Royal Lyceum Theatre, Grindlay Street, Edinburgh

The Royal Lyceum Theatre, built in 1883 to a design by C.J. Phipps, is a three-storey classical theatre with later alterations and extensions. The exterior is cream-painted stucco, channelled at street level. A blocking course and mansard-roofed attic rise above five bays facing Grindlay Street and the first bay of Cornwall Street.

The Grindlay Street elevation features a slightly projected, three-bay pedimented centrepiece. The ground floor is largely obscured by a later glazed foyer. The first floor has corniced windows, while the second floor has aproned, round-headed windows. Engaged Corinthian columns flank the central bay, with Corinthian pilasters defining the outer bays. The words "ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE" are carved into the blocking course. A Diocletian window is recessed within a moulded surround in the pediment, topped by a lyre. Flanking bays on Grindlay Street have corniced windows on the first floor and pedimented windows on the second floor, all framed by Corinthian pilasters. Narrow windows are flanked by Corinthian pilasters in the outer bays. A later brick fly tower is present.

The Cornwall Street elevation has a slightly projected bay to the outer left, marked by a high base course. A two-leaf, glazed timber door is set within a round-arched surround, flanked by channelled pilaster strips. The first floor features a corniced, aproned window, and the third floor has a pedimented window flanked by small Corinthian pilasters. The remaining bays, incorporating mezzanine levels, are treated more plainly.

Inside, a glass foyer leads to a ground-floor arcade supported by channelled piers. The inner foyer is marble-floored, with a compartmented ceiling, decorative plasterwork featuring anthemions and urns, and a chimneypiece with a pedimented mirror above it. A pair of timber panelled doors lead to a curved bar space. The auditorium accommodates three horseshoe-shaped balconies that are supported by slim, fluted cast-iron columns with gilded foliate capitals. There are three boxes on each side of the proscenium at the level of the first balcony, separated by cast-iron columns with Corinthian capitals. Extensive decorative gilded plasterwork covers the circular roof, coffered ceiling, pilasters, balcony fronts, and the frame of the consoled proscenium arch. A painting depicting "Apollo and the Muses" by Ballard is located in the tympanum.