Brunton Theatre

Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh

The Brunton Theatre is a mid-scale performing arts venue in Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland. It is part of a wider complex, incorporating council offices, and called Brunton Memorial Hall.

The building is textured concrete and glass, and was designed by William Kininmonth, with a gilded relief sculpture by Tom Whalen, a Scottish sculptor, on the facade (not to be confused with Tom Whalen the American writer and scholar). Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother opened it in 1971. The name derives from John D. Brunton, son of John Brunton, the founder of the Brunton Wireworks. He died in 1951 and left a bequest of £700,000 to the people of Musselburgh for the purpose of creating a community hall. The Town Council supplemented this and created a larger scheme which incorporated their offices.[1]

There are two performance spaces in the building: a 300 capacity theatre, with notably clear sightlines, and a main hall upstairs, which seats 500.[2] The main hall (also known as "Venue 1") hosts classical music concerts, comedy and contemporary dance performances, as well as regular cinema screenings and live screenings from the National Theatre and Royal Opera House.[2]

In the early years, the theatre was used mainly for pantomime and productions by local amateur groups, with occasional performances by touring companies. In 1979, East Lothian District Council asked Sandy Neilson to form a company to present an eight-week season of drama. The three plays produced during the first season were Frederick Knott's thriller Wait Until Dark, Alexander Reid's Scots comedy The Lass wi' the Muckle Mou, and Peter Nichols' A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, with John Bett in the title role. Ron Coburn Promotions presented the Christmas pantomime Robinson Crusoe at the Brunton Theatre from 13th December 1979 to 5th January 1980. Ian Granville-Bell served as artistic director until 1986.[3]

Charles Nowosielski was appointed artistic director at the Brunton Theatre in 1986, bringing Richard Cherns with him as Musical Director/composer.[4] Productions directed by Nowosielski include Sydney Goodsir Smith's The Wallace (1986),[5] Donald Mackenzie's The Warld Traiveller (1986),[6] Robert Bolt's A Man for All Seasons (1986),[7] Netta B. Reid's A Shepherd Beguiled (1986),[8][9] Howard Purdie's A Fine Romance (1987),[10] Edward Stiven's Tamlane (1987),[11] the Kander & Ebb musical Cabaret (1987),[12] Jay Presson Allen's adaptation of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1987),[13][14] Stephen Macdonald's adaptation of The Jungle Book (1987 and 1989 tour),[15][16][17] David Purves's The Knicht o the Riddils (1987),[18][19] John Bett's Sleeping Beauty (1987-88), William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew (1988),[20] Edward Stiven's The Cauldron (1988),[21] an Edinburgh International Festival production of James Bridie's Holy Isle (1988),[22] Robert Robertson's The Wizard of Oz (1988),[23] Goodrich and Hackett'sThe Diary of Anne Frank (1988),[24][25] The Bug Play (1988),[26] Alexander Reid's The Warld's Wonder (1988), David Swan's Frankie MacStein: The Panto (1988-89),[27] Anton Chekov's The Seagull (1989),[28][29] Edward Stiven's Under the Passing Stars (1989),[30] [31][32] Hector MacMillan's The Rising (1989),[33] Compton Mackenzie's Whisky Galore (1989),[34] C.P. Taylor's Good (1989),[35][36] Peter Hall and Adrian Mitchell's adaptation of Animal Farm (1989),[37][38] David Swan's Ali MacBaba and the Tomb of Doom (1989),[39] Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca (1990),[40][41] Donald Campbell's The Fisher Boy and the Honest Lass (1990),[42] George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan,[43] and an Edinburgh International Festival production of Robert S. Silver's The Bruce (1991).[44][45]

Sandy Neilson directed Simon Gray's comedy Stage Struck at the Brunton in February 1988.[46][47] Jeffrey Daunton directed Agatha Christie's The Hollow in January and February 1989.[48][49] On 23 March 1990, David Hayman directed Scottish People's Theatre production of Lynn Bains' Nae Problem at the Brunton.[50]

The theatre underwent refurbishment in the late 1990s,[51] while the entire building was refurbished in 2010-11 for £3.2 million.[1] There is also a curved bar area, and artwork around the theatre complex by Glasgow-based glass artist Deborah Campbell.[2] Venue hire is managed by East Lothian Council, while artistic programming is organised by the Brunton Theatre Trust, established in 1994.[52]

Children's theatre company, Catherine Wheels, are the resident company,[2] and the theatre also acts as venue 191 at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[51]

