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Theatre Stage House Refurbishment

MJ Consulting Engineers delivers structural engineering for listed stage galleries, rigging grids, fly floors, and roof strengthening in UK theatres.

Theatre stage

Specialist Structural Design for Performance Spaces

Refurbishing a stage house isn’t like any other structural job - access is tight, deadlines are fixed, and the building is often listed. MJC works directly with venue managers, contractors, and production teams to deliver practical, buildable design that keeps the show on track.

We’ve helped upgrade stage towers, reinforce rigging grids, and support ceiling structures across some of the UK’s most demanding venues - from West End theatres to regional performance spaces.

Theatre stage

Designed to Fit Around Live Performance

We understand how theatres operate - and how little downtime there is. That’s why our structural design process is built around your show schedule. Whether we’re inspecting a ceiling void during a dark week or delivering drawings on a short turnaround, we work in step with your production team to keep things moving.

Our Services Include:

Rigging Grid Strengthening: Design for heavier lighting, AV and scenery loads, with minimal disruption to existing systems.

Stage House Extensions: Support for deeper stages, new wings or traproom alterations, tailored to each venue’s layout.

Ceiling & Void Inspections: Survey of inaccessible areas above the stage, with structural advice for repairs, upgrades or safety assurance.

Fly Tower Reinforcement: Structural upgrades to fly tower frames and load paths - often in constrained, listed spaces.

Dominion Theatre London

Experience That Makes a Difference

With decades of experience in live venues, we know what to expect - hidden issues, time pressures, last-minute changes. Our engineers bring a calm, practical approach and clear communication to every stage house project, helping clients make confident decisions under pressure.

Specialist Structural Engineers for the UK’s Live Entertainment Sector

From listed theatres and music venues to airport concessions and temporary event structures, MJC delivers structural engineering that supports performance, safety, and creativity.

MJC Theatre

Established for over two decades

MJC was founded in the mid-90s by Mike Jackson. Mike quickly built a reputation as the ‘go to guy’ for theatre renovations, show signage applications and stage and grid work.

MJC's Growth

Mike's in-depth understanding of UK venues and their structural capabilities, and the increasing demands new shows made on this infrastructure, enabled him to quickly build up the business based on word of mouth recommendation alone.

Expanding our expertise

Since then, the business has grown significantly, expanding to include project managers, structural engineers, and surveyors - each benefiting from Mike’s extensive industry knowledge and experience.

MJC's Client-Centric Approach

Now working alongside Tom Jeffcoat, Daniel Staines, and Pedro Barata, Mike remains a key part of the Manchester team, which delivers specialist structural engineering services to the live events, theatre, and airport retail sectors across the UK.

LIVE EveNTS

Image by Matt Richmond

STAGE DESIGN

Working in theatres and live venues means there’s no room for error - and that’s where MJC stands out. We’re known in the industry for being calm under pressure, clear on site, and dependable from first sketch to final sign-off. It’s why so many production teams come back to us.

Tom Jeffcoat

Structural Engineer, MJ Consulting Engineers

  • Yes - with offices in London and Manchester and a network of experienced engineers, we deliver structural engineering solutions for theatres and performance venues throughout the UK.

  • Absolutely; heritage venues are a core part of our expertise. We balance preservation requirements with structural upgrades to support modern rigging, lighting, and performance demands.

  • Yes - from temporary structures and roof trims to signage and production rigging, we engineer solutions that deliver safety, compliance, and speed for live show environments .

  • Extensive - we've completed projects at Heathrow T2, T5, Gatwick, Birmingham Airport and Liverpool John Moore Airport, delivering bespoke structural designs that meet tight schedules and live-site requirements .

  • Yes - we perform ceiling void, roof, rigging point, and structural inspections to assess condition and readiness for production use or fit-out modifications .

  • Our teams are accustomed to fast-paced schedules. We’re regularly brought into projects during show rehearsals or airport closures - and we deliver reliable structural solutions under time pressure.

  • We work closely with architects, venue owners, contractors, production teams, and heritage bodies to ensure structural integrity, adherence to regulations, and build-ready details.

  • Yes, typically within 5 working days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about working with MJC - how we work, where we work, and what we deliver.

Insights from the industry floor. Structural thinking shaped by theatre, production, and live performance.

Image by Paul Green

Structural Support That Performs On Stage and On Site

From listed theatres and concert halls to airport concessions and live venues, we bring practical structural engineering to complex environments. Whether you're planning a refurbishment, fitting out a retail unit, or navigating venue constraints, we’ll help you make it buildable - and make it happen.

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