The Gateway Theatre (built as the New Edinburgh Veterinary College) was a Category C listed building in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

, situated on Elm Row at the top of

Leith Walk Leith Walk is one of the longest streets in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is the main road connecting the centre of the city to Leith. Forming most of the A900 road, it slopes downwards from Picardy Place at the south-western end of the street to th ...

History

Veterinary College

The building was purpose-built by George Beattie and Sons in 1882 to accommodate W. Owen Williams' New Veterinary CollegeMackie, A.D (1965), "Forty-One Elm Row", in ''The Twelve Seasons of the Edinburgh Gateway Company, 1953 - 1965'', St. Giles Press, Edinburgh (not to be confused with the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College, which is still extant, elsewhere in the city). In 1904, the College vacated the building, with a professor and eleven students relocating to the veterinary faculty at

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...

. The college buildings were sold to William Perry in 1908, who then applied for a roof to be built over the courtyard to create a

roller-skating Roller skating is the act of traveling on surfaces with roller skates. It is a recreational activity, a sport, and a form of transportation. Roller rinks and skate parks are built for roller skating, though it also takes place on streets, sid ...

rink.

Cinema

Perry's rink did not last long and the building was converted again in 1910, by architect Ralph Pringle, into a cinema known as Pringle's New Picture Palace. It was also for a period in 1929-30 known as The Atmospheric.

Repertory Theatre

When the cinema closed in the 1930s, the building was used as a theatre by an amateur dramatics group. During this time, it was known as Millicent Ward's Studio Theatre and the Festival Theatre, before being renamed the Broadway in 1938. Shortly after the war, the premises were gifted to the

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Reformation of 1560, when it split from the Catholic Church ...

. The Kirk appointed the Rev. George Candlish as director and formed its own repertory theatre company based in the venue. The building re-opened as a theatre in 1946, with seating for 542. Sadie Aitken was appointed Theatre Manager and remained in that post until 1965. She was responsible for changing the name of the theatre to The Gateway.Elder, Michael (2003), ''What do You do During the Day?'', Eldon Productions, pp. 15 - 154 It was a venue for the precursor of what would become the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest arts festival, hosting the Pilgrim Players who performed two T.S. Eliot plays, The Family Reunion and

Murder in the Cathedral ''Murder in the Cathedral'' is a verse drama by T. S. Eliot, first performed in 1935, that portrays the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral during the reign of Henry II in 1170. Eliot drew heavily on the writin ...

. By 1953, the Church had handed the theatre over to an independent, professional theatre company, with the playwright Robert Kemp as Chairman of the Board. The Kirk retained control of the front-of-house, the box office and the café.Kemp, Robert (1965). "The First Seven Years", in ''The Twelve Seasons of the Edinburgh Gateway Company, 1953 - 1965'', St. Giles Press, Edinburgh The Edinburgh Gateway Company included many of Scotland's finest actors and actresses ( Tom Fleming and Lennox Milne were co-founders) and its repertoire included many plays by contemporary Scottish dramatists. Between the years 1953 and 1965, this company produced 150 plays. Molly MacEwen, who had designed the costumes for

Tyrone Guthrie Sir William Tyrone Guthrie (2 July 1900 – 15 May 1971) was an English theatrical director instrumental in the founding of the Stratford Festival of Canada, the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at h ...

Edinburgh International Festival The Edinburgh International Festival is an annual arts festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, spread over the final three weeks in August. Notable figures from the international world of music (especially european classical music, classical music) and ...

production of '' Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaites'' and the sets and costumes for Kemp's ''Let Wives Tak Tent'', both in 1948, was appointed as the company's designer.

1953-54 season

For the 1953-54 season, the company included Tom Fleming, Lennox Milne, Marjorie Dalziel, Michael Elder, Sheila Donald,

John Young John Young may refer to: Academics * John Young (professor of Greek) (died 1820), Scottish professor of Greek at the University of Glasgow * John C. Young (college president) (1803–1857), American educator, pastor, and president of Centre Col ...

