JERSEY Opera House will reopen later this year as originally planned even if the company behind it cannot raise the £1.5 million it says it needs to upgrade the dated technology needed to host West End shows.
Jersey Opera House Ltd’s Andy Eagle (pictured, below) says that some of the technology in the refurbished building, which has undergone a £12.7m upgrade since closing during the Covid pandemic, dates back more than 30 years and is not up-to-date enough for stage plays or musicals.
But Mr Eagle said that even without the extra cash – which, as the JEP revealed two weeks ago, the Economic Development Department has declined to provide – the building could host comedians, choirs, classical music and the Jersey Eisteddfod. He expects the theatre to open this autumn.
Jersey Opera House Ltd has still not signed a lease for the building, although Mr Eagle told the JEP that the company was ready to do so.
“We are ready to sign the drafts we have seen. They are board-approved and we could do so today, assuming they haven’t been amended,” he said.
An anonymous source told the JEP that the reasons for the delay were due to internal wrangling between Economic Development and Property Holdings over how much money would be set aside for maintenance each year. The government has not responded to a request for comment.
Speaking about the technology available at the Opera House, Mr Eagle said: “Some of it is functional but is limited. Elements, such as a prompt desk, are missing.”
As a result, he said that productions which needed to change scenery or sets often and required performers to be notified from the dressing room during a performance could not be held at the theatre. Mr Eagle said that despite these shortcomings, he hoped that the Opera House would have a “diverse programme” of acts.
He added that if the company could raise the money, the upgrades “would not take long” and he expected to be able to start booking acts for 2026.
Last week, Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham and Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan claimed the technical upgrades were not essential and urged JOH Ltd to open the theatre.
“I understand that shows could take place today on the stage, but I understand the aspirations for enhanced systems for lighting and for staging, which weren’t part of the project that was given to [Jersey] Property Holdings,” Mr Jehan said.
Deputy Farnham added: “I do not agree that the Opera House cannot open without some extra technology. It can open. And they should get themselves open.
“There’s a big investment, and they should start putting shows on.”
