The prefabricated structure of The New Hoe Summer Theatre replaced the marqee known as The Hoe Theatre which had been in place since the 1950's. The new building held it's first production on June 8th 1962 and it's last on February 14th 1982.  Demolition started on May 18th and took about six weeks. During this process one of Robert Lenkiewicz's murals was found. It had been wallpapered over, but builders managed to save part of it.  Originally painted in 1970, it appears to have been unfinished in 1976 when Robert made these comments to the local press -   "It is a history of the harleqinade from about 1580 to about 1860, a survey of the Italian Comedia del Arte.  As usual, I selected models who live locally to represent various characters in the Harleqinade.  It will take about two days work to finish and I am quite willing to complete it as soon as I have the time."

The mural highlighted the controversy surrounding Lenkiewicz and his work at that time. To quote Mr. Brian Rabin from a meeting of the Plymouth Junior Chamber Of Commerce in 1976  -  " It appals me that our civic leaders can frequent the Hoe Theatre without throwing up their hands in horror.  The mural on the wall of the foyer shows people putting out their tongues and using Churchillian gestures.  We should try to get it whitewashed and restored to order.  It's our theatre and this is just an obscene gesture to the people of Plymouth.  And when will it be finished?  We should invite vandals to come and scrawl on it."

In 1978 the mural measuring either 40 or 60ft x 10ft, which the artist had spent four months painting was obliterated when the council decided to have the wall repapered. At the time Lenkiewicz congratulated the city entertainments officer for his 'remarkable good taste' in removing the mural. Lenkiewicz had painted the mual free of charge after being approached by the Hoe Theatre's management  who lacked available funds.

Local TV news footage during March 1982 shows the artist helping to reclaim the mural. Lenkiewicz produced an illustrated booklet when he painted the mural, detailing the history of the Comedia del Arte - the backbone of the english theatre. If sucessful in his attempt to save all or part of the mural, he hoped to produce the booklet again to raise funds for charity.