Theatre Royal, Shakespeare Square

Category

Library Item

Item no

12121

Title

Theatre Royal Shakespeare Square, corner of North Bridge, Princes Street with Castle &c. Edinburgh

Description

An image of the Theatre Royal, Shakespeare Square, Edinburgh. The theatre occupies the centre of the painting and has a portico with columns in from of it. Several horse-drawn taxis wait outside the theatre and line up farther down the street. The entrance to the North Bridge lies to the right of the theatre. There are many people riding horses on the road and a crowd of people are looking at a poster two men are holding, advertising a show. Several dogs can be seen on the street.

Artist / maker

Le Conte, John

Date

1857

Size

28.5 x 46 cm

Type

Watercolour

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Edinburgh's Theatre Royal was originally located at the junction of North Bridge and Waterloo Place in Shakespeare Square, no longer extant. After the theatre's demolition in 1859 its patent was transferred to a theatre situated next to St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral at the junction of Broughton Street, York Place, Leith Street and Leith Walk. The new Theatre Royal suffered several fires in the second half of the 19th century. The building has since been demolished.

Shakespeare Square stood at the junction of North Bridge and Waterloo Place in Edinburgh. It was the location of Edinburgh's Theatre Royal until the demolition of the theatre and square in 1859 to make way for the General Post Office building. This building still stands on the site.

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Related subjects

Animals > Mammals > Dogs

Business > Advertising > Advertisements

Places > Edinburgh areas > Princes Street

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Sport and leisure > Culture > Theatres

Transport > Land > Horse and riders

Transport > Land > Horse-drawn trams

(55°57′12″N, 3°11′20″W)