| Tivoli Theatre | |
|---|---|
| Address | Guild Street |
| City | Aberdeen |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Architect | James Matthews, C.B Phipps, Frank Matcham |
| Owned by | Aberdeen Theatre and Opera Company Ltd |
| Opened | 1872 |
| Years active | 94 |
| Rebuilt | 1897, 1909, 1938 |
| Closed | 1966 |
| Previous names | Her Majesty's Theatre |
| Current use | being restored |
The Tivoli Theatre, Guild Street, in Aberdeen, Scotland, opened in 1872 as Her Majesty's Theatre and was built by the Aberdeen Theatre and Opera House Company Ltd, under architects James Matthews of Aberdeen and C.B. Phipps, a London-based architect brought in to consult. The auditorium was rebuilt in 1897 by theatre architect Frank Matcham, but then closed temporarily in 1906, following the opening of the larger His Majesty's Theatre. The smaller theatre was extensively reconstructed in 1909, again by Frank Matcham, and re-opened in July 1910 as the Tivoli. The Tivoli was refurbished again in 1938.
The theatre became a bingo hall in 1966. In the mid 1980s plans were made to improve the bingo-oriented facilities and the building, but little was actually done. The building finally closed for bingo in 1998 and has remained disused since.
Since 2000 the building has been in private hands, and attempts by the Tivoli Theatre Trust to purchase the building have been unsuccessful, as of 2006[update]. In April 2006, some cosmetic preservative work was observed at the building.
On 10 July 2009, the owner of the Tivoli Theatre decided to sell the property to Mr Brian Hendry. On 16 July 2009 during a meeting with the Aberdeen Tivoli Theatre Trust[1], Mr Hendry outlined his intention to operate the Tivoli Theatre on a profit-making basis as a mid-scale venue with ancillary facilities, through the Tivoli Theatre Company Ltd.[2]. The building is currently being restored. The reopening is being funded by many businesses.
The Tivoli is listed on the Scottish Civic Trust's Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland.
A plaque erected by Aberdeen City Council at Theatre Lane states: "In 1795 the Theatre Royal, seating 600, was created in Marischal Street by Stephen Kemble, brother of the actor John Philip Kemble. Eminent performers included Charles Macready and Charles Keen. The theatre flourished until 1872 when it was replaced by Her Majesty's Opera House, later the Tivoli, in Guild Street."
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