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Buildings

Basic Site Details

Empire Palace Theatre
Edinburgh
B Listed
Scotland

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:

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NameCurrent NameNotes
Old Empire TheatreYes
Festival TheatreYes

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:

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ClassificationOriginal ClassificationNotes
TheatreNot Known

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:

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AddressCurrent AddressNotes
19 Nicolson StreetYes

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:

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Event TypeFromToNotes
Construction18901892Empire Palace
Opened1892/11/07Empire Palace
Damage1911Fire on stage; rebuilt in the subsequent 3 months.
19271928Rebuilding of Matcham's theatre
Opened1928/09/10
Proposed1961/07/28proposing conversion of theatre for more extensive use per Builder p186
19911994Backstage and foyer rebuilt.<br><br>Refurbishment included use of RIAS Energy Design Advice Scheme (EDAS) to reduce energy consumption.

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.

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PersonPartnership GroupRoleFromToNotes
Frank Matcham1890c1892Empire Palace
Robert Alexander BriggsEngineer1892With Frank Matcham
Stanley Wayman MilburnA19271928Rebuilding of Matcham's theatre
Thomas Ridley MilburnA19271928Rebuilding of Matcham's theatre
W & T R MilburnA19271928Rebuilding of Matcham's theatre
William MilburnA19271928Rebuilding of Matcham's theatre
William Milburn (junior)A19271928Rebuilding of Matcham's theatre
(Professor Sir) James Duncan Dunbar-NasmithKArchitect19911994Rebuilding
Bovis LtdKContractor19911994
Colin RossKArchitect19911994(Chief Architect for project)
Gordon PyperKArchitect19911994
Jane YellowleesKArchitect19911994
Law & Dunbar-Nasmith PartnershipKArchitectural practice19911994Rebuilding<br><br>at a cost of twenty million
Mark SidgwickKArchitect19911994
Michael HamiltonKArchitect19911994

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:

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NameNotes
Edinburgh Festival Theatre TrustClient for 1990s works. The design team was assembled by Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Ltd and City of Edinburgh District Council
Moss, EdwardClient for Matcham theatre

Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:

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AuthorYearTitlePartPublisherNotes
Baird, George1963Edinburgh Theatres, Cinemas and Circusespp27-36
Earl and Sell2000Guide to British Theatres, 1750-1950Londonpp60-61
Gifford, John, McWilliam, Colin and Walker, David M1984Edinburgh (The Buildings of Scotland)Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltdp248
Peter, Bruce1999Scotland's Splendid Theatres: Architecture and Social History from the Reformation to the Present DayEdinburgh: Polygon (an imprint of Edinburgh University Press Ltd)pp37-42
Walker, BrianFrank Matcham Theatre Architectpp68-74

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:

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Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
RIAS Quarterly1931Spring/SummerRoyal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)p35
Scot Rail Magazine2004July/August Capital Investments, by Keith Aitken
Edinburgh Festival Theatre1994p3-12
The Independent1994/05/11"At last, a home fit for a festival" by Louise Rogers
Scotsman1994/05/20"Architect's "magical" act" by Ronald Banel
The Guardian1994/05/25"Point of Reference" by Deyan Sudjic
The Herald1994/06/27"Edinburgh's Grand Old Opera House" by Michael Tumelty
The Times1994/06/20"The Empire Strides Back" by Adnrew Gibbon Williams
RIBA Journal1994/05London: Royal Institute of British Architects"Window Lean" by Louise Rogers
Architects Journal1994/06/23"Client's Account" by Jim MacFarlane, Director of Property and Environment, Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise"Architect's Account" by Colin Ross, The Law & Dunbar-Naysmith Partnership,"Appraisal" by Malcolm Fraser
Edinburgh Evening News1994/06/25Souvenir Supplement "Designed to leave patrons feeling good" by Vivienne Nicoll
Edinburgh Evening News1994/06/16"Tribute to New Theatre"
Builder1961/07/28p186

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:

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SourceNameCat NumberItem NameNotes
Edinburgh City ArchivesEdinburgh Dean of Guild
Tyne & Weir ArchiveMilburn Papers DT.TRMDT.TRM/1/33-56
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register30023
Personal Post-War Archive (held at ECA)Miles GlendinningEdin misc articles post 1975 non hsgEDAS Fact File, Case Study 7, Reference E358F50. EDAS is linked to the RIAS and the Department of Architecture and Building Science, University of Strathclyde.
Personal Post-War Archive (held at ECA)Miles GlendinningEdin misc articles post 1975 non hsg"Archibabble" a collection of press and comment articles compiled by Graham Harris, dated 13/08/1994. p27-8Citing a letter from the Cockburn Association to the Director of Planning, City of Edinburgh, 02/12/1991