The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Countdown to theatre’s £16.6m relaunch
Finishing touches now being applied to theatre as clock ticks down to pantomime
The finishing touches to the £16.6 million make-over of Perth Theatre is coming to an end as managers start the countdown to its first performance.
The Courier has been given a sneak peek inside the building as construction crews piece together the new Mill Street entrance.
With 75 days to go before pantomime Aladdin, a countdown clock is being projected onto the side of the building.
The new box office, cafe and bar will reopen on November 13 and the public will get the chance to tour the new facilities and go backstage.
Refurbished seating has now been fitted inside the main auditorium, while the original decorative interior has been replicated.
Horsecross Arts chief executive Gwilym Gibbons said: “It is incredibly exciting to reach this stage in the transformation process. With 75 days to go until our reopening production of Aladdin, we are counting the days until we welcome the people of Perth back into their restored and redeveloped theatre.”
Perth and Kinross Council leader Ian Campbell added: “It is an exciting time for Perth as so many major projects are progressing at different stages, and they all will provide a major boost to the city.”
The project is being delivered by hub East Central Scotland, a publicprivate partnership. Chief Executive Gary Bushnell said the theatre was nearly ready to “take its place as one of the city’s most unique culture venues”.
Kevin Dickson, managing director of Robertson Tayside, which has been carrying out construction work on site, said: “Being so closely involved with the transformation of Perth Theatre has been an absolute privilege for everyone at Robertson.
“It’s exciting to know that the theatre will reopen in just a couple of months and I am sure that once they step inside, the public will agree that all the hard work has been more than worth it.”
Fundraising continues to reach the total needed, with money pledged by the local authority, Creative Scotland, the Gannochy Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund, among others.