Edinburgh Playhouse: Treasures including old ticket stubs, organ pipes and posters recovered during Scottish theatre refurbishment

The treasures dating back to the 1980s and beyond have been recovered as part of the refurbishment of the Edinburgh Playhouse

Old ticket stubs, original show posters and a set of organ pipes are among the unique treasures that have been uncovered during refurbishment works at the Edinburgh Playhouse.

Cigarette packets used by workers in the 1980s have also been found.

More than 40 of the pipes from the venue’s original organ were located while workers were cleaning out rooms below stage level, as well as some of the vents at the Greenside Place venue.

Some of the trinkets and treasures recovered during the refurbishment of the Edinburgh Playhouse. Picture: Edinburgh Playhouse

The items have been recovered while a 12-week refurbishment process that started on May 15 is underway at the Playhouse.

Playhouse deputy floor manager Mark Smellie told STV of the finds: “Now I seem to have an eye for tiny little bits of paper. The best one I saw was a half-ticket stub amongst rubble.

“We also found a lot of cigarette packets because you were allowed to smoke back then when they were building the building. We also found a lot of newspapers, but they are very delicate as they are nearly 100 years old – now and again I like to get one and read what was happening in 1929 or 1928.”

The old pipes were originally part of the Playhouse’s Hilsdon organ, which was designed and built in time for the original opening date in 1928.

Old organ pipes have been among some of the trinkets and treasures recovered during the refurbishment of the Edinburgh Playhouse. Picture: Edinburgh Playhouse

The organ was designed to be played with a 15-piece orchestra, which assembled on the rising forestage/orchestra pit of the theatre.

Playhouse theatre director Marie Nixon said: “It’s just incredible to think that for over 90 years thousands and thousands of people have been coming into this theatre and cinema as it was at one time ... and actually it turns out each one of them has left a little bit of their legacy, a little memento of their time here.”