Students' 30 years of bedlam

ITS seats were dragged from an abandoned cinema and the building was begged from Edinburgh University.

But from such inauspicious beginnings, the Bedlam Theatre has gone on to establish itself as a vibrant part of not only the Capital's, but Scotland's, cultural life.

As it celebrates its 30th birthday, Bedlam's influence now stretches far and wide, from Hollywood to the BBC.

Among the stars who took some of their first steps into the world of entertainment at the improvised Old Town venue are Trainspotting star Kevin McKidd, comic actor Ewen MacIntosh (Big Keith in The Office), actor Greg Wise, star of Cranford and husband of Emma Thompson, and Miles Jupp, one of the Fringe's favourite stand-ups.

Closer to home, John Stalker, the chief executive of the Festival City Theatres Trust, was among those who learned his trade at the theatre, which owes its name to Edinburgh's historic asylum which stood on the site at the end of George IV Bridge until the mid-19th century.

As an undergraduate, he was one of the original group that established the student theatre in 1980. Previously the university Chaplaincy Theatre, the church building proved too attractive a location for the enterprising students to ignore. They persuaded the university principal to give it to the theatre company.

John says: "I remember the seats were procured from an abandoned cinema in Glasgow. We had to beg in some cases, but the students' association was helpful."

The Bedlam Theatre is now the oldest student-run theatre in Britain and perhaps the only one that allows students full control.

"It was an enormous privilege. Lots of people might go to university and get involved with theatre groups, but to be able to run your own venue and be responsible for it is another thing.

"I held the theatre licence when I was either 19 or 20 years old. It was an enormous learning experience," he recalls. "It gave us all a good insight into how a theatre is run and it was very exciting.

"I doubt there are many universities that would give a student theatre company free reign."

Through the years, thousands of visitors were entertained, while "Bedlamite" students spent hours rehearsing, performing, partying and sleeping in the theatre.

John says: "I remember when I was theatre manager in 1981, we hosted the Druid Theatre Company's first ever visit to Edinburgh from Galway. We threw a fantastic party to celebrate. One of the cast members was also a champion Irish step dancer and that night he broke the world record for step dancing for three hours non-stop. That was a very drunken night."

The theatre has come to adopt a character of its own on occasion, with some of the students claiming the building is haunted by its colourful past.

"When we hosted a professional production of a play called Fergusson's Auld Reekie, based on the poems of Robert Fergusson, we found out that he was actually incarcerated and died in the Edinburgh Bethlehem hospital," says John with a laugh. "We reckoned that the stage was as close as it could be to the very spot where he died and not many people were willing to work overnight after that."

Successful comedy trio The Penny Dreadfuls are proud to be part of this Bedlam tradition. David Reed, Thom Tuck and Humphrey Ker, who met through the Improverts comedy sketch troupe, found a great source of release in the student theatre.

David says: "We lived and breathed the building. After we stopped rehearsing in the day, we would get the drinks in and stay in the theatre. We owe a lot to the Bedlam; without a shadow of a doubt, the Improverts is the reason we're still doing what we do now."

But the administration of the neglected building was a costly process. David reveals: "We went through those 'Save the Bedlam' times when the university was in financial crisis. We had no idea how real the danger of losing the theatre was, but there was always a sense it would happen because it was such a prime location."

In terms of the Bedlam's role in the local community, David's fellow sketch comedian Thom remembers teaching drama classes to local children at weekends.

Fran Walker, president of the Edinburgh University Theatre Company and a final-year student, values the theatre's community role. Last year, the Bedlam Youth Project led a local youth theatre group to win an award for technical theatre at the Brussels Youth Drama Festival.

After the Bedlam's birthday celebrations, Fran is continuing to conduct business as usual at the theatre. Just like the early days, lunchtime shows are performed every Wednesday and three or four major productions are staged each semester.

Fran looks forward to many more generations of students gaining crucial experience at Bedlam, as well as establishing a fond relationship with the theatre building and its gothic walls.

She says: "It feels like home. You spend all your time there and the people are so welcoming."

• The Penny Dreadfuls are due to return to the Bedlam Theatre on Thursday, 25 March, 8pm. Tickets 6, concessions 4.50. E-mail [email protected].