Laura Cummings: Kings Theatre is fading jewel still treasured by the people

Published on Tuesday 8 February 2011 14:13

What has made the King's Theatre so special? Laura Cummings spoke to front and backstage stalwarts in an effort to find out

IT may be facing one of its darkest hours but it will always hold a special place in the hearts of many people across the Capital.

The King's Theatre was built as a variety theatre in 1906 and over the years has played host to legendary performers such as Stanley Baxter, Rikki Fulton and Jimmy Logan.

More than a century after opening with a performance of Cinderella, the King's continues to host the ever-popular King's pantomime as well as a number of productions from local amateur societies throughout the year.

It plays host to major touring drama, including West End, National Theatre of Scotland and Royal Shakespeare Company productions.

So it comes as no surprise that theatre-goers across the city and further afield have been left shattered by the recent news that the theatre - one of Edinburgh's best-loved - is to scale back drastically its programme after starting a consultation period about job losses. But what exactly is it about the 1350-seat venue that makes it so very special?

Gordon Blackburn, who has been involved with the theatre for 50 years, says it's difficult to know where to start. The 62-year-old, who lives in Cramond, first stepped on to the stage of the King's at the age of 12 as a performer with the famous Edinburgh Gang Show, and has since gone on to direct and produce the Scout-run production, of which he is an honorary life president. "The King's Theatre is a very theatrical building. It is not like just going into a big hall to do a show. You are going into a place that is a theatre and there's an atmosphere about it all," he says.

"The history is steeped into the place and, if you look back, there are a lot of really big stars who have performed there over the last 100 years and they still do."

Mr Blackburn, who worked backstage at the King's for ten years, has rubbed shoulders with more than his fair share of celebrities during his time at the theatre - the "King of the King's" Stanley Baxter being among them.

He recalls: "I was about 17 or 18 when I met Stanley Baxter (pictured right] and I was working as an electrician in the theatre at the time. He was performing in Mother Goose. I remember it well. He was a very friendly person to us all and a stickler for hard work."

The theatre has entertained generations and showcased the talents of everyone from Noel Coward and the Alexander Brothers, to Laurence Olivier, Sean Connery and opera singer Maria Callas.

But it is in desperate need of a full refurbishment and yesterday the Evening News revealed the theatre is set to reduce its programme from 24 weeks a year of productions this year to only 15 weeks in 2011/12.

The Festival City Theatres Trust, which operates both the King's and the Festival Theatre, also revealed that it is looking to slash its wage bill by 300,000. It followed a slump in audience numbers across the two theatres, which was attributed to the economic downturn.

Actress Elaine C Smith, who performed in Calendar Girls at the theatre last year and referred to the King's as "one of the crown jewels of the theatre world", says: "I have been saddened over the last few years at the demise of a wonderful theatre like the King's in Edinburgh.

"It seems like a theatre that hasn't been cared for by the city in a long time. The backstage areas and much of the front of house hasn't changed in a long time and, compared to theatres in the rest of the UK, it seems that the right level of investment and care haven't been put into what was always regarded as one of the crown jewels of the theatre world."

Meanwhile, Mr Blackburn - who filled the role of stage director for Edinburgh-based Southern Light Opera (SLO) for 12 years, which will present Fiddler On The Roof, for which he is lighting director, at the King's next week - said that he was concerned about the future of the theatre.

"I feel this is a little bit more than the thin edge of the wedge by the council to close the place," he says.

"It wouldn't be the same going to see a show somewhere else. I also go to the Festival Theatre and the Lyceum, but there's just something about going to the King's, about the friendliness of it all. It's an old-style theatre.

"It is the people's theatre because, although it does some high-brow stuff, it is mostly stuff that the general public can relate to, like the panto."

HOUSE OF FUN

&#149 completion in 1906, the theatre was advertised as a House of Variety with no fewer than 2500 seats. In 1950, that capacity was reduced to 1530 when structural alterations saw the removal of the top balcony - the Gallery.

The theatre was bought by Edinburgh Corporation in 1969 and, 16 years later, a 1.25m refurbishment further reduced the seating to 1350.

In 1998, operation of the venue was handed over to the newly-formed Festival City Theatres Trust, which continues to run the venue for the council.

Since 2002, when it was estimated that a massive 14 million overhaul would be required just to bring the fabric of the building up to scratch, flagging audiences and a lack of investment have seen the theatre slip into decline.