Empire Palace Theatre, 13-27 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh

The Empire Palace Theatre, located at 13-27 Nicolson Street in Edinburgh, was designed by W and T R Milburn from Sunderland and London, with the auditorium completed between 1927 and 1929. The exterior was later modified by the Law & Dunbar-Nasmith Partnership in 1994. The theatre features a large and impressive interior, highlighted by a distinctive three-storey concave glass and steel entrance on Nicolson Street, while the rear and south elevations are finished in concrete breezeblock.

Inside, as observed in 2007, the foyer leads to a grand and richly decorated three-storey auditorium that showcases a blend of Beaux-Arts and Classical styles. The colour scheme includes pink, cream, and gold. A wide proscenium arch adorned with decorative plasterwork frames the stage, flanked by two pairs of tall, round-arched boxes featuring intricate carving. The auditorium boasts a deep coffered ceiling with a central dome and timber flooring. Ionic columns support the upper gallery, and decorative filigree moulding enhances the front of the boxes and galleries. The seating throughout, including in the boxes, consists of red plush velvet tip-up seats, complemented by later tiered Art Deco light fittings. The foyer and backstage areas were updated in 1994.