, George P. Davies,

Ian MacNaughton Edward Ian MacNaughton (30 December 1925 – 10 December 2002) was a Scottish actor-turned-television producer and director, best known for his work with the ''Monty Python'' team. MacNaughton was director and producer for all but four of the f ...

, Rona Anderson, Sheila Prentice, Margaret Hilder, Kathryn Orr and Anthony Howat. James "Gibbie" Gibson was producer. The plays staged were ''The Forrigan Reel'' by

James Bridie James Bridie (3 January 1888 in Glasgow – 29 January 1951 in Edinburgh) was the pseudonym of a Scottish playwright, screenwriter and physician whose real name was Osborne Henry Mavor.Daniel Leary (1982) ''Dictionary of Literary Biography: ...

, ''

An Inspector Calls ''An Inspector Calls'' is a play written by English dramatist J. B. Priestley, first performed in the Soviet Union in 1945 and at the New Theatre in London the following year. It is one of Priestley's best-known works for the stage and is c ...

'' by J.B. Priestley, '' What Every Woman Knows'' by J.M. Barrie, ''The Other Dear Charmer'' by Robert Kemp, an adaptation of '' A Christmas Carol'' by Roger Weldon, ''Bunty Pulls the Strings'' by Graham Moffat, ''Hame'' by Albert Mackie, ''The Herald's Not for Sale'' by A.B. Paterson, the double-bill ''Rory Aforesaid'' and ''The Glen is Mine'' by John Brandane, ''One Traveller Returns'' by Moray McLaren, and '' The Heart is Highland'' by Robert Kemp.Edinburgh Gateway Company (1965), ''The Twelve Seasons of the Edinburgh Gateway Company, 1953 - 1965'', St. Giles Press, Edinburgh, pp. 43 - 56

1954-55 season

The company's Council resisted a bid by the

's Director, Sir Ian Hunter, to take over the Gateway for the period of the Festival, choosing instead to mount its own productions during August. In August 1954, the company staged a repeat production of Kemp's ''The Other Dear Charmer'', Meg Buchanan playing the maid in place of Marjorie Dalziel, and Marillyn Gray replacing Kathryn Orr in the role of Jenny Clow. The American theatre director Peter Potter joined the company as guest producer for the season, while James Gibson was working in London. The other plays staged in the 1954-55 season were ''The Dashing White Sargeant'' by Campbell Gairdner and Rosamunde Pilcher, ''Meeting at Night'' by James Bridie, ''The Flouers o Edinburgh'' by

Robert McLellan Robert McLellan OBE (1907–1985) was a Scottish renaissance dramatist, writer and poet and a leading figure in the twentieth century movement to recover Scotland’s distinctive theatrical traditions. He found popular success with plays and ...

, ''

The Burning Glass ''The Burning Glass'' is a 1954 dramatic play by Charles Morgan. Plot ''The Burning Glass'' tells the story of Christopher Terriford, a British scientist who discovers a new method of capturing solar energy. This "burning glass" can greatly ben ...

'' by Charles Morgan, ''The World My Parish'' and ''Family Circle'' by Robert J.B. Sellar, ''

Rope A rope is a group of yarns, plies, fibres, or strands that are twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have tensile strength and so can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger than similar ...

'' by Patrick Hamilton, ''The Lass wi the Muckle Mou'' by Alexander Reid, ''Christmas in the Market Place'' by

Henri Ghéon Henri Ghéon (15 March 1875 – 13 June 1944), born Henri Vangeon in Bray-sur-Seine, Seine-et-Marne, was a French playwright, novelist, poet and critic. Biography Brought up by a devout Roman Catholic mother, he lost his faith in his early teens ...

, and ''Marigold'' by Robert Kemp and Cedric Thorpe Davie, ''Sheena'' by Albert D. Mackie, ''Mr. Gillie'' by James Bridie, and ''The Laird o' Grippy'' by Robert Kemp, in which

John Laurie John Paton Laurie (25 March 1897 – 23 June 1980) was a Scottish actor. In the course of his career, Laurie performed on the stage and in films as well as television. He is perhaps best remembered for his role in the sitcom '' Dad's Army'' (19 ...

played the leading role.

