Peter’s global success


As part of the 2012 World Shakespeare Festival, the Globe Theatre in London has been hosting performances of Shakespeare’s 37 plays performed in 37 different languages. In the words of director Tom Bird, the ‘Globe to Globe’ festival ‘brought together artists from all over the globe, to enjoy speaking these plays in their own language, in our Globe, within the architecture Shakespeare wrote for.’ Indeed, since its royal opening in 1997, the new Globe Theatre has become a highly successful performance space and one of London’s leading tourist attractions. And one of the people who can take some of the credit for this, is former Sibford scholar Peter McCurdy ...


I enjoyed many aspects of my time at Sibford in particular playing many different sports on the wonderful playing fields,” he says. “I also remember the great fun


P


we had taking part in the school productions like the Pirates of Penzance. Although I was never someone with any desire to get on stage at school, I did play the role of Major Tarver in the production of Dandy Dick. I have, however, subsequently found myself much happier designing and building theatres and stages rather than performing on them!” After leaving school in 1967


Peter went on to train in architecture and cabinet making, and, in 1977, began working on the repair of historic timber frames, completing a number of buildings for Open Air Museums and subsequently specialising in historic reconstructions of timber framed buildings.


Since 1979 he has been founding


director and lead consultant with McCurdy & Co, based near


eter McCurdy joined Sibford School in 1962. “Looking back


Peter McCurdy (in the centre on the top tier) and the team on site at the Globe


Reading in Berkshire, and for nearly a decade the firm was closely involved in the authentic reconstruction of Shakespeare’s original ‘wooden O’ as the Globe was affectionately known. “The building of the Globe was the vision of film director and actor Sam Wanamaker,” explained Peter. “Sam had seen us at work on the reconstruction of Barley Hall, a 14th century timber framed building in the centre of York and asked if we could assist with the Globe … obviously we said ‘yes’!” As there were no building


records in existence, Peter and his team had to rely on historic reference material. Peter’s own knowledge of carpentry methodology of the period and analysis of the relevant contemporary buildings helped determine the overall design. “One of the greatest challenges


was resolving the design for the complex stage and ‘tiring house’,” said Peter. “We spent six months surveying timber structures to find historic precedents and also sourcing suitable oak trees from which to shape the 28 foot columns and


cross beam supporting the 16 tonne ‘pentice’ roof. In keeping with tradition, the fabrication of the oak frame was carried out off site at our own workshops in Berkshire. The jointed, shaped and fabricated timbers were then transported to site for erection.” Peter’s contribution to the


overall project was greatly appreciated. Speaking earlier in the year on BBC Radio 4’s ‘The Reunion’, Jon Greenfield, architect on the Globe project, said: “If being an architect is like being an artistic director, finding Peter McCurdy is like finding your best actor ever. Somebody who’s coming in with all the skills, all the knowledge and all the craft.” Recently Peter and the team


have been appointed as the timber specialists to build a reconstruction of an indoor Jacobean theatre, including carrying out associated historical research and design. This historic reconstruction is being built by McCurdy & Co on the site in London next to the Globe Theatre and will provide Shakespeare’s Globe with an indoor playing space for their winter season.


The Sibfordian / 45


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