Above - The Royal Lyceum Theatre, Grindley Street, Edinburgh.

 

The Royal Lyceum Theatre, in Grindley Street, Edinburgh was built in 1883 by the well known Theatre architect C.J Phipps. The auditorium was built on four levels, Stalls and three horseshoe shaped Balconies, which were not cantilevered but supported by columns. The auditorium, which can currently accommodate 658 people, also has three stage boxes on either side, each decorated with plasterwork scrolls and painted panels, and the circle fronts and proscenium are also decorated with delicately reserved plasterwork.

Above - The Auditorium of the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh in 1999 - Courtesy Ted Bottle

The Lyceum's owners, the actor managers JB Howard and FW Wyndham, also became lessees of the Royalty Theatre Glasgow from the end of 1884, and took over the Theatre Royal Hope Street Glasgow in 1888. In 1895 the new firm of Howard & Wyndham Ltd was created by Michael Simons of Glasgow and would become the largest theatre group in Britain of high quality theatre. The four founding theatres were the Royalty Theatre Glasgow, the Theatre Royal Hope Street Glasgow, the Royal Lyceum Edinburgh and the Theatre Royal Edinburgh. In 1928 the King`s Theatre Edinburgh joined the burgeoning group.

The above paragraph is courtesy Graeme Smith. You may be interested to know that the history of Howard & Wyndham Ltd forms a major part of Graeme's new book about Glasgow`s Theatre Royal: 'Entertaining a Nation.' Details here...

EDINBURGH THEATRE
Lyceum Improvements Scheme

From The Scotsman, Edinburgh, Thursday 10th of October 1935

Structural improvements are being carried out at the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, without, however necessitating interruption of the repertory season. The theatre was recently reseated, renovated, and redecorated, and the present alterations concern the approaches to the auditorium and circles and the general comfort of the patrons between acts.

When the alterations are complete there will be spacious cloakrooms and ladies retiring rooms, equipped with the latest fittings.

The present pit bar is being transformed into a lounge bar.

The big Item is a staircase which will link the auditorium with the dress circle floor. It is an interior stair for the convenience of patrons moving about the theatre at intervals.

It starts from the stalls corridor and mounts to the dress circle on the side where the manager's offices and cloakrooms are situated.

Retiring rooms have been built under the stage for the staff. These include a sound proof rest room for the scene shifters.

Ventilation is being given special attention and the lighting of all these additional apartments will be appropriately up-to-date, while the fittings and furnishings will also be of the latest type.

The estimated cost is between £3000 and £4000. Messrs W. S. Cruikshank & Son are the contractors, with Mr J. Cameron in charge.

From The Scotsman, Edinburgh, Thursday 10th of October 1935 - Kindly sent in by Sue Dirk whose Great Uncle was William Stewart Cruickshank, builder of the King's Theatre, Edinburgh.

For a detailed history of this Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, including images and booking details for the Theatre you may like to visit the Theatre's own Website here...