1955-56 season

Mary Helen Donald, Norman Fraser, Brian Carey, Nell Ballantyne and Pamela Bain joined the company for the 1955-56 season. James Gibson rejoined the company as producer. Plays produced included ''The Conspirators'' and ''The Scientific Singers'' by Robert Kemp, '' Waiting for Gillian'' by Ronald Millar, ''Our Maggy'' by D. Heddle, ''Heather on Fire'' by Moray McLaren, ''Beneath the Wee Red Lums'' and ''Bachelors Are Bold'' by Tim Watson, ''The Boy David'' by J.M. Barrie, ''Susie Tangles the Strings'' by Graham Moffat, ''Come to the Fair'' by Robert J.B. Sellar, ''Ghosts and Old Gold'' by Reid Kennedy, and '' Juno and the Paycock by

Seán O'Casey Seán O'Casey ( ga, Seán Ó Cathasaigh ; born John Casey; 30 March 1880 – 18 September 1964) was an Irish dramatist and memoirist. A committed socialist, he was the first Irish playwright of note to write about the Dublin working classes. ...

''.

1956-57 season

'' The Anatomist'' by James Bridie was the Festival production in August 1956. Christine Turnbull and

Roddy McMillan Roddy McMillan OBE (23 March 1923 – 9 July 1979) was a Scottish actor and playwright, possibly most famous for his comedy role as Para Handy for BBC Scotland's television series, '' The Vital Spark''. He also played the lead role in Edw ...

joined the company during the 1956-57 season. Other productions included ''The Open'' by A.B. Paterson, ''Lucky Strike'' by Michael Brett, ''The Man Among the Roses'' by Robert Kemp, ''

Tolka Row ''Tolka Row'' was an Irish drama serial set in a fictional housing estate on the northside of Dublin. Based on Maura Laverty's play of the same name, ''Tolka Row'' was first broadcast on 3 January 1964 and aired weekly for five series until it ...

'' by Maura Laverty, ''

Weir of Hermiston ''Weir of Hermiston'' (1896) is an unfinished novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. It is markedly different from his previous works in style and has often been praised as a potential masterpiece. It was cut short by Stevenson's sudden death in 18 ...

'' by Robert J.B. Sellar, ''Johnnie Jouk the Gibbet'' by Tim Watson, ''The Wax Doll'' by Alexander Reid, ''A Scrape o the Pen'' by Graham Moffat, and ''Muckle Ado'' by Moray McLaren. The company split in two after ''Muckle Ado'', one part making a winter tour of the South of Scotland with ''A Nest of Singing Birds'' by Robert Kemp. The rest of the company remained at The Gateway, staging ''The Tinkers of the World'' by Ian R. Hamilton and ''MacHattie's Hotel'' by Albert D. Mackie. The full company came together again to end the season with ''

The Admirable Crichton ''The Admirable Crichton'' is a comic stage play written in 1902 by J. M. Barrie. Origins Barrie took the title from the sobriquet of a fellow Scot, the polymath James Crichton, a 16th-century genius and athlete. The epigram-loving Ernest is p ...

'' by J.M. Barrie and ''

The Playboy of the Western World ''The Playboy of the Western World'' is a three-act play written by Irish playwright John Millington Synge and first performed at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, on 26 January 1907. It is set in Michael James Flaherty's public house in County Mayo (o ...

'' by J.M. Synge.

1957-58 season

The Festival production in August 1957 was ''The Flouers o Edinburgh''. Duncan Macrae played the Nabob and Walter Carr played the servant, Jack. Evelyn Elliot, Diana Tullis and André Coutin joined the company in 1957. Plays produced during the 1957-58 season included ''Dr. Angelus'' by James Bridie, '' Drama at Inish'' by Lennox Robinson, ''The Non-Resident'' by Moray MacLaren, ''The Penny Wedding'' and ''The Daft Days'' by Rober Kemp, ''Arise, Sir Hector'' by R.J.B. Sellar, ''When We Are Married'' by J.B. Priestley, ''

The Wild Duck ''The Wild Duck'' (original Norwegian title: ''Vildanden'') is an 1884 play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It is considered the first modern masterpiece in the genre of tragicomedy. ''The Wild Duck'' and ''Rosmersholm'' are "often ...

