Festival Theatre

About

The Edinburgh Festival Theatre, originally opened as the Empire Palace Theatre in 1892, sits prominently on Nicolson Street in the heart of Edinburgh. Designed by celebrated architect Frank Matcham, the building boasts a lavish auditorium that once held 3,000 seats and survived a devastating 1911 fire before reopening in 1928. After a period as a bingo hall and late‑night live‑music venue, it was revitalised in 1994 into a modern glass‑fronted theatre seating 1,915. Today it is the flagship venue for Scotland’s premier dance and opera house, hosting world‑class productions, the annual Edinburgh International Festival, and the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival. Its striking interior—rich in decorative plasterwork, soaring auditorium proportions, and world‑class acoustics—offers visitors an unforgettable theatrical experience, whether they come for ballet, opera, far‑ce:prises and spectacular musical shows.