YORK Theatre Royal closed its doors less than three weeks ago - but a massive redevelopment is already well under way.

These dramatic pictures show how the old stage has already been obliterated, with stalls seating stripped out to make way for the £4.1 million revamp.

The work will include reconfiguring the stalls and stage to create much better views for audiences, glazing-in the colonnade in St Leonard's Place, creating new and more spacious welcome areas and installing a foyer lift to improve access and provide new seating areas for wheelchair users in the dress circle.

A theatre spokeswoman said that with the project scheduled for completion by December, building contractors Birch had been making rapid progress as well as uncovering some exciting finds from the theatre's past.

Cigarette packets dating back to the early-mid 20th century had been found under the stage, and small clay pipe fragments, pottery, animal bone and glass had also been discovered, she revealed.

"York Archaeological Trust has joined the builders on site excavating underneath the stage and stalls," she said.

"The building is a patchwork quilt of many periods, now being uncovered by the trust. A well hides beneath the stage, 12th century remains of what was once a hospital mingles with the Georgian interior, while the Victorian façade is fused with award winning 1960s poured concrete design."

Ben Reeves, project archaeologist from the trust, said it hoped to find evidence for the use of a medieval close and possibly a medieval lane which was thought to have continued north from Blake Street to Petergate.

"It's an exciting opportunity for us to dig in this part of the city," he said.

"Potentially the excavation will tell us about the development of the theatre, St Leonard's Hospital precinct and the lanes which are thought to converge in the excavation area under the north-east corner of the stage."

The spokeswoman said that the colonnade had also been closed off, as this would soon become part of the interior, and hoardings being put up around the building would soon enable people to peek through purpose-built holes to see how the works were progressing.

She said people who wanted to be a part of the theatre's history could name a seat in the new auditorium, with a plaque remaining on a seat of their choosing for ten years.

York Press:
 The theatre stage, obliterated less than three weeks into the revamp

"These can be paid for in instalments and people have used this opportunity to name a seat in memory of a relative, in dedication of a loved one, or simply to show their appreciation for the longest continuously running theatre in the UK."

* The theatre revealed last month that it was just over £200,000 short of its £4.1 million target. To make a donation, go to www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/donate or donate by texting YTRC15 £5 or YTRC15 £10 to 70070

York Press:
An excavator at work inside York Theatre Royal, where the stage has been demolished and seats torn out as part of a redevelopment costing £4.1 million