Brunton Theatre Explained

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.

There are two performance spaces in the building: a 300 capacity theatre, with notably clear sightlines, and a main hall upstairs, which seats 500. 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.

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.[1]

Charles Nowosielski was appointed artistic director at the Brunton Theatre in 1986, bringing Richard Cherns with him as Musical Director/composer.[2] Productions directed by Nowosielski include Sydney Goodsir Smith's The Wallace (1986),[3] Donald Mackenzie's The Warld Traiveller (1986),[4] Robert Bolt's A Man for All Seasons (1986),[5] Netta B. Reid's A Shepherd Beguiled (1986),[6] [7] Howard Purdie's A Fine Romance (1987),[8] Edward Stiven's Tamlane (1987),[9] the Kander & Ebb musical Cabaret (1987),[10] Jay Presson Allen's adaptation of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1987),[11] [12] Stephen Macdonald's adaptation of The Jungle Book (1987 and 1989 tour),[13] [14] [15] David Purves's The Knicht o the Riddils (1987),[16] [17] John Bett's Sleeping Beauty (1987-88), William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew (1988),[18] Edward Stiven's The Cauldron (1988),[19] an Edinburgh International Festival production of James Bridie's Holy Isle (1988),[20] Robert Robertson's The Wizard of Oz (1988),[21] Goodrich and Hackett'sThe Diary of Anne Frank (1988),[22] [23] The Bug Play (1988),[24] Alexander Reid's The Warld's Wonder (1988), David Swan's Frankie MacStein: The Panto (1988-89),[25] Anton Chekov's The Seagull (1989),[26] [27] Edward Stiven's Under the Passing Stars (1989),[28] [29] [30] Hector MacMillan's The Rising (1989),[31] Compton Mackenzie's Whisky Galore (1989),[32] C.P. Taylor's Good (1989),[33] [34] Peter Hall and Adrian Mitchell's adaptation of Animal Farm (1989),[35] [36] David Swan's Ali MacBaba and the Tomb of Doom (1989),[37] Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca (1990),[38] [39] Donald Campbell's The Fisher Boy and the Honest Lass (1990),[40] George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan,[41] and an Edinburgh International Festival production of Robert S. Silver's The Bruce (1991).[42] [43]

Sandy Neilson directed Simon Gray's comedy Stage Struck at the Brunton in February 1988.[44] [45] Jeffrey Daunton directed Agatha Christie's The Hollow in January and February 1989.[46] [47] On 23 March 1990, David Hayman directed Scottish People's Theatre production of Lynn Bains' Nae Problem at the Brunton.[48]

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

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

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".[49]

External links

55.9439°N -3.057°W

Notes and References

  1. Musselburgh Moves, The List, Issue 24, 5 - 18 September 1986
  2. Obituary: Charles Nowosielski, visionary director behind Theatre Alba, The Scotsman, 3rd June 2020
  3. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1986-09-19/10/index.html Advertisement for the Brunton Theatre production of The Wallace
  4. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1986-10-17/21/index.html Advertisement for the Brunton Theatre production of The Warld Traiveller
  5. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1986-10-31/16/index.html Advertisement for the Brunton Theatre production of A Man for All Seasons
  6. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1986-11-14/20/index.html Adverisement for the Brunton Theatre production of The Shepherd Beguiled
  7. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1986-11-28/21/index.html review of The Shepherd Beguiled by Sarah Hemming
  8. Raison, Ness, review of A Fine Romance, The List, 20 February 1987, pp. 22 & 23
  9. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1987-03-06/22/index.html review of Tamlane by Nigel Billen
  10. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1987-10-02/22/index.html review of Cabaret by Sally Kinnes
  11. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1987-10-16/23/index.html Advertisement for the Brunton Theatre production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
  12. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1987-10-30/22/index.html review of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Rosemary Goring
  13. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1987-10-30/20/index.html Theatre listings
  14. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1987-11-13/25/index.html review of The Jungle Book
  15. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1989-04-07/25/index.html advertisement for the tour of the Brunton Theatre Company's production of The Jungle Book
  16. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1987-11-13/5/index.html Guest List: Preview of The Knicht o the Riddils
  17. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1987-12-11/31/index.html review of The Knicht o the Riddils by Sarah Hemming
  18. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1988-02-05/24/index.html review of The Naming of the Shrew by Mark Fisher
  19. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1988-03-04/23/index.html review of The Cauldron by Sarah Hemming
  20. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1988-08-19/5/index.html preview of the Brunton Theatre Company's production of James Bridie's Holy Isle
  21. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1988-09-02/33/index.html listing for the Brunton Theatre Company's production of The Wizard of Oz
  22. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1988-09-30/24/index.html listing for the Brunton Theatre Company's production of The Diary of Anne Frank
  23. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1988-10-14/26/index.html review of The Diary of Anne Frank by Mark Fisher
  24. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1988-10-28/23/index.html Theatre listing for The Bug Play
  25. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1988-12-23/31/index.html review of Frankie MacStein by Kristina Woolnough
  26. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1989-01-27/26/index.html Theatre listing for the Brunton Theatre Company's production of The Seagull
  27. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1989-02-24/25/index.html review of The Seagull by Julie Morrice
  28. Touching the Past, The List, Issue 88, 24 February - 9 March 1989, p. 21
  29. Theatricalia, Under the Passing Stars
  30. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1989-03-10/26/index.html review of Under the Passing Stars by Simon Bayly
  31. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1989-09-01/43/index.html Theatre listing for The Rising
  32. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1989-10-13/51/index.html review of Whisky Galore by Philip Parr
  33. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1989-10-27/55/index.html advertisement for the Brunton Theatre Company's production of Good
  34. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1989-11-10/54/index.html review of Good by Mark Fisher
  35. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1989-11-10/53/index.html advertisement for the Brunton Theatre Company's production of Animal Farm
  36. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1989-11-24/52/index.html review of Animal Farm by Jo Roe
  37. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1989-11-24/46/index.html advertisement for the Brunton Theatre Company's production of Ali MacBaba and the Tomb of Doom
  38. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1990-01-12/51/index.html advertisement for the Brunton Theatre Company's production of Rebecca
  39. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1990-01-26/44/index.html review of Rebecca by Jo Roe
  40. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1990-03-09/55/index.html review of The Fisher Boy and the Honest Lass by Philip Parr
  41. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1990-09-14/54/index.html 'Saints alive', review of Saint Joan by Sue Wilson
  42. The Bruce theatre programme, Brunton Theatre Company, Musselburgh, August 1991
  43. Brunton Theatre Company programme, 1987/88, Musselburgh
  44. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1988-02-05/22/index.html Advertisement for the Brunton Theatre's production of Stage Struck
  45. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1988-02-19/24/index.html review of Stage Struck by Mark Fisher
  46. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1989-01-13/23/index.html Theatre listing for The Hollow
  47. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1989-01-27/28/index.html review of The Hollow by Mark Fisher
  48. http://archive.list.co.uk.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/the-list/1990-03-23/45/index.html advertisement for Nae Problem
  49. Web site: Council to consult on demolishing Brunton Theatre over RAAC fears . BBC News . 29 October 2024 . 29 October 2024.

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