In 2023, part of the theatre was "zoned off" because of the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in the roof panelling. In October 2024, East Lothian Council voted unanimously to close the building and to consult on its demolition after consultants said that repairing it would be "untenable".[53]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Brunton Theatre (Brunton Memorial Hall)". Scottish Places. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d "Brunton Theatre". The List. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  3. ^ Musselburgh Moves, The List, Issue 24, 5 - 18 September 1986], p. 11
  4. ^ Obituary: Charles Nowosielski, visionary director behind Theatre Alba, The Scotsman, 3rd June 2020
  5. ^ Advertisement for the Brunton Theatre production of The Wallace, The List, Issue 25, 19 September - 2 October 1986, p. 8
  6. ^ Advertisement for the Brunton Theatre production of The Warld Traiveller, The List, Issue 27, 17 - 30 October 1986, p. 21
  7. ^ Advertisement for the Brunton Theatre production of A Man for All Seasons, The List, Issue 28, 31 October - 13 November 1986, p. 16
  8. ^ Adverisement for the Brunton Theatre production of The Shepherd Beguiled, The List, Issue 29, 14 - 27 November 1986, p. 18
  9. ^ review of The Shepherd Beguiled by Sarah Hemming, The List, Issue 30, 28 November - 11 December 1986, p. 21
  10. ^ Raison, Ness, review of A Fine Romance, The List, 20 February 1987, pp. 22 & 23
  11. ^ review of Tamlane by Nigel Billen, The List, Issue 36, 6 - 19 March 1987, pp. 22 & 23
  12. ^ review of Cabaret by Sally Kinnes, The List, Issue 51, 2 - 15 October 1987, p. 20
  13. ^ Advertisement for the Brunton Theatre production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, The List, Issue 52, 16 - 29 October 1987, p. 21
  14. ^ review of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Rosemary Goring, The List, Issue 53, 30 Ostober - 12 November 1987, p.20
  15. ^ Theatre listings, The List, Issue 53, 30 October - 12 November 1987, p. 18
  16. ^ review of The Jungle Book, The List, Issue 54, 13 - 26 November 1987, p. 23
  17. ^ advertisement for the tour of the Brunton Theatre Company's production of The Jungle Book, The List, Issue 91, 7 - 20 April 1989, p. 23
  18. ^ Guest List: Preview of The Knicht o the Riddils, The List, Issue 54, 13 - 26 November 1987, p. 3
  19. ^ review of The Knicht o the Riddils by Sarah Hemming, The List, issue 56, 11 December 1987 – 7 January 1988, p. 27, ISSN 0959-1915
  20. ^ review of The Naming of the Shrew by Mark Fisher, The List, Issue 59, 5 - 18 February 1988, p. 22
  21. ^ review of The Cauldron by Sarah Hemming, The List, Issue 61, 4 - 17 March 1988, p. 21
  22. ^ preview of the Brunton Theatre Company's production of James Bridie's Holy Isle, The List, Issue 74, 9 - 25 August 1988, p. 3
  23. ^ listing for the Brunton Theatre Company's production of The Wizard of Oz, The List, Issue 76, 12 - 15 September 1988, pp. 20 & 31
  24. ^ listing for the Brunton Theatre Company's production of The Diary of Anne Frank, The List, Issue 78, 30 September - 13 October 1988, pp. 22 & 23
  25. ^ review of The Diary of Anne Frank by Mark Fisher, The List, Issue 79, 14 - 27 October, p. 24
  26. ^ Theatre listing for The Bug Play, The List, Issue 80, 28 October - 10 November 1988, p. 21
  27. ^ review of Frankie MacStein by Kristina Woolnough, The List, Issue 84, 23 December - 12 January, p. 29
  28. ^ Theatre listing for the Brunton Theatre Company's production of The Seagull, The List, Issue 86, 27 January - 9 February 1989, p. 24
  29. ^ review of The Seagull by Julie Morrice, The List, Issue 88, 24 February - 9 March 1989, p. 23
  30. ^ Touching the Past, The List, Issue 88, 24 February - 9 March 1989, p. 21
  31. ^ Theatricalia, Under the Passing Stars
  32. ^ review of Under the Passing Stars by Simon Bayly, The List, Issue 89, 10 - 23 March 1989, p. 24
  33. ^ Theatre listing for The Rising, The List, Issue 103, 1 - 14 September 1989, p. 41
  34. ^ review of Whisky Galore by Philip Parr, The List, Issue 106, 13 - 26 October 1989, p. 49
  35. ^ advertisement for the Brunton Theatre Company's production of Good, The List, Issue 107, 27 October - 9 November, p. 51
  36. ^ review of Good by Mark Fisher, The List, Issue 108, 10 - 23 November 1989, p. 50
  37. ^ advertisement for the Brunton Theatre Company's production of Animal Farm, The List, Issue 108, 10 - 23 November 1989, p. 49
  38. ^ review of Animal Farm by Jo Roe, The List, Issue 109, 24 November - 7 December 1989, p. 50
  39. ^ advertisement for the Brunton Theatre Company's production of Ali MacBaba and the Tomb of Doom,The List, Issue 109, 24 November - 7 December 1989, p. 44
  40. ^ advertisement for the Brunton Theatre Company's production of Rebecca, The List, Issue 112, 12 - 15 January 1990, p. 49
  41. ^ review of Rebecca by Jo Roe, The List, Issue 113, 26 January - 8 February 1990, p. 42
  42. ^ review of The Fisher Boy and the Honest Lass by Philip Parr, The List, Issue 116, 9 - 22 March 2020, p. 53
  43. ^ 'Saints alive', review of Saint Joan by Sue Wilson, The List, Issue 131, 14 - 27 September 1990, p. 52
  44. ^ The Bruce theatre programme, Brunton Theatre Company, Musselburgh, August 1991
  45. ^ Brunton Theatre Company programme, 1987/88, Musselburgh
  46. ^ Advertisement for the Brunton Theatre's production of Stage Struck, The List, Issue 59, 5 - 18 February 1980, p. 20
  47. ^ review of Stage Struck by Mark Fisher, The List, Issue 60, 19 February - 6 March 1988, p. 22
  48. ^ Theatre listing for The Hollow, The list, Issue 85, 13 - 26 January 1989, p. 21
  49. ^ review of The Hollow by Mark Fisher, The List, Issue 86, 27 January - 9 February 1989, p. 26
  50. ^ advertisement for Nae Problem, The List, Issue 117, 25 March - 5 April 1990, p. 43
  51. ^ a b "Brunton Theatre". Edinburgh Guide. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  52. ^ "About Us". Brunton Theatre. Archived from the original on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  53. ^ "Council to consult on demolishing Brunton Theatre over RAAC fears". BBC News. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
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55°56′38″N 3°03′25″W / 55.9439°N 3.0570°W / 55.9439; -3.0570

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