'' by Henrik Inbsen, and ''All in Good Faith'' by

. The company split again in February 1958, the touring group taking Robert Kemp's ''The Other Dear Charmer'' to the

Borders A border is a geographical boundary. Border, borders, The Border or The Borders may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * ''Border'' (1997 film), an Indian Hindi-language war film * ''Border'' (2018 Swedish film), ...

. The rest of the company staged ''All for Mary'' by Kay Bannerman and Harold Brooke, and '' Black Chiffon'' by

Lesley Storm Lesley Storm was the pen-name of Mabel Cowie (1898–1975), also known by her married name of Mabel Clark. She was a Scottish writer, who wrote a number of plays, some of which were filmed. ''Black Chiffon'' and '' Roar Like a Dove'' were ma ...

at The Gateway. The season ended with '' The Schoolmistress'' by Arthur Wing Pinero.

1958-59 season

Robert J.B. Sellar's adaptation of

Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll a ...

's novel ''Weir of Hermiston'' was the Festival production in August 1958. Other plays produced in the autumn of 1958 were ''Keep in a Cool Place'' by William Templeton, ''

Look Back in Anger ''Look Back in Anger'' (1956) is a realist play written by John Osborne. It focuses on the life and marital struggles of an intelligent and educated but disaffected young man of working-class origin, Jimmy Porter, and his equally competent yet i ...

'' by John Osborne, and ''The Warld's Wonder'' by Alexander Reid. The company then took ''The Penny Wedding'' to the Citizens in Glasgow,

Dundee Rep Dundee Repertory Theatre, better known simply as the Dundee Rep, is a theatre and arts company in the city of Dundee, Scotland. It operates as both a producing house - staging at least six of its own productions each year, and a receiving house ...

and

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...

as part of a Scottish Repertory exchange. On their return to Edinburgh the company staged ''Boyd's Shop'' by

St. John Greer Ervine St John Greer Ervine (28 December 1883 – 24 January 1971) was an Irish biographer, novelist, critic, dramatist, and theatre manager. He was the most prominent Ulster writer of the early twentieth century and a major Irish dramatist whose work in ...

and ''

A Doll's House ''A Doll's House'' ( Danish and nb, Et dukkehjem; also translated as ''A Doll House'') is a three-act play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premiered at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 December 1879, having be ...

'' by Henrik Ibsen. The Christmas production in 1958 was ''Miracle at Midnight'', a nativity play by Tom Fleming. The first play staged in the New Year was ''The Forrigan Reel''. Later in 1959, the company had a short summer run, reviving ''The Heart is Highland'', ''Muckle Ado'', ''The Open'' and ''Keep in a Cool Place''.

1959-60 season

There was no Festival production at The Gateway in 1959, as company members were fully engaged in Guthrie's final production of '' Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaites'' at the

Kirk Kirk is a Scottish and former Northern English word meaning "church". It is often used specifically of the Church of Scotland. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it. Basic meaning and etymology As a common noun, ''kirk' ...

Assembly Hall An assembly hall is a hall to hold public meetings or meetings of an organization such as a school, church, or deliberative assembly. An example of the last case is the Assembly Hall (Washington, Mississippi) where the general assembly of the st ...

. Richard Mathews joined the company in 1959. Plays produced in the 1959-60 season included ''

French Without Tears ''French Without Tears'' is a comic play written by a 25-year-old Terence Rattigan in 1936. Setting It takes place in a cram school for adults needing to acquire French for business reasons. Scattered throughout are Franglais phrases and sch ...

