The monument features a plan that deviates from the classical Roman theater design by incorporating an arena, thus accommodating a range of performances.

Alauna is 1.6 km southeast of the modern town of Alleaume [fr] (commune of Valognes, Manche department) on the northwest edge of a plateau between two parallel talwegs oriented northwest-southeast that border it to the east and west.

The results of studies conducted in 2012 and subsequent years have revealed the existence of a network of roads that traverse the ancient city, oriented in a north-northwest to east-northeast configuration.

[6] In its final section, the ancient road is paved with large stone slabs instead of a layer of pebbles, which may have been done to align with the significance of the monument it serves.

The spectacle building appears to have undergone a single campaign of modification or refurbishment, the date of which is undatable based on the available data, though it seems to have been of limited scope.

[10] In the seventh volume of his Recueil d'antiquités égyptiennes, étrusques, grecques, romaines et gauloises, Anne Claude de Caylus published in 1765 a drawing and plan of the theater, created by engineer René Cevet.

[14] The establishment of ditches and paths resulted in the dismantlement of a portion of the extant remains,[12] while the recovery of material artifacts continued for several decades.

[B 2] The theater, like the entire archaeological site, was spared from the intense bombings that largely destroyed Valognes in June 1944 during the Battle of Normandy.

This entailed an inventory and reexamination of the bibliography, archaeological excavations or surveys, collection of artifacts, electrical prospection, and finally, ground-penetrating radar.

In a bocage environment like this one, despite the remains being buried at a shallow depth, aerial prospection, which has previously revealed the ground traces of ancient buildings and arrangements in other situations, is less effective than in more open agricultural landscapes.

[18] These studies enabled the localization of the preserved remains, an assessment of their state of conservation, a partial but fundamental revision of the plan published by de Montfaucon, and an adjustment of the monument's orientation.

However, guided tours of the entire archaeological site are conducted by the AAA [fr] association in collaboration with the Lands of Art and History of Clos of Cotentin, particularly during the European Heritage Days.

The imprecision of certain excavation reports and published plans has resulted in a considerable range of estimates regarding the monument's capacity, with figures varying from 3,000 to 16,000 individuals.

These characteristics classify the Alauna theater among Gallo-Roman amphitheaters [fr], which were mixed-purpose structures capable of hosting various shows, with circus games in the orchestra and theatrical performances on the stage.

[C 2] A section of masonry (comprising small limestone rubble in regular courses) in a hedge separating two plots may have constituted a component of the annular wall of the theater, representing the sole above-ground remnant of this structure.

[32] The nearby manors, including the Castelet and Dingouvillerie, have likely incorporated a significant amount of the small rubble stones from the demolished ancient monument, as evidenced by local tradition.

[C 5] The theater walls, which could be closely examined, consist of two facing layers of small local limestone rubble bound with mortar (opus vittatum), encasing a core of stones.

[B 6] In areas where the facings are not visible once the building is complete, for example in service corridors or at the base of walls buried in fill, the craftsmanship is less refined.

[33] The square structure, axially positioned close to the orchestra but separated from it by the podium wall, is interpreted as an honorary box reserved for an important figure,[33] a common architectural feature observed in other entertainment buildings, such as at Cherré (Sarthe).

[B 7] These jambs, which protrude outward, appear to serve a dual purpose, contributing to both the monument's aesthetic appeal and its structural integrity.