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The Backstage Centre

Located at High House Production Park in Purfleet, Essex

The Backstage Centre sits within the Thames Estuary Production Corridor just 11 miles from London City Airport. This is a unique venue where industry and education come together. Purpose-built to support the needs of the creative and technical industries, the Centre offers a range of high-quality, flexible spaces suitable for production, rehearsal, training and events.

Content venue hire the backstage centre

With an educational presence in skills development and workforce training, The Backstage Centre provides an environment that not only meets the demands of professional production, but also supports the next generation of talent. Whether you are mounting a large-scale production, developing new work, delivering specialist training or seeking a professional space to collaborate, the Centre offers the facilities, expertise and location to make it happen.

Now open for commercial bookings, the Backstage Centre invites industry partners, production companies, educators and creative organisations to take advantage of its exceptional spaces and become part of a growing hub for innovation, skills and production on the Thames Estuary.

Production & Rehearsal Spaces

  • Large sound stage (875m²) with 15m grid height and high load capacity
  • Fully soundproofed, temperature-controlled environment for large-scale productions
  • Additional rehearsal and production spaces for theatre, TV, film and live events

Studios & Creative Spaces

  • Recording studio with professional-grade equipment and acoustic design
  • Dedicated live room / band rehearsal space
  • Fully equipped dance studio (sprung floor)

Production Support Areas

  • Green room and dressing rooms
  • Production offices and meeting rooms
  • Technical workshops and prop-making / rigging spaces
  • Training rooms
  • Laundry and backstage support areas

Training & Education Facilities

  • Technical training spaces and classrooms for industry skills development
  • Flexible teaching and workshop environments
  • Integrated industry-standard learning environments supporting live production training

Venue & Event Facilities

  • Conference and event spaces / meeting rooms
  • Capacity for large productions and events
  • Catering facilities

Technical Infrastructure

  • High-capacity power supply and rigging infrastructure
  • Integrated AV, comms, and production connectivity
  • Loading access with dock doors and vehicle access

On-Site Amenities

  • On-site parking (approx. 150 spaces)
  • 24-hour access and security
  • Wi-Fi throughout the building
  • Accessible facilities (disabled access, lifts, toilets) 
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University College South Essex (UCSE) courses and training at The Backstage Centre

Alongside commercial hire, the Backstage Centre is also home to specialist education and skills development in technical theatre, live events and production. Students learn in a professional environment that reflects real industry practice.

If you are interested in studying here, exploring progression routes or finding out more about university-level opportunities, visit our course pages or contact the team for advice.

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Costume Construction BA (Hons)

Study our outstanding Costume Construction degree in collaboration with the Royal Opera and Ballet. This course places an emphasis on the knowledge and use of both historical and current pattern cutting construction print and finishing techniques. 

Find out more about the Costume Construction course
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BA (Hons) Hair and Makeup Design for Production

This study programme is designed to advance and develop skills and techniques in the design and application for production. This programme aims to prepare students to become multiskilled makeup artists who will be able to deliver industry standard work in a commercial or production setting for TV film & stage.

Find out more about the Hair and Makeup Design for Production course

Contact the right team

To help you get a faster response, please contact the relevant team below.

Commercial hire, production, rehearsal and event enquiries

For venue hire, rehearsal space, production activity, workshops, technical use and commercial bookings.

Contact: Emily Balls
Email the commercial team

Course and University Centre South Essex enquiries

For courses, student opportunities, progression routes and Higher Education enquiries linked to the Backstage Centre.

Contact: John Chandler
Email the course enquiries team

Location

Content venue hire the backstage centre

The Backstage Centre

Specialist production and performance facility offering state-of-the-art industry environments and real work-based learning opportunities.

High House Production Park, Vellacott Close, Purfleet-on-Thames, Essex, RM19 1RJ

020 3668 5753

Get directions

A professional production environment

At the heart of The Backstage Centre is an impressive 875m² sound stage, providing a large, flexible and fully soundproofed environment for production, rehearsal, filming and live events.

The stage measures approximately 35 metres by 25 metres, with a 15-metre height to the underside of the grid. It has extensive technical infrastructure, high-load capacity and direct access to backstage areas, technical workshops, the green room, production offices and recording studio.

The stage can accommodate large-scale productions and provides students with valuable experience of working with the type of technical equipment and systems they may encounter in the professional industry.

