Day 9
Leith Theatre
Places of Leith: Leith Theatre
The Leith Theatre building is part of a contemporary, interwar and classical civic complex designed by the English architects Bradshaw, Gass and Hope between 1929-1932. The building contains a ground-floor community hall, tiled crush foyer, first-floor lounge area and a rectangular 2-storey main auditorium which is externally flanked by a columned loggia. The complex also includes a separately managed library building and caretakers cottage. The complex was a gift to the people of Leith following the decision on 10th October 1920 to incorporate the Burgh of Leith into Edinburgh's administrative area.
The building opened in 1932 as a Town Hall, playing host to a variety of community events during the 1930s. After being badly damaged by a German bomb during the Second World War in 1941, the building lay empty for the next 20 years, until its eventual restoration by the same architects for a 1961 reopening.
The building enjoyed a successful period in which it played host to world-class operas, composers and orchestral performances as a base for the Edinburgh International Festival and a variety of high-profile international music acts including AC/DC, Thin Lizzy and Kraftwerk, before shutting in 1983 due to pressures on public finances.
The main auditorium then fell into disrepair and dereliction until Leith Theatre Trust took ownership and opened it up once more, with a varied programme including the Hidden Door and Edinburgh International Festivals, diverse performances, youth theatre, vintage fairs and closed-set live recordings for streaming under current COVID limitations.
The building has huge symbolic importance to the people and history of Leith as a well-used community asset. The response to initially save the theatre represents the strength of feeling regarding revitalising this building for its community; it is symbolic of a strong and separate identity which resonates strongly with Leithers today.
Leith Theatre is currently crowdfunding to be able to install heating solutions into the main auditorium for the first time in 30 years. This means it can be on track to reopen after COVID on a full-time, permanent basis, ready for the whole community to enjoy all year round.