The redeveloped £16.6 million Perth Theatre will create a cultural hub that shows off the city’s “great ambition”.
Work to restore and transform the historic B-listed venue took a significant step forward on Wednesday with a 24-metre-high piling rig brought into the theatre car park to test ground conditions.
The machine will be used to determine the materials to be used during building work.
Horsecross Arts which runs Perth Theatre and Perth Concert Hall and partner Perth and Kinross Council are moving forward with plans to restore Perth Theatre’s auditorium to its former glory, adding a new, 200-capacity studio theatre designed for more intimate shows, live music and comedy events.
The transformed venue will also have increased workshop spaces for creative learning and community projects.
Magnus Linklater, chairman of Horsecross Arts, described the latest move as not only a “big day for Perth” but for Scotland, too.
“I think this theatre is going to be a huge contribution to the cultural life of not only the city, but of Scotland as a whole,” he told The Courier.
“This is very bold venture a £16.6m project you don’t enter into that lightly, and it shows the great ambition of the city.
“Any city thrives on the expansion of its cultural life and this is going to take an enormous stride in that direction.”
He continued: “The aim is that this theatre will be up and running towards the end of 2017. More important than that, it is going to produce some very exciting theatre.”
Mr Linklater said the studio theatre will allow more “experimental” productions, including music and dance, and added the main theatre will host drama that he hopes the people of Perth “will really enjoy.”
The former newspaper editor said the redeveloped Perth Theatre will be “architecturally important” for the city.
“Hopefully it will be something Perth will be proud of not just because of what goes on inside but for the way it looks,” he added.
Councillor Ian Miller, council leader, said the Perth public will be delighted to see ground work taking place. “There’s a lot going on in Perth and that is what we aspire to as a city.”