'' by Terrence Rattigan, ''The Keys of Paradise'' by Ronald Mavor, '' Arsenic and Old Lace'' by

Joseph Kesselring Joseph Otto Kesselring (July 21, 1902 – November 5, 1967) was an American playwright who was best known for writing '' Arsenic and Old Lace'', a hit on Broadway from 1939 to 1944 and in other countries as well. Biography He was born in ...

, ''The Master of Ballantrae'', '' The Ghost Train'' by

Arnold Ridley William Arnold Ridley, OBE (7 January 1896 – 12 March 1984) was an English playwright and actor, earlier in his career known for writing the play '' The Ghost Train'' and later in life in the British TV sitcom ''Dad's Army'' (1968–1977) as ...

, '' The Late Christopher Bean'' by

Emlyn Williams George Emlyn Williams, CBE (26 November 1905 – 25 September 1987) was a Welsh writer, dramatist and actor. Early life Williams was born into a Welsh-speaking, working class family at 1 Jones Terrace, Pen-y-ffordd, Ffynnongroyw, Flints ...

, a revival of ''Miracle of Midnight'', and an adaption of '' Rob Roy'' by Robert Kemp.

1960-61 season

Moultrie R. Kelsall became the company's Chairman in 1960.Kelsall, Moultrie R. (1965), "The Last Five", in ''The Twelve Years of the Edinburgh Gateway Company'', St. Giles Press, Edinburgh, pp. 31 - 41 The plays produced during the 1960-61 season were ''Mary Stuart in Scotland'' by

Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson ( , ; 8 December 1832 – 26 April 1910) was a Norwegian writer who received the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature "as a tribute to his noble, magnificent and versatile poetry, which has always been distinguishe ...

, ''

The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken ...

'' by William Shakespeare, ''Master John Knox'' by Robert Kemp, ''The Lesson'' and ''The New Tenant'' by

Eugene Ionesco Eugene may refer to: People and fictional characters * Eugene (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Eugene (actress) (born 1981), Kim Yoo-jin, South Korean actress and former member of the sin ...

, '' The Rainmaker'' by

N. Richard Nash Nathan Richard Nusbaum (June 8, 1913 – December 11, 2000), known as N. Richard Nash, was an American writer and dramatist best known for writing Broadway shows, including '' The Rainmaker''. Early life Nash was born Nathan Richard Nusbau ...

, ''Frost at Midnight'' by André Obey, ''Listen to the Wind'' by Angela Ainley Jeans and

Vivian Ellis Vivian John Herman Ellis, CBE (29 October 1903 – 19 June 1996) was an English musical comedy composer best known for the song "Spread a Little Happiness" and the theme " Coronation Scot". Life and work Ellis was born in Hampstead, London in ...

. ''My Three Angels'' by Sam and Bella Spewack, ''

The Skin of Our Teeth ''The Skin of Our Teeth'' is a play by Thornton Wilder that won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It opened on October 15, 1942, at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut, before moving to the Plymouth Theatre on Broadway on November 18, ...

'' by

Thornton Wilder Thornton Niven Wilder (April 17, 1897 – December 7, 1975) was an American playwright and novelist. He won three Pulitzer Prizes — for the novel '' The Bridge of San Luis Rey'' and for the plays ''Our Town'' and '' The Skin of Our Teeth'' — ...

, ''The Comic'' by Maurice Fleming, and ''The Country Boy'' by John Murphy.

1961-62 season

The plays produced during the 1961-62 season were ''Let Wives Tak Tent'' by Robert Kemp, ''Papa is All'' by Patterson Greene, ''The Switchback'' by James Bridie, '' All My Sons'' by

Arthur Miller Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are ''All My Sons'' (1947), '' Death of a Salesman'' (1 ...

, ''It Looks Like a Change'' by Donald MacLaren, ''The Man from Thermopylae'' by Ada F. Kay, ''Foursome Reel'' by Andrew Malcolm, ''That Old Serpent'' by John Prudhoe, ''Don't Tell Father'' by Harold Brooke and Kay Bannerman, '' Hot Summer Night'' by

Ted Willis Edward Henry Willis, Baron Willis (13 January 1914 – 22 December 1992) was an English playwright, novelist and screenwriter who was also politically active in support of the Labour Party. In 1941 he became the General Secretary of the Young ...

