Skip to content
Home
Favourites
0
Advanced search
Shopping cart
0
Register
Log in
Images of Edinburgh
Browse map
Area A - Z
Browse by date
Exhibitions
Current exhibition
All exhibitions
Collections
About the collections
Browse by theme
Subject A - Z
The image library for the collections of Edinburgh Libraries and Museums and Galleries
Images of Edinburgh
Browse map
Area A - Z
Browse by date
Exhibitions
Current exhibition
All exhibitions
Collections
About the collections
Browse by theme
Subject A - Z
Subject = "Traverse Theatre"
Back to search results
Traverse Theatre, Saltire Court. Interior of rotunda.
McGarry, Paul, 1992, Photograph
Item
of 198
Traverse Theatre, Saltire Court. Interior of rotunda.
Traverse Theatre, Saltire Court. Interior of rotunda.
Add to favourites
Share
Item record
About this image
Related
Location
Category
Library Item
Item no
27550
Title
Traverse Theatre, Saltire Court. Interior of rotunda on Cambridge Street
Artist / maker
McGarry, Paul
Date
1992
Size
20.2 x 25.1 cm
Type
Photograph
Location
Edinburgh and Scottish Collection
In 1982, the
Traverse Theatre
started theatre hunting, when that year's Festival programme drew attention to the limited space available in the former Grassmarket building. In 1983 a proposal to move to the empty Argyle Brewery in the Cowgate was considered and abandoned. But a solution was not far away in Castle Terrace, in the guise of the notorious "hole in the ground", long seen as a site for Edinburgh's proposed opera house.
The opera house was never built, but in December 1987 Edinburgh District Council adopted the proposal by Metropolitan Property and Noble & Co. to build an office complex on the site, a new purpose built theatre being part of the design brief. This soon led to a submissions war between the Traverse and Royal Lyceum to become tenants of the new theatre, the Traverse eventually being given the honour in June 1988.
The Council contributed £3 million for equipping and fitting out the new space, and gave the Traverse removal expenses of £150,000. They were also to be given a lease of 150 years. In return the ownership of the Grassmarket building was transferred to the Council.
Design was entrusted to Nicholas Groves-Raines and Limma Hannesdottir. The new theatre had two performance spaces, both of which were very adaptable. Theatre one could seat 250, and Theatre two, a mirror to the Grassmarket venue, up to 100.
The new Traverse opened on 3 July 1992. It was the first theatre to be built in Britain specifically for the showing of new plays. That first new play was Michele Celeste's Columbus: Blooding the Ocean.
Exhibitions with this item
The Traverse Theatre at 50
Other views of this item
Related images
Related subjects
Architecture
>
Architectural features
>
Doors and doorways
Architecture
>
Monuments
>
Sculptures
Places
>
Edinburgh Landmarks
>
Traverse Theatre
Places
>
Scotland
>
Edinburgh
Sport and leisure
>
Culture
>
Theatres
More like this
Rights and purchasing
Option
Price
Digital File
Electronic file 72 dpi JPEG
£6.10
(inc. VAT 20%)
Add
Digital File
Electronic File 300 dpi TIFF
£31.00
(inc. VAT 20%)
Add
You can view and use digital images for personal and educational use. For more information, read our
policy on image use
.
If you wish to use our images for commercial use, please
contact us
.
The image library for the collections of Edinburgh Libraries and Museums and Galleries The image library for the collections of Edinburgh Libraries and Museums and Galleries