Dundee Repertory Theatre

The Dundee Repertory Company was founded in 1939 and worked in the old Forester’s Hall until 1963 when the building was gutted by fire. Performances in a marquee were superseded by a move to the redundant Dudhope Church which remained the ‘temporary’ home of the company for eighteen years!

The new Dundee Repertory Theatre was built on land donated by the University. Construction started in 1979 but it was 1982 before funding allowed completion. The building has a high recessed glazed entry beneath a white block façade which allows visual access to the foyers and stairs. The fly tower stands black and forbidding above the building. The auditorium is of continental style raked seating arranged in a demi-hexagon and leads to an adaptable proscenium arch or open stage designed also for dance. The grid is 15m high and the orchestra pit can accommodate up to 24 musicians but is achieved at the cost of front seats which have to be removed.

Dundee Rep has undergone two major developments. The first was associated with the formation of the Dance Company and, more recently a refit has given opportunities to improve access, create administrative space and upgrade the stage, auditorium and restaurant. This is now an area that has a life of its own and provides the theatre with a means of serving the community in other ways.

It is one of the few shining examples of post-war repertory theatre buildings in the UK. Its original theatre layout and plan form survives and it has an intact internal decorative scheme, detailing and original fittings.