Theatre Royal, Edinburgh

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Original Theatre Royal on Princes Street, Edinburgh
1911 postcard of the Theatre Royal, Broughton Street, Edinburgh

The history of the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh involves two sites. The first building, on

Thomas Hosmer Shepherd
. The second site was on Broughton Street.

History

The first Theatre Royal was in Shakespeare Square, at the east end of

David Ross. Mary Bulkley performed here during the 1780s.[2] In July 1792 Harriet Pye Esten became the theatre manager when she purchased the lease. The theatre had been run by Stephen Kemble but he lost the rights to perform which were withdrawn by Esten's lover Douglas Hamilton, 8th Duke of Hamilton. In 1794 Esten returned the rights to Stephen Kemble to perform in Edinburgh in exchange for £200 a year.[3]

In 1809 the theatre was taken over by Sarah Siddons's actor son, Henry Siddons. It went into a period of decline under his control, but following his death in 1815 was revived by his wife, Harriet Siddons who took a 21-year lease from 1809 until 1830, then becoming outright owner and leasing to her brother William Henry Murray from 1830 until 1851.[4]

The first theatre was closed in 1859 to make way for the building of the General Post Office (which survives but is converted to office use)[5] whose foundation was laid by Prince Albert in October 1861.[6]

The theatre was taken over by

Howard & Wyndham leased it out to Fred Collins, lessee of Glasgow's Pavilion Theatre, as the Theatre Royal Varieties, with the Collins family establishing its wardrobe and production centre adjacent.[8] It was destroyed by fire in 1946 and not rebuilt only due to post-war shortages of building materials.[9]

References

  1. ^ 55°57′11″N 3°11′24″W / 55.953°N 3.190°W / 55.953; -3.190
  2. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/39764. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)
  3. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/39766. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)
  4. ^ Grant's Old and New Edinburgh vol.2 p.350
  5. ^ Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh by Gifford, McWilliam and Walker
  6. ^ Grant's Old and New Edinburgh vol.2 p.358
  7. ^ Edinburgh Telegraph 26 December 1884
  8. ^ "Collins Variety | A History of Scottish Variety".
  9. ^ "The Theatre Royal, Broughton Street, Top of Leith Walk, Edinburgh, Scotland".

External links

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