Edinburgh Playhouse
Encyclopedia
The Edinburgh Playhouse is a former cinema in Edinburgh
, Scotland
which now hosts touring musicals and music concerts. Its capacity is 3,059, (Stalls: 1,519, Balcony: 860 and Circle: 680) making it the UK's largest working theatre in terms of audience capacity. (The Hammersmith Apollo
, which is a similar building, has more seats, but it is only used for concerts, not for musicals). The theatre is owned by Ambassador Theatre Group
.
At the time of its opening, it was the second largest cinema in Scotland, and the 4th largest in the UK. The building was originally listed Category B in 1974, and this was upgraded by Historic Scotland
to Category A in 2008.
It also caters to the youth of the surrounding area who are involved in stage experience projects and youth musicals projects in which children as young as 10, and young adults as old as 21, can take part in shows on the world famous stage.
. Another oddity is the motor hanging points for the advance truss, which are not parallel with the line of the front of stage. The Auditorium Left point is about 500 mm further into the auditorium than the centre and house right. Towards the rear of the stalls, there is 41 mm unistrut Product 221-724 fixed to the ceiling to facilitate the hanging delay speakers. In the Gallery there is also a winch bar across the full width of the auditorium to again facilitate the hanging of delay speakers. The theatre now benefits from a lift to bring up 45' trailers and tractor units up to stage level, which is three floors below street level at the rear of the theatre.
He is variously said to have been either a stagehand who was killed in an accident or a night-watchman who commited suicide.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
which now hosts touring musicals and music concerts. Its capacity is 3,059, (Stalls: 1,519, Balcony: 860 and Circle: 680) making it the UK's largest working theatre in terms of audience capacity. (The Hammersmith Apollo
Hammersmith Apollo
Hammersmith Apollo is a major entertainment venue located in Hammersmith, London. Designed by Robert Cromie in Art Deco style, it opened in 1932 as the Gaumont Palace cinema, being re-named the Hammersmith Odeon in 1962...
, which is a similar building, has more seats, but it is only used for concerts, not for musicals). The theatre is owned by Ambassador Theatre Group
Ambassador Theatre Group
The Ambassador Theatre Group is an independent operator of theatres in the United Kingdom. Formed in 1992, by Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire,OBE, it acquired the Live Nation theatre group in November 2009.-List of theatres:...
.
Building history
The theatre opened in 1929 as a super-cinema, and was modelled on the Roxy Cinema in New York. It was designed by the specialist cinema architect John Fairweather, most famous for his Green's Playhouse cinema in Glasgow. The original colour scheme was described on opening as follows:At the time of its opening, it was the second largest cinema in Scotland, and the 4th largest in the UK. The building was originally listed Category B in 1974, and this was upgraded by Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
to Category A in 2008.
Performances
In recent years, The Playhouse has played host to a wide variety of artists and shows.It also caters to the youth of the surrounding area who are involved in stage experience projects and youth musicals projects in which children as young as 10, and young adults as old as 21, can take part in shows on the world famous stage.
Technical details
The front of house sound position is somewhat unusually located at the rear of the Dress CircleAuditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
. Another oddity is the motor hanging points for the advance truss, which are not parallel with the line of the front of stage. The Auditorium Left point is about 500 mm further into the auditorium than the centre and house right. Towards the rear of the stalls, there is 41 mm unistrut Product 221-724 fixed to the ceiling to facilitate the hanging delay speakers. In the Gallery there is also a winch bar across the full width of the auditorium to again facilitate the hanging of delay speakers. The theatre now benefits from a lift to bring up 45' trailers and tractor units up to stage level, which is three floors below street level at the rear of the theatre.
Ghost
The building is said to be haunted by a ghost called Albert, a man in a grey coat who appears on level six accompanied a sudden chill in the air.He is variously said to have been either a stagehand who was killed in an accident or a night-watchman who commited suicide.