Theatre bosses re-think plans to change name of Adam Smith Theatre

The wraps are due to come off a £7m-plus transformation of the landmark Kirkcaldy venue this summer.

The building has been closed for three years because of the work, and the pandemic.

OnFife had looked at dropping the word’ theatre’ and simply calling it ‘The Adam Smith’ with a tagline below it to sum up all the changes inside the new-look venue.

But asked about the change, the public opted for what it knows best, so the building will remain the Adam Smith Theatre.

The online poll and website features generated some 3000 interactions to date, and they sparked a rethink.

Michelle Sweeney, director of creative development, said: “We undertook a consultation exercise on our proposal to reopen as The Adam Smith with a supporting tagline that would express that the building was coming back as more than a theatre, with a new design suite, fantastic refurbished function suites and café/bar, and a new multi-purpose meeting room.

“We were delighted at the engagement that took place, but it also showed there was a great local loyalty to having ‘theatre’ remain in the name. “It’s people who are at the heart of this much-loved space so, having heard what people had to say, we’ve opted to keep ‘theatre’ in the name.”

And with the status quo prevailing, plans to ask people for a tagline below the title have been put on hold.

Added Michelle: “As we only needed a tagline if we dropped ‘theatre’ from the name, the work of expressing that this is more than a theatre will now come out through our different channels of communication and targeted promotion to specific user groups.

The decision not to amend the name was also welcomed by Fife Council.

Councillor Linda Erskine, the local authority’s spokesperson for communities, said: “Following a consultation with the community it became clear that they were keen to keep ‘theatre’ in the name so it will continue to be fondly known as the Adam Smith Theatre.”