role in Croydon’s arts scene. It supported the campaign to save the David Lean Cinema nearby, which later reopened as an arthouse cinema. The Spread Eagle works closely with its sister venue, the Old Joint Stock Theatre in Birmingham. Together they stage co-productions with professional theatre companies. Both venues focus on ‘big plays for small spaces’ and developing new writing. Visitors climb stairs from the pub to reach the theatre. The intimate space seats fifty in a single block of raked seating. The stage is small but flexible, allowing different staging styles. The walls are lined with warm wood panelling that complements the pub below. The theatre’s atmosphere is relaxed yet professional, drawing local audiences and touring companies alike.