COLCHESTER'S MP was given a behind the scenes tour of the "town's cultural crown" ahead of its official reopening following a multi-million pound refurbishment project.

Directors welcomed Will Quince into the Mercury Theatre, in Colchester, last week after its £11.3 million revamp which has taken three years to complete.

The theatre, led by executive director Steve Mannix and executive producer Tracey Childs, have confirmed the venue will reopen next month after two years of closure following the Mercury Rising transformation.

The refurbished venue includes a transformed bigger, brighter foyer space which is open all day with a new café bar, redeveloped main auditorium with additional seats, new rehearsal room, revamped and extended backstage facilities, improved interval experience by doubling the number of loos, and most importantly for the first time the building will be accessible throughout.

The new community space and dance studio is equipped to support the best new talent, and in addition, the company is introducing a ‘bring your own cup policy’ to reduce single-use plastic, as well as increasing the building's energy efficiency with the expansion of LED lighting, converting to renewable electricity and the implementation of solar panels.

Mr Quince said: “It has been brilliant to visit the Mercury Theatre for a tour ahead of the official reopening.

"It is great to see this jewel in Colchester’s cultural crown ready to reopen and looking incredible after a multi-million pound redevelopment.”

The season opens in July with Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville, directed by the company’s Creative Director Ryan McBryde, followed in October by the UK premiere of Merlynn Tong’s Antigone directed by Dawn Walton OBE.

Also launching this season is Mercury Originals, a programme of ground-breaking new plays, showcasing the voices of local writers.

The year concludes with the return of pantomime, Aladdin by Andrew Pollard and directed by McBryde.

To find out more visit, mercurytheatre.co.uk.