New manager as Kirkcaldy theatre set to re-open after £7.8m transformation

Ayesha Nickson has been appointed venue manager and will be at the helm as it returns to use after a £7.8m transformation into Fife’s leading cultural hub.

The doors officially open with a gala concert on Saturday, September 23, hosted by Grant Stot and featuring a number of local am-dram groups which have the Adam Smith as their home.

Ayesha has been watching the building take on its new shape, and says the ‘wow factor will come when audiences return.

And theatre staff are keen to reconnect with local music, drama and dance groups – as well as loyal audiences – to help ensure the broadest community buy-in.

“We’re really listening to what people want from this amazing space,” said Ayesha, who took up the post in April and was previously venue manager at Rothes Hall in Glenrothes. “It’s great being part of this exciting adventure – turning a traditional theatre into a versatile, creative hub that offers people something different from what it did previously.”

The facility, run by cultural charity OnFife, includes a refurbished foyer, new-look café/bar and upgraded auditorium. It also has a brand-new design suite for creative professionals, reworked spaces for community use and will be looking towards corporate and celebratory events with the completely revamped Beveridge Suite, lower function hall and a new multi-use meeting room.

“I’ve given people tours and they’ve had tears in their eyes – the theatre has been such a great part of their lives and now they’re seeing it being given a new lease of life.

Ayesha, who studied theatre production at Queen Margaret University, will lead a team of nine, boosted by casual staff at busy times.

“We really want to see people make the most of the venue – perhaps popping in for a yoga class and then staying for a coffee in the new-look cafe/bar,” she said. “Or it could mean catching a stop motion animation in the revamped auditorium and then attending a workshop in the design suite to learn how to make one yourself. At the other end of the scale, we’re looking forward to hosting everything from business conferences to family celebrations.”