After a three year redevelopment project The King’s Theatre on Leven Street will reopen to the public on 1 August.
And it will be fabulous. There will be a new café at street level where there is level access, and a Creative Engagement Studio for workshops, community projects and events and a range of heritage displays. There are lifts and new areas all created within the Old Lady of Leven Street which is ready for the sound of applause once more.
On the Opening Weekend of 1 and 2 August, the doors will be thrown open to the public allowing them to see it all with behind the scenes tours which can be booked ahead – and will include the opportunity to stand on the King’s stage.
But before the Opening Weekend there will be some test performances.
The events will enable the theatre team to run through a “dress rehearsal” of what is to come in August. The tickets will be scanned at the front door and theatre assistants will help audiences find their seats.
The test performances (which must be booked) include:
A Great Night Out (Thursday 23 July 7.30pm) – Edinburgh’s community companies return to their beloved King’s Theatre home for an uplifting one-off concert, hosted by panto favourites Clare Gray and Gail Watson. Featured companies include Allegro, Bohemians Lyric Opera Company, Edinburgh Gang Show, Edinburgh Gilbert & Sullivan Society, Edinburgh Music Theatre, Showcase and Southern Light.
Frozen Singalong (Saturday 25 July 2.30pm) – a singalong screening of the Disney classic for the young and young at heart.
Mhairi Black and Kevin Quantum (Saturday 25 July 7.30pm) – an evening of comedy, magic and science.
After that the official programme will begin with Graham Norton’s live podcast Wanging On on 7 August, The Edinburgh International Festival from 11 to 30 August and contemporary dance with Jasmin Vardimon’s Lullaby on 24 September.
Fiona Gibson, Chief Executive of Capital Theatres, said:“We are absolutely thrilled to officially welcome people back to the King’s Theatre on Saturday 1 August for our Opening Weekend. Hundreds of people have been hard at work on our beautiful building and we can’t wait to show you what’s changed, what’s stayed the same and how the theatre plans to welcome you all back over the coming year. Come and have a peek at the new bars, experience the all-new lifts to every floor, enjoy the rare chance to step onto the new flat stage, or simply have a drink in the new café, our team is excited to see you again.
“Every great show needs a dress rehearsal, and the reopening of the King’s is no exception. That’s why we’re inviting audiences to be among the first to experience the transformed theatre to help us test how the building operates with a full audience. We can’t wait to see the King’s Theatre full of art, people and life once more.”
Priority booking for Friends of Capital Theatres for the test performances is on Thursday 28 May, with general booking open on Thursday 4 June.
Then on 1 August the King’s opens formally as a world-class venue – and one of the most accessible heritage buildings in the UK.
Since construction began in February 2023 the building has been completely transformed.
The fly tower has been raised by 4.5 metres (that is the part of the theatre which allows bigger and more ambitious productions.
The stage used to slope and it has been replaced with a level one which can now accommodate dance and all other genres.
Accessibility is at the heart of the redevelopment, with a step-free journey from street to seat and stage for the first time in the theatre’s history.
Improvements include:
- Two front-of-house lifts serving all levels of the building, plus oneback of house.
- Increased wheelchair spaces, new end of row seats with transfer arms and the addition of some wider seats available in the Stalls.
- New accessible toilets on every floor and a Changing Places toilet facility open to all.
The King’s story is celebrated by the People’s Archive – a digital repository supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic Environment Scotland. There are more than 3,000 items contributed by actors and audiences as well as staff. This will ensure the theatre’s story is told and will inspire audiences for many generations to come.
www.capitaltheatres.com/kings-future