, ''The Sleepless One'' by Vincent Brome, and '' Pygmalion'' by

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...

1962-63 season

John Cairney John Cairney (born 16 February 1930) is a Scottish film and television actor who is well known to audiences in Scotland and internationally through his one-man shows on Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Service, Charles Rennie Macki ...

joined the company in 1962, playing

James Boswell James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck (; 29 October 1740 ( N.S.) – 19 May 1795), was a Scottish biographer, diarist, and lawyer, born in Edinburgh. He is best known for his biography of his friend and older contemporary the English writer ...

in Robert McLellan's ''Young Auchinleck''. The other plays produced during the 1962-63 season were ''

The Good Soldier Schweik ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' by

Jaroslav Hašek Jaroslav Hašek (; 1883–1923) was a Czech writer, humorist, satirist, journalist, bohemian and anarchist. He is best known for his novel '' The Fate of the Good Soldier Švejk during the World War'', an unfinished collection of farcical inc ...

, '' Juno and the Paycock'' by Sean O'Casey, ''

The Rivals ''The Rivals'' is a comedy of manners by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in five acts which was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre on 17 January 1775. The story has been updated frequently, including a 1935 musical and a 1958 episode of the T ...

'' by

Richard Brinsley Sheridan Richard Brinsley Butler Sheridan (30 October 17517 July 1816) was an Irish satirist, a politician, a playwright, poet, and long-term owner of the London Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. He is known for his plays such as '' The Rivals'', '' The ...

, '' The Birthday Party'' by Harold Pinter, ''The Perfect Gent'' by Robert Kemp, ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vi ...

'' and ''Othello'' by William Shakespeare, ''Noah'' by André Obey, ''The Little Minister'' by J.M. Barrie, '' An Italian Straw Hat'' by Eugene Lebech and Marc-Michel, ''Bus Stop'' by

William Inge William Motter Inge (; May 3, 1913 – June 10, 1973) was an American playwright and novelist, whose works typically feature solitary protagonists encumbered with strained sexual relations. In the early 1950s he had a string of memorable Broad ...

, ''

The Glass Menagerie ''The Glass Menagerie'' is a memory play by Tennessee Williams that premiered in 1944 and catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame. The play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on its author, his Histrionic persona ...

'' by

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thr ...

, and '' Waiting for Godot'' by Samuel Beckett.

1963-64 season

In 1963, Victor Carin was appointed as the company's Director of Productions. The plays produced during the 1963-64 season were ''All in Good Faith'' by Roddy MacMillan, ''The Hypochondriack'' by Victor Carin, ''

Ring Round the Moon ''Ring Round the Moon'' is a 1950 adaptation by the English dramatist Christopher Fry of Jean Anouilh's '' Invitation to the Castle'' (1947). Peter Brook commissioned Fry to adapt the play and the first production of ''Ring Round the Moon'' was ...

'' by

Jean Anouilh Jean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh (; 23 June 1910 – 3 October 1987) was a French dramatist whose career spanned five decades. Though his work ranged from high drama to absurdist farce, Anouilh is best known for his 1944 play ''Antigone'', an a ...

, ''I'm Talking About Jerusalem'' by

Arnold Wesker Sir Arnold Wesker (24 May 1932 – 12 April 2016) was an English dramatist. He was the author of 50 plays, four volumes of short stories, two volumes of essays, much journalism and a book on the subject, a children's book, some poetry, and oth ...

, ''Photo Finish'' by Peter Ustinov, ''Treasure Hunt'' by M.J. Farrell and John Perry, '' The Merry Wives of Windsor'' by William Shakespeare, ''Tobias and the Angel'' by James Bridie, ''

Charley's Aunt ''Charley's Aunt'' is a farce in three acts written by Brandon Thomas. The story centres on Lord Fancourt Babberley, an undergraduate whose friends Jack and Charley persuade him to impersonate the latter's aunt. The complications of the plot in ...

