‘we are making excellent progress in the construction phase of the project and look forward to managing it to its successful completion next year, rejuvenating a unique cultural venue in the community’ Gary Bushnell, chief executive, hub East Central Scotland
Welcome
October 2016 Onwards and upwards!
Your Theatre
Extension
Your Heritage
Work on the new extension is moving onwards and upwards with the ground and first floor concrete slabs now complete and the second floor underway. Once the concrete frame has been erected the structural steel construction of the new 200 seat studio theatre space can begin.
Your Future
Auditorium Best seat in the house? Our crane driver’s eye view!
Within the auditorium, plaster repair work has begun and specialist plasterers are restoring the auditorium to its former glory using traditional methods to provide a high quality finish. A full height ‘bird cage’ scaffold allows work at higher levels. The upper circle gods seating has been reconfigured and will be brought back into use for the first time since the 1960s.
On stage The stage has been propped to allow a small crane to work to install a new grid floor at high level. The existing loading gallery for the fly tower has been lowered to provide a safe working environment for production staff. Bird cage scaffold Original plasterwork repairs
The new extension takes shape
‘best night's entertainment for years! ... the singing and the music were superb' audience comment about The Broons
Familiar faces come to Perth! A cast of familiar faces from stage and screen came to Perth in September as Rapture Theatre brought Michael Frayn’s Democracy to the Perth Concert Hall stage. Ex Perth Youth Theatre member, Taggart star Colin McCredie took time out from rehearsals to view the restoration of Perth Theatre’s historic auditorium saying: “Perth Theatre truly means everything to me … it is the sole reason that I am now an actor. So many happy memories and wonderful shows to recall … here’s hoping that very soon the magic will return in a state of the art playhouse for the future!” Colin McCredie
Brand new The Broons stage show launched its Scottish tour in Perth Concert Hall. A talented company of actor/musicians including Joyce Falconer (River City) and Paul Riley (Still Game) brought the much loved comic strip characters to colourful life in this well-received Sell A Door Theatre Company show in association with Perth Theatre. Singing superstar Susan Boyle delighted the audience with a surprise press night appearance, saying: "What a night! Amazing to see these characters that I grew up with on stage. It totally surpassed my expectations. I can't wait to see it again." Susan Boyle
Top: Colin McCredie in Perth Theatre Bottom: Joyce Falconer and Paul Riley as Maw and Paw Broon Right: Lewis Collier is Sgt Trotter in The Mousetrap
British theatre’s longest running show, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap thrilled audiences in October, and preparations are in full swing for this year’s traditional family panto, Dick McWhittington.
Your Theatre Your Heritage Your Future
Perth Theatre Memory Collective A dedicated team of volunteers is researching the history of Perth Theatre, working closely with archivists and social history teams at the AK Bell Library. Their research will feed into a number of projects, exhibitions and resources over the next two years.
The first production in the present theatre building on 6 September 1900 was Maritana, an opera composed by William Vincent Wallace. This appears to have been a popular opera in the early part of last century, but has since fallen from grace. Up until 1935, travelling companies supplied the plays for the theatre. In some years there were over 70 productions as some of these companies presented a different play or opera every night with two on a Saturday, one for the matinee and a different one for the evening, giving seven different productions for the week! In November 1912 a production of A Royal Divorce, which tells the story of Napoleon and Josephine, included, in the part of Napoleon, Juan Bonaparte, Napoleon’s great-grandson. If you enjoyed a long play, the Macdona players performed the full six-hour version of George Bernard Shaw’s Man and Superman on a night in 1927 and 1928 to full houses! Sir Alec Guinness appeared as Romeo in a production of Romeo and Juliet for the Perth Theatre Festival in the summer of 1939.
Sir Alec Guinness in Romeo and Juliet in 1939 - picture Princess Elizabeth attending a 1951 performance of Twelfth Night in Perth Theatre
courtesy of Perth & Kinross Council archive and the Perth Theatre Collection
On 29 May 1951, as part of the contribution to the Festival of Britain, Twelfth Night was performed in the presence of Princess Elizabeth.
There is a note that appears in the earliest programmes stating that patrons could park their bicycles free-of-charge in the theatre during the performance! David Dewar, Perth Memory Collective
If you have some spare time on your hands and would like to join Perth Theatre Memory Collective in their dig through the archives contact our creative learning team: creativelearning@horsecross.co.uk
Brochure from the first anniversary of Perth Theatre Company in 1936
The information in this article is from research by a member of Perth Theatre Memory Collective. Horsecross Arts is not responsible for any mistakes or inaccuracies
Memory Collective member David Dewar has undertaken the daunting task of recording all productions that have taken place in Perth Theatre over its long life! Here are some of his highlights.
‘I have been going to Perth Theatre for over 50 years. I have found researching plays and actors fascinating because I didn’t realise how many 50s/60s TV actors were in Perth early in their careers’ Perth Theatre Memory Collective member
Perth Theatre Discoveries Special guests Carol McGregor and David Bonnar joined members of Perth Theatre Memory Collective for the second Perth Theatre Discoveries evening on Tuesday 8 November in Perth Concert Hall’s Norie-Miller Studio. Carol McGregor who was one of the theatre's first audio describers, and David Bonnar, who was the General Manager from 1984 until 1994 shared their memories of working at Perth Theatre in a question and answer session hosted by Iain Halliday.
