State-of-the-art digital tech makes Festival Theatre giant cinema

PERFORMANCES could soon be broadcast live from the Capital's Festival Theatre to other cities across the country using state-of-the-art digital equipment.

The venue is set to become Scotland's largest digital cinema by this summer, after a 245,000 cash injection by the Scottish Government.

The move will mean the theatre will not only be able to host major film premieres, but potentially allow touring production companies to incorporate digital technology into their shows – as well as having them beamed across the country.

A theatre spokeswoman said: "Potentially, audiences could watch something in another city that is being staged in Edinburgh. A lot of our plans are just ideas at the moment, but we are hoping to do live broadcasts."

Management is preparing to install digital equipment in the theatre in time for the Edinburgh International Film Festival which runs from 16-27 June, allowing a worldwide audience of film distributors to have access to the facility.

It will function in the theatre's main auditorium, allowing up to 1,600 people to watch every show.

But the theatre is not hoping to steal business from the city's other cinemas by offering mainstream releases – it is planning a more arts-based occasional programme. The project is backed by the Scottish Government and the Festival City Theatres Trust. John Stalker, chief executive of the trust, said: "We are so excited. Together with our soon-to-be-constructed rehearsal facility, the installation of digital cinema completes the original vision and ambition for the Festival Theatre to be Scotland's pre-eminent national centre for the creative arts.

"We look forward to working with the Edinburgh International Film Festival, providing it with an elegant and dramatic setting for its red carpet events, screenings and premieres.

"Throughout the year we also hope to enrich our programme with unique film presentations, as well as ultimately broadcasting work performed at the Festival Theatre to other venues around Scotland and beyond.

"This is a unique opportunity for the city and for Scotland and we are thrilled that the Festival Theatre is to play such a central role in the future of the Film Festival."

Hannah McGill, artistic director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival, described the move as a "terrific boost" for the Capital's standing in the world of film.

Festival City Theatres Trust is the largest independent theatre organisation in Scotland, formed in 1998 by the merger of the Edinburgh Festival Theatre Trust and King's Theatre.