Pitlochry Festival Theatre
 | |
 | |
| Location | Port-na-Craig, Pitlochry, Scotland |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 56°41′53″N 3°44′07″W / 56.698029°N 3.735306°W |
| Public transit | Pitlochry railway station |
| Type | Theatre |
| Capacity | 544 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 19 May 1951 (original tent theatre) 1981 (current building) |
| Architect | James Dunbar-Nasmith |
| Website | |
| pitlochryfestivaltheatre | |
The Pitlochry Festival Theatre is large
History
After the decline and subsequent closure of his Park Theatre Club in the West End of Glasgow, John Stewart decided to plan a theatre site in the Knockendarroch area of Pitlochry. However Stewart's plans were met with little success as building licences were refused by the Ministry of Works.[1]
Following this setback, Stewart had the idea of founding a tent-style theatre. After viewing the wet weather tent of London's Regent's Park and the Birmingham Arena Theatre, Stewart searched for the tents' construction company in Walsall, eventually investing in one for a theatre space for Pitlochry.
After construction work and promotion by the
After 30 years of use and regular incidents of weather damage to the tents, it was decided in the late 1970s that the tent structure would be renovated and stabilised. Construction work began on a new theatre building at the current site, and eventually on 19 May 1981 the new theatre building was opened on the 30th anniversary of John Stewart's first tent.[2]
Modern day
The theatre is now of great cultural importance to the Perthshire area. Every summer, the theatre and its surrounding area attract thousands of tourists with the theatre's famous summer season, which showcases a large amount of the country's talent in dramatic arts, comedy and writing.
Each summer the theatre offers six plays in daily repertory, enabling visitors to see six plays in six nights (or in four days if two matinees are included); the theatre asserts that "No other UK theatre attempts this extraordinary feat" and that the nearest similar offering is in Canada.
Expansion
In 2014, it was announced that the Pitlochry Festival Theatre would undergo a £25 million expansion of the current building. Plans were made to have the expansion completed and opened for the theatre's 70th anniversary in 2021.[5]
References
- ^ "Pitlochry Festival Theatre". www.gla.ac.uk. University of Glasgow. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "Pitlochry Festival Theatre". www.theatrestrust.org.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ a b "The 2018 Summer Season". Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "What's unique about PFT?". Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ McClean, Pauline. "Raising the curtain at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
