KING’S THEATRE REFURBISHMENT

Location: Tollcross, Edinburgh

Client: The City of Edinburgh Council

Programme: Completed 2012

In 2010 work started on restoring the interior of the 1906 Category A listed King’s Theatre. The areas of focus included the public areas including the foyer and auditorium, along with works to form a new box office at the front of the building.

In the auditorium the plasterwork to the 18 ornate side boxes was repaired and missing areas replaced to match original. New seating has been installed to the stalls and grand circle. A Lazarus style seat has been used, in keeping with the age of the theatre. Archive research was undertaken in relation to the new carpet and the design and colours are also from the era of the buildings opening. In the main foyer the ornate gilded plasterwork has been retained and the background colour repainted to a lighter cream that is aligned with the original colour scheme. This, along with new carpet, makes the foyer a truly opulent space once more.

To improve level access to the stalls, and increase the theatre’s street presence, the existing box office has been extended and reconfigured. The contemporary design of this area uses high quality materials that complement but don’t compete with the existing baroque interior. Large scale images of the auditorium and feature lighting give visitors to this area a strong sense of the atmosphere during a show that makes the theatre so special. Wheelchair access internally has also been improved by the installation of a platform lift off the foyer.