FOR the first time in thirty years, the Edinburgh International Festival will return to the neglected Leith Theatre this summer for an extended showcase of Scottish pop, rock, indie and folk acts.
The theatre, which opened in 1932, was used regularly by festival organisers until 1988 when it was closed by the council due to its dilapidated state.
Since then though, the venue which has hosted legendary acts such as AC/DC, Kraftwerk and Thin Lizzy in its time, has become the subject of a strong campaign to get the building back up and running again. Now in the hands of the the Leith Theatre Trust, the campaign to revive the venue has secured the backing of Sir Rod Stewart, Ewen Bremner, Shirley Manson, Irvine Welsh and The Proclaimers. Last week, it received a major boost when the city council pledged £1 million towards its restoration.
The return of the Edinburgh International Festival to the venue follows the success of last year’s Hidden Door. A triumphant occasion which saw the venue temporarily open its doors again, the festival brought the likes of Anna Meredith, Kathryn Joseph and Idlewild to Leith. Hidden Door is set to return to the venue this year across the 25th May to 3rd June.
Meanwhile, EIF organisers are set to announce their plans for Leith Theatre next month. Not only hugely exciting for the capital’s live music scene, the announcement will undoubtedly strengthen the bed to open the building on a permanent basis.
Council leader Adam McVey said that the theatre has the potential to be “the coolest arts venue in the entire country”. He added: “I went to a couple of events there when it was reopened for the Hidden Door festival and it was incredible. It felt like the kind of venue that exists in Glasgow, and that people in Edinburgh wonder why we don’t have. It’s a hidden gem.
“We want to spread out festival activity more around the city, and Leith Theatre could become an anchor to attract audiences, promoters and artists to the area.”
