Artwork
Nottingham Playhouse
Nottingham Playhouse is a watercolor work on paper by the Contemporary Realist artist Peter Rice. It dates from 1984 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
This watercolor shows the Nottingham Playhouse, a theatre building. It was painted in 1984 by Peter Rice, who worked in stage design. The picture was given to Richard Digby Day when he left his job as artistic director.
Peter Rice worked at the Playhouse for years. He started in 1964 and gave this painting to Day in 1984.
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Overview
Created in 1984, this watercolour depicts the façade of the Nottingham Playhouse, a modernist theatre in England. The work was produced by Peter Rice, a noted stage designer, and presented as a parting gift to the outgoing artistic director, Richard Digby Day. It records the building’s distinctive architecture shortly after its opening.
Subject & Meaning
The painting focuses on the exterior of the Playhouse, emphasizing its geometric massing and the interplay of light across its surfaces. By capturing the theatre at a moment of transition, coinciding with Day’s departure, the image subtly reflects both the institution’s physical presence and its evolving artistic leadership.
Technique & Style
Executed in transparent watercolour washes, the work balances precise architectural outlines with softer tonal gradients. Rice’s background in stage design informs the composition, rendering the structure with a sense of theatrical perspective while maintaining the medium’s characteristic fluidity and delicacy.
History & Provenance
Peter Rice began his association with the Nottingham Playhouse in 1964, initially assisting then‑artistic director Frank Dunlop. After decades of collaboration, he created this piece as a token of appreciation for Richard Digby Day, who served as artistic director from 1980 until his resignation in 1983. The watercolour remains linked to the Playhouse’s archival record.
Artist & collection
Artist
Peter Rice’s watercolours capture modern buildings in soft washes of colour. His 1984 view of the Nottingham Playhouse uses broad, wet brushstrokes to show the theatre’s sweeping roof against a pale sky. The scene stays…
