The Edinburgh Theatre, Castle Terrace, Edinburgh

Later - The Synod Hall / Poole's Synod Hall Cinema

Edinburgh Index

Above - Poole's Synod Hall Cinema, Castle Terrace, Edinburgh, formerly the Edinburgh Theatre / Synod Hall.

The Edinburgh Theatre was a short lived Theatre situated on Castle Terrace, Edinburgh. It was designed by J. Murray Bell and F. T. Pilkington for the Edinburgh Winter Garden, and Aquarium Company Ltd., with the exterior from designs by James Gowan. The Theatre opened on Monday the 20th of December 1875 with a production of 'Used Up' with Mr. Wybert as Sir Charles Coldstream and Rose Saker as Mary Wurzel. This was followed by a production of the farce 'His Last Legs' with R. H. Wyndham playing O'Callaghan, and a production of 'Brother Sandy' with Mr. Pillans in the lead role.

Right - An Advertisement for the opening night of the Edinburgh Theatre, Castle Terrace - From The Scotsman, 20th of December 1875.

Shortly after the Theatre's Opening the ERA described the Theatre in their 26th of December 1875 edition saying 'The Auditorium, measuring 70 feet square within the walls, and having a height of 58 feet from pit floor to ceiling, is admirably contrived with reference to the comfort and convenience of spectators. On the floor level, after allowing space for orchestra stalls and ordinary stalls, there is a pit capable of accommodating about 700 persons, the most remote part of which will command a good view of the stage. The dress circle, designed in handsome sweep, presents a mode of arrangement as to Seating quite new in Edinburgh. Round the wall is placed a range of seventeen private boxes, each provided with a separate entrance from the corridor. The four boxes on either side nearest the stage advance so far as to leave room for only two rows of seats between their fronts and the circle balcony, but those in the centre recede sufficiently to admit of five rows, and the seating throughout has been fitted up in a most luxurious and commodious style.

Of the second circle the front portion has been railed off for amphitheatre stalls, and at the back is a large open space where people may stand or walk about between acts - this promenade being continued at the sides in the form of enclosed compartments with open fronts, which runs close up to the proscenium boxes. The gallery has been constructed with a very steep slope, so as to ensure from every point a full view of the stage. Here, too, there is a promenade at the back. Completing the accommodation, there remain to be mentioned six large proscenium boxes, the lowest of which, on the left of the stage, as one looks towards the house, is set apart for members of the royal family.

Lighting is provided for by a large sunlight in the centre of the building, and a number of lamps let into the partition-walls in such a way that their combustion cannot contaminate the atmosphere of the house. A comfortable temperature will be secured by means of steam-pipes, and in hot weather there will be kept going a huge punkah, whose cooling effect can be readily brought to bear when it seems most required.

A very notable feature of the establishment is found in the extent and completeness of its stage appointments. The proscenium opening is 32 feet wide, its height being indicated by the same figures. immediately behind there is an available width of 71 feet, and towards the back this expands to 114 feet, thus affording abundant scope for every variety of scenic and spectacular effect.

Left - A rare programme for the short lived Edinburgh Theatre, Castle Terrace, Edinburgh in May 1876 with J. L. Toole and Company performing in several production for six nights only - Courtesy Simon Moss, stagememories - From the Cannon Collection.

The stage, constructed under the direction of Mr. Syme, late of the Theatre Royal, has been laid down with four bridges, and a corresponding number of flats and traps, the mechanical appliances throughout being of the most approved character. For the working of the scenes, which move vertically, a system of hydraulic apparatus, contrived by Messrs. Brown, engineers, Edinburgh, has been provided in the flies, and, as the result of repeated trials, this is found to answer admirably. On Monday the system did not present even the slightest hitch.

Particular care has been taken to provide ample and convenient means of ingress and egress, and in this important detail much skill has been shown, and consideration for the comfort of visitors displayed. Catching the eye immediately is the curtain - not an expanse of green baize, as is a usually the case, but an artistic piece of painting executed by Messrs Cordon and Hanford, of London, well fitted, had there been nothing else, to engage attention in the interval of waiting. The work presents two crimson curtains, which partly withdrawn, disclose a stately archway, under which an admirably drawn and gracefully posed figure of Apollo stands. Behind is another crimson curtain, close drawn, but allowing over its top, through the arch, a view of a noble chamber beyond. Admirably portioned in design and at once rich and sober in colour, this splendid picture forms the central feature of the proscenium, on which so much gorgeous decoration has been lavished. The opening is square and enclosed with simple mouldings, and along the top we see in carved work the folds of a curtain, which a winged figure seems to support on either side. Above are the royal arms, flanked by richly gilt floriated ornament and still higher there springs from a sheaf of golden rays a colossal figure symbolic of music, holding her lyre aloft, as if with an air of upward motion she appears to rise into the coved ceiling. Two youths, half clinging, half-flying - blow trumpets as they look upward to the central figure, while Cupids further emphasise the suggestion that music is to bear an important part of the entertainment here presented. Bold gilt mouldings rising along each side of the proscenium opening, sweep outward with fine curves to encircle the sky-like ceiling, and wreaths of flowers, musical instruments, and other ornamental devices are freely introduced.

The balconies of the circle and second circle tier are adorned, the former with festoons of flowers in relief, and the latter with an effective ornament, the whole being painted white and picked out with gilding. The design of the interior is altogether splendid, and the rich colour of the curtain finds its counterpart in the hangings of the stage boxes, in the handsome valance carried round the box front, and the deep maroon of the walls. The first public performance was pre-eminently successful.'

The above text in quotes was first published in the ERA, 26th of December 1875.

The Edinburgh Theatre had originally opened on the 20th of December 1875, and the following week, on the 28th of December, the Theatre staged its first Christmas Pantomime, which was 'Blue Beard' by Wybert Reeve who was also the Manager of the Theatre.

Sadly however, the Edinburgh Theatre was not a success and was put up for sale only a year after its opening. It was bought by the United Presbyterian Synod as a replacement for their old Hall on Queen Street at a cost of £26,700. However, it took a great deal of time and more expense to convert the former Theatre for their purposes, and by the time it was ready to open as the new Synod Hall in May 1880 practically the only portions of the old Theatre remaining were its external walls. The Synod Hall was designed by an architect called Mr. Burnett, and the main Hall, which was situated on the second floor and could accommodate some 2,000 people, was encircled by classrooms, a library, and several other rooms. The ground floor was just used for storage.

The Synod Hall remained in use by the Presbyterian Synod until it was bought by the Edinburgh Corporation in 1902 for £30,570. The Corporation then made the Hall available for public letting and it was soon put to use as one of Edinburgh's earliest Cinemas by Charles William Poole who leased the building for his seasonal entertainments, Diorama shows, and early film presentations from 1906.

It was later run by Charles Poole's son Jim Poole, shown right, and converted for full time Cinema use in 1928 as Poole's Synod Hall Cinema. This was on two levels, stalls and one circle, with a 40 foot wide proscenium, and an early RCA Sound System.

Right - Jim Poole sitting opposite the site of the former Synod Hall Cinema which was demolished in 1966 - From The Scotsman, 21st of January 1998.

The Poole family ran the Synod Hall Cinema right up until its closure on the 30th of October 1965. It was subsequently demolished in March 1966 and that was the end of this site's entertainment career dating right back to 1875 when it had first opened as the short lived Edinburgh Theatre.

I'm told that when the Theatre was closed its seats were taken up by the Barony Theatre in nearby Bo'ness which according to one of their Trustees, Keith Hewitt, are still there today.

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