'' by

Brandon Thomas Brandon Thomas may refer to: *Brandon Thomas (playwright) (1848–1914), English actor and playwright who wrote the hit farce, ''Charley's Aunt'' *Brandon Thomas (musician) (born 1980), American rock band singer *Brandon Thomas (American football), ...

, ''

Schweik in the Second World War ''Schweyk in the Second World War'' (''Schweyk im Zweiten Weltkrieg'') is a play by German dramatist and poet Bertolt Brecht. It was written by Brecht in 1943 while in exile in California, and is a sequel to the 1923 novel ''The Good Soldier Šve ...

'' by Bertolt Brecht, '' Someone Waiting'' by

, and '' Arms and the Man'' by

1964-65 season

The plays produced during the 1964-65 season were ''The Golden Legend of Shultz'' by James Bridie, ''The Heart is Highland'' by Robert Kemp, ''

She Stoops to Conquer ''She Stoops to Conquer'' is a comedy by Oliver Goldsmith, first performed in London in 1773. The play is a favourite for study by English literature and theatre classes in the English-speaking world. It is one of the few plays from the 18t ...

'' by Oliver Goldsmith, '' The Fire Raisers'' by

Max Frisch Max Rudolf Frisch (; 15 May 1911 – 4 April 1991) was a Swiss playwright and novelist. Frisch's works focused on problems of identity, individuality, responsibility, morality, and political commitment. The use of irony is a significant featur ...

, ''Marching Song'' by

John Whiting John Robert Whiting (15 November 1917 – 16 June 1963) was an English actor, dramatist and critic. Life and career Born in Salisbury, he was educated at Taunton School, "the particular hellish life which is the English public school" as he ...

, ''

Present Laughter ''Present Laughter'' is a comic play written by Noël Coward in 1939 but not produced until 1942 because the Second World War began while it was in rehearsal, and the British theatres closed. The title is drawn from a song in Shakespeare's ''T ...

'' by Noël Coward, '' A Midsummer Night's Dream'' by William Shakespeare, ''

The Plough and the Stars ''The Plough and the Stars'' is a four-act play by the Irish writer Seán O'Casey that was first performed on 8 February 1926 at the Abbey Theatre. It is set in Dublin and addresses the 1916 Easter Rising. The play's title references the Sta ...

'' by Seán O'Casey, ''The Scythe and the Sunset'' by Denis Johnston, '' Becket'' by Jean Anouilh, '' The Happiest Days of Your Life'' by

John Dighton John Gervase DightonCollections"John Dighton"''British Film Institute''. Retrieved 30 August 2020. (8 December 1909 – 16 April 1989) was a British playwright and screenwriter. Dighton was born in London to Basil Lewis Dighton, of West ...

, ''

Our Town ''Our Town'' is a 1938 metatheatrical three-act play by American playwright Thornton Wilder which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play tells the story of the fictional American small town of Grover's Corners between 1901 and 1913 thro ...

'' by

, ''

Heartbreak House ''Heartbreak House: A Fantasia in the Russian Manner on English Themes'' is a play written by George Bernard Shaw, first published in 1919 and first played at the Garrick Theatre in November 1920. According to A. C. Ward, the work argues that "cul ...

'' by George Bernard Shaw, '' The Circle'' by

Somerset Maugham William Somerset Maugham ( ; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German un ...

, and ''

Journey's End ''Journey's End'' is a 1928 dramatic play by English playwright R. C. Sherriff, set in the trenches near Saint-Quentin, Aisne, towards the end of the First World War. The story plays out in the officers' dugout of a British Army infantry c ...