Sound Stage

  • 875m² soundproofed production space
  • 15-metre high technical grid
  • Extensive rigging and flying facilities
  • Stage lighting and technical power
  • Audio, video, DMX, Ethernet and communications infrastructure
  • Counterweight and hemp flying systems
  • Chain hoists and travelling beams
  • Performer flying equipment
  • Space for production vehicles and trailers
  • Direct access to workshops, backstage areas and production support facilities

Dance Studio

Our dedicated dance studio provides a flexible space for movement, choreography and rehearsal.

The studio can accommodate up to 24 performers and features a sprung dance floor, ballet barres, mirrored walls and blackout curtains. It can also be reconfigured as a presentation or teaching space for up to 50 people.

The studio includes:

  • Sprung dance floor
  • Ballet barres
  • Mirrored wall
  • Suspended technical grid
  • Blackout curtains
  • Audio and visual connections
  • Flexible layout for teaching, workshops and presentations

Recording Studio

The Backstage Centre includes a professional recording studio equipped with industry-standard equipment and designed to support recording, sound design and audio production.

The studio was developed with professional production in mind and includes a 48-channel recording setup, Pro Tools HDX and professional monitoring and outboard equipment.

Alongside the main recording studio is a dedicated live room and band rehearsal space, providing an environment suitable for music, ensemble and recording work.

The rehearsal room is large enough to accommodate a full orchestra, making it suitable for a wide range of musical and performance activity.

The Grid

The Backstage Centre's technical grid has been designed to replicate different types of systems found in major performance venues.

This gives students the opportunity to develop practical rigging and stage engineering skills using equipment and configurations that reflect professional working environments.

The facility incorporates counterweight, hemp and tension-wire grid systems, providing experience across different approaches to stage flying and rigging.

Technical workshops and production spaces

Practical, hands-on learning is at the centre of The Backstage Centre.

The facilities include technical workshops and dedicated areas for prop making, rigging and production preparation. There are also CAD facilities where students can develop skills in technical design, lighting, stage design and programming.

These facilities allow students to take ideas from the classroom into practical production environments, developing the technical skills, problem-solving abilities and professional behaviours required by the creative industries.

Green room and dressing rooms

Professional productions require much more than a stage.

The Backstage Centre includes dedicated dressing rooms and a green room, providing essential backstage facilities for performers, production teams and events.

These spaces also provide students with experience of the backstage environment and the operational requirements of live production.

Production offices and meeting spaces

The Centre provides production offices, meeting rooms, seminar rooms and classrooms to support both professional activity and teaching.

Flexible learning spaces are equipped with audio-visual technology and can be adapted for teaching, meetings, workshops, presentations and industry events.

Training and education facilities

The Backstage Centre is designed to bring education and industry together.

Students can learn technical and creative skills in an environment built around the requirements of professional production. Facilities support areas including theatre, live events, technical production, sound, music, performance and creative technologies.

This means that learning is not confined to a traditional classroom. Students can work with professional equipment, develop practical skills and gain experience of the processes and standards expected within the creative industries.

Production support facilities

A range of additional facilities supports productions and events at the Centre, including:

  • Production offices
  • Meeting rooms
  • Dressing rooms
  • Green room
  • Technical workshops
  • Prop-making facilities
  • Rigging areas
  • Laundry and backstage support facilities
  • Loading and production areas
  • On-site parking
  • Secure production facilities
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Learn where the industry works

One of the biggest advantages of studying at The Backstage Centre is its location within High House Production Park.

The site is home to the Royal Opera House's Bob and Tamar Manoukian Production Workshop and Costume Centre, alongside creative studios and other organisations working within the creative industries.

The Backstage Centre itself has been used by artists, theatre companies and production organisations for rehearsals, filming and other professional activity. This creates an environment where education and industry can exist side by side.

For students, that means learning in a setting where the skills they are developing are being used professionally around them.

The Royal Opera House's Bob and Tamar Manoukian Production Workshop and Costume Centre

Your future starts backstage

Whether you're interested in theatre, live events, music, technical production, sound, performance or the wider creative industries, The Backstage Centre provides the facilities and environment to help you turn your interests into practical skills.

Learn from industry. Work with professional equipment. Build the skills for your future.

THK GEN 0326 024

Our Courses

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University Centre South Essex

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The Backstage Centre

The Bob and Tamar Manoukian Costume Centre

The Bob and Tamar Manoukian Costume Centre, built in partnership with the Royal Opera House, hosts the College’s BA (Hons) Costume Construction degree. This unique programme gives students the opportunity to work alongside professionals from one of the most prestigious theatres in the world. Free parking is available on site.