Perth Theatre Discoveries Tue 14 Feb + Tue 18 Apr: 7.30pm Norie-Miller Studio, Perth Concert Hall Free but ticketed Join the Perth Theatre Memory Collective and special guests for these one-off evenings to hear more about the life and stories of Perth Theatre through the ages. Tue 14 Feb: 7.30pm Valentine’s Special - the love stories that began at Perth Theatre
Tue 18 Apr: 7.30pm title tbc Open to all, contact Horsecross Arts Box Office on 01738 621031 www.horsecross.co.uk to book your free ticket Proudly supported by
The next Perth Theatre Discoveries evening on Tuesday 14 February is a Valentine’s Special all about the love stories that began at Perth Theatre! Perth Theatre Discoveries are supported by Keepsafe Storage Solutions, a local business dedicated to preserving possessions and memories.
Your Theatre Your Heritage Your Future
‘PYT has supported the artistic journeys of thousands of young people, our alumni span every walk of life, and we are proud to have many of them coming back to work with us as tutors, directors and young ambassadors’ Lu Kemp, artistic director, Perth Theatre
Creative Learning update Your Theatre Primary School Project - Perth Theatre Through the Ages
Your Heritage
Our Creative Learning team worked with four local primary schools to explore Perth Theatre through the ages. Each school was given a pack of information from the Perth Theatre archive for inspiration. One school created two mini pantomimes based on the Perth Theatre productions of Jack and the Beanstalk and Cinderella (including designing and creating costumes). The children at another created two performances; one a mash-up of lines taken from Perth Theatre plays to create a new script and one a play with full scenes from different scripts. Other groups took on investigator/ reporter roles to discover facts about the actors and plays previously performed at Perth Theatre, which they then developed into short plays and designed posters for their productions. 154 children across the four schools performed and presented their finished work at their respective school assemblies.
Your Future
Perth Youth Theatre 50th Anniversary Satellite Project Scotland’s oldest dedicated youth theatre, Perth Youth Theatre celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2016. To mark this momentous occasion we have put together an exciting programme of events and performances, which will run throughout the 2016/2017 academic year. The year long programme aims to encourage new members, engage current members and youth theatre alumni alike. Over the last few months the team has delivered outreach PYT projects in Aberfeldy, Alyth, Birnam and Kirkmichael. The projects have enabled young people who may not otherwise be able to access our classes to experience all that Perth Youth Theatre has to offer. Each group has worked with a specialist Perth Youth Theatre tutor over eight weeks to devise and develop their own show which they performed in their local area. The four groups will also perform their show as part of the Perth Youth Theatre 50th Anniversary gala at Perth Concert Hall, on Thursday 24 November, as part of the full Perth Youth Theatre Company.
Perth Youth Theatre 50th Anniversary Gala Concert Thu 24 Nov: 7pm I Perth Concert Hall
Join the full Perth Youth Theatre company (P1-S6) as they perform in this oneoff special event to celebrate 50 years of young talent in Perth. £13.50; concessions £11.50 (inc £1.50 booking fee per ticket) all ticket proceeds will support future PYT projects. Proudly supported by
‘Barrie Hunter … the best panto dame on the Scottish stage’ Sunday Herald
Star Acts
Barrie Hunter Perth panto dame Barrie Hunter has been a Fair City fixture for six years now, so it’s about time we shed more light on the man behind the make up!
Your Theatre Your Heritage
Your A familiar face on the UK theatre scene, Barrie has worked consistently for a variety of companies including The Royal Lyceum, The Tron Theatre, Mother Goose Borderline, Theatre Babel, The Citizen’s Theatre and the National Theatre of Scotland, more recently spending a season as a member of Dundee Rep Ensemble. TV and film credits include The Angel’s Share, Rab C. Nesbitt, Still Game and Watson’s Wind Up. He first slipped on the stilettos and layered on the lippy to play Marge O’Reen in Jack and the Beanstalk in 2011, having to shave off a pretty impressive beard for the part! Since then he has starred in Mother Goose, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast to much audience hilarity and critical acclaim.
Future
Cinderella (with Michael Moreland)
This year Barrie is back for his sixth Perth panto season playing sweetie shop assistant Senga McScruff in Dick McWhittington. Commenting on his welcome return he said:
Barrie Hunter plays Senga McScruff in Dick McWhittington in Perth Concert Hall from Saturday 10 to Monday 26 December
"I am absolutely delighted to be back in Perth for panto again this yearit was a total blast last year, and I can't wait to get the frocks and wigs on and cause havoc, mayhem and general silliness with the brilliant Perth audiences-they're always up for a laugh, a song, a dance and whatever else we throw at them (maybe a wee sweetie?). I cannae wait!!"
Jack and the Beanstalk
After the splurge of Black Friday and the spending madness of Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday on Tuesday 29 November is all about doing good stuff for charities you love. In 2015 ÂŁ6,000+ was donated every minute to charity, achieving the Guinness World Record for the most money donated online in 24 hours! This #GivingTuesday we will be reaching out in lots of ways to ask people to make #TransformPerthTheatre their charity of choice. Thanks a million!
Restore … The beautiful B-listed Edwardian auditorium will be meticulously conserved, the ‘gods’ will be reinstated and an orchestra area will be created. Improvements to the auditorium will ensure that theatre-goers enjoy high quality creative experiences.
Build … A new 200-seat studio theatre will meet the demand for staging small to mid-scale performances including drama productions, music events, comedy gigs, children's workshops, family events and local community performances.
Your Theatre Your Heritage Your Future
Create … Dedicated creative learning areas will provide space for our growing community, education and outreach programme and a new home for Perth Youth Theatre, the oldest of its kind in Scotland.
Improve ... There will be ground floor access and a public lift to all other levels. The High Street entrance will be retained offering shoppers and visitors a direct route into the building. Perth Theatre will be more welcoming than ever before!
Thanks to our funders and partners
If you have any comments, feedback or stories to share contact the development team 01738 472731 transform@perththeatre.co.uk Horsecross Arts Ltd is registered in Scotland, no SC301328 and a charity no SC022400. Registered office: Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, Perth PH1 5HZ