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1944
When in 1944 two men visited Pitlochry, who could tell what the next five decades would bring and how John Stewart’s vision would be achieved and subsequently developed.
Stewart at that time was a director of the then well-known commercial college, Skerry’s, but he also had a strong interest in theatre which stemmed from his association with the amateur 'Curtain Theatre'. A group that had encouraged such talents as Duncan Macrae and Robert McLellan. This interest led him to establish the Park Theatre Club in Glasgow’s West End in 1941. Dubbed ‘Glasgow’s First Little Theatre’ it grew in stature to the point of having a fully professional cast by the time it closed in 1949, when, at the height of its success but with no prospect of a larger theatre being built in Glasgow, Stewart reluctantly 'shut the doors'.
Stewart declared somewhat obliquely in his final curtain speech - 'Glasgow’s loss will be Scotland's gain'. It was again to Pitlochry that he looked, the romantic in him having concealed a slip of paper in a wayside post on this side of the River Tummel during the war. 'When peace is declared I shall return to this spot to give thanks to God and to establish my Festival'. On V/E day Stewart recovered that same slip of paper, spoke his silent prayer beneath the open sky and vowed again to fulfil his promise.
1949 - 1951
A site at Knockendarroch beckoned. But 1949 was during a period of rationing of all building materials. Licences were needed from the Ministry of Works, who would issue them for essential building purposes only. So it was that the fledgeling theatre company had also to apply. Despite a vigorous Press campaign justifying their requirements on the grounds that tourism would benefit, dollars would be earned, the theatre would be an asset to Scotland, and that, anyway, the money to be spent was John Stewart’s, the request was refused.
With this setback Stewart turned to the idea of a tent theatre, visiting the wet weather tent in London’s Regent Park and that of Birmingham’s Arena Theatre for inspiration and advice.
Both companies had their tents from the same maker in Walsall, from whom after consultation on design, Stewart bought one. With the support of Tom Johnston, chairman of the Scottish Tourist Board, the Ministry finally capitulated and permission was given for a little steel and a little timber, so that the tent theatre could be completed. And so finally, on the 19th of May 1951, Pitlochry Festival Theatre opened with the British premiere of Maxwell Anderson’s Mary of Scotland, with Joss Ackland as Darnley.
In his opening address Johnston said,
'This theatre is a monument to one man's courage, one man's persistence, and one man's great faith'
1952 - 1953
1952 brought unexpected trouble. A storm broke in August which ripped the tent canvas right to the top of one of the king poles, thus compounding the theatre’s financial plight. The loss for the first season had been £12,000 and £5,000 for the second, causing Stewart’s accountant to warn him of possible bankruptcy if things continued on their present course.
After due consideration, solace and advice was sought from an old friend, James Shaw Grant, editor of the Stornoway Gazette and later to be Chairman of the Board of governors.
Today the solution to John Stewart’s problem seems obvious. But then it required adaptability and considerable self-sacrifice. He decided to form a non-profit distributing society, along the same lines as the Scottish National Orchestra Society.
In so doing, he handed over his house, grounds, workshops and what was left of the tent theatre as a gift to the society. In return he was appointed Festival Director, with the right to live in what had been his own home. His General Manager - Kenneth Ireland, with whom he had visited Pitlochry on that original visit of 1944, was appointed company secretary.
Support from the Arts Council to the tune of £250 for each of two plays - The Rivals and The importance Of Being Earnest helped the theatre to end the 1953 season with a surplus of £1000 and a new feeling of confidence. It was during the early part of that year work began on a new, much modified and improved theatre - the result of a special building appeal.
1970s - 2008
As had been the case so often in the past, the path was not to be an easy one. James Shaw Grant at the 1975 AGM of the Society is minuted as saying,
'I cannot gloss over Pitlochry’s fundamental problem which, regrettably, still remains the replacement of its now superannuated theatre building -however charming it may still look. All I can say today is that the Governors have waited as long as they dared to secure a site offered to them but for which planning clearance is subject to a decision being made on the line of the proposed Pitlochry by-pass. We have now waited for three years, time has run out and inflation has torn into our carefully prepared plans'.
In fact some 14 sites had either been considered or looked at out of desperation before a start was made on this site at Port-na-Craig, where the foundation stone was laid in September ‘79 by Lord Home of the Hirsel. The new theatre's opening performance of Storm in a Teacup was given on the 19th of May 1981, the 30th anniversary of the very first performance in John Stewart’s tent.
2009
8th May, 2009: PFT Expansion Challenges Economic Downturn!
PFT completes the purchase of part of the former Hydro Board premises on the historic Port-na-Craig House Estate (PnCH) adjacent to the theatre, and embarks on a capital programme of conversion and development. The project costs in excess of £1.25m in total and is been fully funded by PFT through a highly successful fundraising campaign. Significant contributions have been made by PFT’s own audiences and supporters, while very generous donations to the campaign have also been made by the Gannochy Trust, Dunard Fund and the Robertson Trust.
The Chairman of PFT’s Board of Governors, Mr. David Pighills, was delighted that the plan to acquire the site has succeeded: “Once converted, these buildings will not only provide us with much needed additional space for education work, rehearsal and storage; they will also allow us to launch an entirely new range of production services for other theatres in Scotland and the rest of the UK, which will generate a new income stream for PFT. Thanks to the contributions of all those who supported our fundraising campaign, we have been able to make a substantial investment in the Theatre’s future.”
15th May, 2009: World Premiere of Whisky Galore – A Musical!
The first musical in PFT’s history opens. “We knew from the audience reaction at the opening night back in May that we had a bit of a hit on our hands - the whole auditorium was up on its feet, cheering in appreciation” said PFT’s Chief Executive & Artistic Director, John Durnin. “The subsequent scale of the show’s popularity was truly staggering. It went on to become the best selling show in PFT’s 58 year history.
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"When staying in Pitlochry during the early part of the war, I chanced to see a stately house with a fairly large garden, quite close to the town. I at once realised that here my dream theatre might well be established in this fashionable resort right in the heart of Scotland"… John Stewart, Founder of Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
