The Return Of ‘Freddie’; The Lyceum's Iconic Statue

News 22 Jul 2024
Looking up at a statue of the roman god Mercury. It holds a flaming torch upwards and wears a winged hat. In the background, the Lyceum theatre can be seen.

Sheffield Theatres today announce the reinstallation of the Lyceum theatre’s famous statue. On Monday 22 July, the figure of the Roman messenger god Mercury – affectionately nicknamed by theatre staff as ‘Freddie’ – was reinstalled atop the dome of the Lyceum Theatre.

In 2023, a condition report on the statue was carried out by Sally Strachey Historic Conservation Ltd., concluding that further inspection and repairs were required. Having undergone his rehabilitation, ‘Freddie’ returns to his spot in Sheffield’s iconic skyline this summer.

A statue of the roman god Mercury stands in front of the Lyceum theatre. It holds a flaming torch upwards.

John Bates, Operations Director of Sheffield Theatres, said:

“We are very fond of Freddie as he is a key visual of the building which we all know so well and love working in. Having undertaken the condition report, we’re glad that we are able to action the results in order to keep our buildings in the utmost condition, whilst also honouring an icon of our city’s famous skyline.”

Norma J Hird, Chairman of the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre Trust, added

“The Lyceum Theatre Trust is delighted to welcome the Mercury statue, lovingly known as ‘Freddie’, back to his rightful place on the top of the Lyceum Theatre building. He has undergone an extensive restoration and repair and we hope he will continue to look out over the city for many years to come.”

A large crane lifts up a statue of the roman god Mercury. The crane reaches to the very top of a large theatre building, where the statue is headed.

The Lyceum theatre stands on Tudor Square next to its sister venue the Crucible, both of which are part of the Sheffield Theatres complex. The Lyceum theatre was designed by theatre architect W.G.R. Sprague and boasts a traditional proscenium arch design. It is the only surviving auditorium outside London designed by Sprague and is a Grade II* listed building.

The statue of Mercury was crafted by Wendy Wall in 1990. The figure stands around 12-foot-tall and was made using fibreglass with a layer of paint on the outside containing copper flakes. The current statue is a replica of one which adorned the Lyceum during its early years as a theatre. It is unknown when the original statue was removed, or whether it still exists, although there is suggestion that it was detached sometime after the Theatre Royal (formerly opposite the Lyceum theatre on Tudor Square) suffered a fire in 1935 and was demolished officially in 1936.

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