Theatre Royal, Edinburgh facts for kids

The Theatre Royal, Edinburgh has a fascinating history, involving two different buildings in the city. The first theatre was located on Princes Street and opened its doors in 1769. Later, in 1830, it was rebuilt by an artist named Thomas Hosmer Shepherd. The second theatre that carried the name Theatre Royal was found on Broughton Street.

The First Theatre Royal: Princes Street

The very first Theatre Royal was built in an area called Shakespeare Square, right at the east end of Princes Street. It first opened on December 9, 1769. An actor and manager named David Ross was in charge when it started.

Many famous performers graced its stage. For example, Mary Bulkley performed there during the 1780s. Later, in July 1792, Harriet Pye Esten became the theatre manager. She bought the right to run the theatre. After a couple of years, in 1794, Esten gave the performing rights back to Stephen Kemble, who then managed the theatre in Edinburgh.

In 1809, the theatre was taken over by Henry Siddons, who was the actor son of the famous actress Sarah Siddons. The theatre faced some tough times while he was in charge. However, after his death in 1815, his wife, Harriet Siddons, brought it back to life. She leased the theatre for 21 years, from 1809 until 1830. After that, she became the full owner and leased it to her brother, William Henry Murray, who ran it from 1830 until 1851.

The first Theatre Royal on Princes Street closed its doors for good in 1859. This was to make way for a new building: the General Post Office. The foundation stone for this new building was laid by Prince Albert in October 1861.

The Second Theatre Royal: Broughton Street

Around 1860, the Theatre Royal name and its special royal permission (called a 'patent') were moved to a different theatre. This new location was on Broughton Street and was previously known as the Queen's Theatre and Operetta House. It was managed by Robert Henry Wyndham.

This theatre faced a lot of challenges, including several fires! It burned down and was rebuilt multiple times: in 1865, 1875, and 1884. Each time, it kept its special royal patent. The last architect who rebuilt it in 1884 was Charles Phipps.

In 1895, this Theatre Royal became part of a larger company called Howard & Wyndham Ltd, which was formed in Glasgow. From the 1920s, Howard & Wyndham leased the theatre to Fred Collins, who also managed Glasgow's Pavilion Theatre. It became known as the Theatre Royal Varieties, showing different kinds of performances. The Collins family even set up their costume and production center right next to it.

Sadly, this second Theatre Royal was also destroyed by fire in 1946. It was not rebuilt after that, mainly because there were not enough building materials available after World War II.

Images for kids

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  Original Theatre Royal on Princes Street, Edinburgh

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  1911 postcard of the Theatre Royal, Broughton Street, Edinburgh