The Edinburgh Playhouse reopened today (August 4), with Forth On The Fringe, following a maintenance project that began on May 15, 2023. Just in time for the Edinburgh Fringe, audiences can expect a beaming schedule of shows now that the theatre is back open again.
The project was necessary to “help further future-proof the theatre”, including heating renovations, as well as ventilation and air conditioning systems, stone cleaning and work to restore the building façade and the installation of a digital screen. Edinburgh Playhouse also has a new orchestra pit control system, while some more general building maintenance was done throughout the closure.
What is more, the workers discovered several exciting features throughout the time the theatre was closed: from organ pipes to ticket stubs, vintage gloves to wood receipts from 1928. The unravelings illuminate all the happy memories that have been created at the Edinburgh Playhouse in over 90 years, as the theatre celebrates its 94th birthday on August 12.
Now that Edinburgh Playhouse has reopened, spectators can look forward to a myriad of productions coming to Edinburgh, including Greatest Days The Musical and the first-ever UK tour of Disney’s Aladdin for a 4-week run. The year will culminate with a 5-and-a-half-week run of Wicked.
Going forward into 2024, Jesus Christ Superstar will be gracing Edinburgh, as well as Pretty Woman and Grease to name a few.
Marie Nixon, Edinburgh Playhouse Theatre Director said, “Whilst the majority of the work done over the last 12-weeks was behind the scenes, we hope it will make our audiences’ experience in our theatre more comfortable. We are delighted to be able to welcome patrons back to the Edinburgh Playhouse to a jam-packed summer, with one of our most vibrant Festival and Fringe programmes to date, including internationally acclaimed names such as Dame Judi Dench and Greta Thunberg. Importantly, the maintenance project has further ensured that we can welcome our audiences into our building time and time again, for decades to come.”