His Majesty's Theatre, Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen

Frank Matcham 1904-6; masonry by A Anderson, slating G Farquhar, joinery Henry & Keith, sculpture Mr Arrowsmith and W Buchan. 1933, refurbished D MacAndrew & Co; 1980-82 refurbishment city architect Ian Ferguson, project manager Bill Moir, building contractor Taylor Woodrow Construction (Scotland); 2005 refurbishment and extension Trevor Smith city architect's department; building contractor Robertson Construction Group, project manager David Steel; painting and decoration contractor Lawrence Milne & Sons of Ellon.

Remarkable finely detailed Free Renaissance style, 4-storey theatre with domed 4-stage tower, on steeply falling ground to N, retaining outstanding interior, overlooking sunken gardens at heart of Aberdeen City. Symmetrical 7-bay façade and 2-bay tower; giant order dividing pilasters, dominant copper capped dome, portico, pierced stonework and ball-finialled balcony, 6-light tripartite window over 2 floors below oval window in segmental-arched and keystoned frame over 3 floors, semicircular pediment crowned by reinforced concrete statue of Tragedy and Comedy. Kemnay granite ashlar front, with Tillyfourie granite to sides and rear. Ground floor cornice, frieze and 1st floor cill course, eaves cornice with panelled blocking course and ball finials. Round-arched doors and windows; Some Gibbsean style window surrounds, some to tower with stylised pediments; oculi, keystones, voussoirs.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: principal S elevation with arcade-effect window and door openings at ground, part-glazed 2-leaf panelled timber doors; regular fenestration to 1st and 2nd floors with taller windows at 2nd oculi to outer bays at 3rd floor. Tower at outer right has similar door and window detail, latter with additional pediments in keystoned frames over both floors giving way to corbelled aedicules at drum. Later E wing adjoining beyond to right.

Multi-pane glazing patterns in timber sash and case windows; much coloured glass throughout.

INTERIOR: spacious well preserved interior, handsomely treated throughout in mixed baroque and neo-Jacobean strapwork decoration, much alabaster and marble. Panelled foyer with Ionic columns, richly decorated ceiling and bronze bust of Frank Matcham leads directly to the dress circle. Large auditorium with 3 cantilevered galleries, dress circle also with 2 columns, raked stalls area has decorative ceramic tiling around stalls area for enhanced acoustics. Elaborate aedicular treatment of boxes, with statues of Tragedy and Comedy above, flanking proscenium arch with frieze depicting 'The Goddess of Drama'. Circular Dress Circle Bar with marble counter enclosing gantry. Horseshoe-shaped Stalls Bar copied from original.