'' by R.C. Sheriff. STV Gateway Studio Exterior Day

End of the company

As Edinburgh Corporation was acquiring the

Royal Lyceum Theatre The Royal Lyceum Theatre is a 658-seat theatre in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, named after the Theatre Royal Lyceum and English Opera House, the residence at the time of legendary Shakespearean actor Henry Irving. It was built in 1883 by a ...

to establish a civic theatre in 1965, the Gateway, then back in use as a cinema, closed once more. It was then purchased by

Scottish Television Scottish Television (now, legally, known as STV Central Limited) is the ITV network franchisee for Central Scotland. The channel — the largest of the three ITV franchises in Scotland — has been in operation since 31 August 1957 and is th ...

in 1968. It was converted into the Scottish Colour Studio.

Queen Margaret University's School of Drama and Creative Industries

In its final public incarnation, it was one of three sites that comprised the

Queen Margaret University Queen Margaret University is a university, founded in 1875 and located in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is named after the Scottish Queen Saint Margaret. History The university was founded in 1875, as ''The Edinburgh School of Cookery and Domestic ...

(QMU) campus and was the last part of that university within the City of Edinburgh boundary. It was bought by the university in 1988 and converted back into a theatre for the expansion of the conservatoire Drama School and the theatre arts courses it offered. Alterations, by Law and Dunbar-Nasmith, were completed in 1994 at a cost of £5m. The theatre and its purpose-built facilities (such as voice studios, movement studios, radio and tv studios, an acting studio etc) helped consolidate QMU's reputation as one of the UK's leading Drama Schools attracting students and staff from across the world. Moreover, the theatre began to get a reputation as a top venue for national and international productions during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It, consequently, became Scotland's International Drama Centre in 1999. Extensive refurbishment work took place in 1998, funded with £1.5 million of National Lottery money. Then, in 2004, it launched an initiative with the

Scottish Arts Council The Scottish Arts Council ( gd, Comhairle Ealain na h-Alba, sco, Scots Airts Cooncil) was a Scottish public body responsible for the funding, development and promotion of the arts in Scotland. The Council primarily distributed funding from the ...

to promote Scottish talent during the Fringe. In 2005, the University was forced to close the theatre after a safety inspection declared it unsafe, with an estimated £3 million cost to make it so. This deprived the city of both a major Fringe venue and its principal drama school. In the immediate aftermath, it left three theatre companies -

Scottish Dance Theatre Scottish Dance Theatre is a Scotland's national contemporary dance company based at Dundee Repertory Theatre, Dundee Rep Theatre in Dundee, Scotland. It was founded by Royston Maldoom in 1986 as the Dundee Rep Dance Company. The Company The com ...

, Theatre Cryptic and

Vanishing Point A vanishing point is a point on the image plane of a perspective drawing where the two-dimensional perspective projections of mutually parallel lines in three-dimensional space appear to converge. When the set of parallel lines is perpendicul ...

- without a base for that year's Fringe. Discussions were entered into as to whether to carry out the repairs to the main auditorium, or to relocate to the university's Craighall campus, which was opening in 2007. The possibility of using the

Brunton Theatre 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 ...

in Musselburgh was also discussed. Part of the Drama School transferred to the university's

Corstorphine Corstorphine (Scottish Gaelic: ''Crois Thoirfinn'') ( ) is an area of the Scottish capital city of Edinburgh. Formerly a separate village and parish to the west of Edinburgh, it is now a suburb of the city, having been formally incorporate ...

campus, while the Gateway continued to host QMU drama students in the Pend studio space until 2008. In 2006 the University obtained planning permission for demolition of the building to create residential accommodation. The building finally underwent conversion to accommodation in 2012. The site is now a student housing block, valued at £8m.

References

Bibliography

* Mackie, A.D., Kemp, Robert, Milne, Lennox, Fleming, Tom & Kelsall, Moultrie R. (1965), ''The Twelve Seasons of the Edinburgh Gateway Company'', 1953 - 1965, St. Giles Press, Edinburgh * * Elder, Michael (2003), ''What do You do During the Day?'', Eldon Productions, *

External links

Programmes of the Edinburgh Gateway TheatreConservation Statement, June 2006
{{Coord, 55, 57, 35, N, 3, 10, 56, W, type:landmark_region:GB-EDH, display=title Theatres in Edinburgh Former theatres in Scotland