Curtain raised on Edinburgh King’s Theatre

Following a major restoration and refurbishment programme, the Grade A-listed 120-year-old theatre is now one of the UK’s most accessible heritage buildings. The King’s has been reimagined for modern audiences while preserving the unique character and heritage that has made it a cornerstone of Edinburgh’s cultural life for generations. 

The project, which saw over 50 Robertson supply chain partners involved in delivery, has made dramatic improvements across the 1,125 capacity, 9,184m² venue. This includes a fly tower extended by 4.5 metres to accommodate larger and more ambitious touring productions, hospitality capacity doubled from 200 to 405 people, and the replacement of the former raked stage with a new level stage better suited to modern performances.

Audiences will experience a transformed front-of-house environment, featuring new foyers, bars and learning spaces, improved circulation throughout the building, new toilets and a new street-level café that will help bring the theatre into daily use by the local community. Striking new feature windows increase visibility into and out of the building across all four floors, while flooding the interiors with natural light.

Accessibility is now better than ever. Lifts now serve every public floor, providing step-free access from street to seat and stage for the first time. Wheelchair spaces have increased across the auditorium, including in the Dress Circle for the first time, while accessible toilets are available on every level alongside a new Changing Places toilet.

Behind the scenes, backstage facilities, stage systems and technical infrastructure have been completely renewed, ensuring the theatre can support the increasingly complex requirements of worldwide touring productions, strengthening Edinburgh’s position as a home for world-class live performance all year round.

Throughout the restoration, great care was taken to protect and celebrate the building’s Edwardian heritage. Original plasterwork, stained glass and carved stone details have been carefully restored, while contemporary additions have been designed to complement the historic fabric.

John Byrne’s iconic All the World’s a Stage dome mural has also been beautifully restored. Working 100 feet above the auditorium floor, specialist plasterers and Capital Theatres artists stabilised and restored the artwork, ensuring it can once again be enjoyed by audiences.

Fiona Gibson, Chief Executive of Capital Theatres, the charity that manages the King’s Theatre, said: “The King’s is now one of the UK’s most accessible heritage buildings, ready to welcome more people than ever before, creating new possibilities for audiences, artists and communities. The new level stage, enhanced technical facilities and improved backstage access strengthen its position as one of Scotland’s leading venues for touring productions, co-producing and commissioning, ensuring we are ready to bring the very best live performances to Edinburgh for generations to come.

“For 120 years the King’s has been a place where Edinburgh comes together to laugh, to cry, to celebrate and to be inspired. We’re opening the doors not just to a restored theatre, but to a building that truly lives up to its reputation of being the People’s Theatre. It is an absolute privilege to welcome audiences back and begin this exciting new chapter together."

Elliot Robertson, Chief Executive Officer, Robertson Group, said: “Places like the King’s matter because they bring people together, inspire creativity and become part of the stories we share. To be selected to preserve and enhance everything people love about this iconic venue for a new century of audiences is a great honour and recognises our expertise in heritage restoration and refurbishment. We wish Capital Theatres every success as they welcome audiences back to experience the magic of the King’s once again.”

David Cairns, Regional Managing Director, Robertson Construction Central East, added: “Every stage of this project required exceptional care, craftsmanship and collaboration. From undertaking specialist restoration training and restoring intricate historic features to introducing live progress capture technology and modern methods of construction, our teams worked tirelessly alongside Capital Theatres to ensure the building’s character was protected. 

“In addition to transforming the King’s into a venue fit for the future, a lasting positive impact was generated through our commitment to social impact. The benefits of this project were felt across the local community by delivering in-kind initiatives, creating employment for 53 local people and supporting 79 apprentices.”