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53-673: EUTC was founded in 1871 as the Edinburgh University Amateur Dramatic Club It adopted its current name in the 1970s. The EUTC were given sole residency of the Bedlam Theatre building on 31 January 1980. The EUTC is one of several amateur dramatics societies affiliated to the Edinburgh University Students' Association . The EUTC is responsible (through a Committee elected at the company's AGM ) for most aspects

106-636: A Claim, Declaration and Protest Anent the Encroachments of the Court of Session . The claim recognised the jurisdiction of the civil courts over the endowments that the government gave to the Scottish church. This "The Claim of Right" was drawn up by Alexander Murray Dunlop . However, the claim resolved that the church give up these endowments rather than see the 'Crown Rights of the Redeemer' (i.e.

159-565: A direct line with the Reformation and the National Covenants . Splitting the church had major implications. Those who left forfeited livings, manses and pulpits, and had, without the aid of the establishment, to found and finance a national church from scratch. This was done with remarkable energy, zeal and sacrifice. Another implication was that the church they left was more tolerant of a wider range of doctrinal views. There

212-645: A second case, the Court of Session summoned the Presbytery of Dunkeld for proceeding with an ordination despite a court interdict. In 1839, the General Assembly suspended seven ministers from Strathbogie for proceeding with an induction in Marnoch in defiance of its orders. In 1841, the seven Strathbogie ministers were deposed for acknowledging the superiority of the secular court in spiritual matters. The evangelical party later presented to parliament

265-454: A show is selected, it will be fully supported by the EUTC, who also provide a block grant depending on the show's classification. The company stages a show most weeks during term time. The standard schedule consists of Lunchtimes (small-scale shows with one or two performances, no longer exclusively performed in the afternoon), Mainterms (larger-budget shows with at least three performances in

318-738: A store. The university gifted the building to EUTC, who reopened it as the Bedlam Theatre in 1980. It is named for the lunatic asylum , which once stood nearby. With a capacity of 90, the building remains the United Kingdom's oldest student-run theatre, hosting around 40 EUTC productions each year as well as up to eight shows a day during the Edinburgh Fringe . The building was designed in the Decorated Gothic style by Thomas Hamilton . It forms an important part of

371-466: A theatre, however, remained uncertain. In March 2002, the council rejected revised hotel plans, which would have excluded Bedlam while involving the demolition of a collection of 18th-century buildings to its rear. In this context, the Friends of Bedlam formed in 2003. The friends are an association of EUTC alumni which supports the theatre. Backed by an investment of £500,000, the friends supported

424-481: Is run by a Fringe Venue Manager, who for historical and liaison reasons is technically a member of the termtime EUTC Committee. However, they and other members of the senior management team are technically volunteers for the Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) , who report to EUSA and receive a EUSA honorarium rather than a wage. Other Bedlam Fringe staff are EUSA employees. The Fringe Venue Manager must allocate at least one slot to productions selected by

477-547: Is the acclaimed improvised comedy troupe The Improverts . They perform every year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and every Friday night at 10:30 during termtime. They are Edinburgh's longest-running improv troupe. Bedlam Theatre has operated as Venue 49 in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe since it was given to the EUTC in 1980. Today, Bedlam Fringe is almost completely separate from the termtime EUTC, who hand over control of Bedlam on 1 June each year. It

530-609: The Auchterarder case of 1834. The parish of Auchterarder unanimously rejected the patron's nominee – and the Presbytery refused to proceed with his ordination and induction. The nominee, Robert Young, appealed to the Court of Session . In 1838, by an 8–5 majority, the court held that in passing the Veto Act, the church had acted ultra vires , and had infringed the statutory rights of patrons. It also ruled Church of Scotland

583-477: The Buildings of Scotland guide to Edinburgh says: "Unusually honest was Thomas Hamilton' s New North Free Church (1846–48), where no serious attempt was made to hide the breadth of the gable or, for that matter, to design an authentically Gothic building." Church historian A. Ian Dunlop described the building as "small, inconvenient and in no way architecturally pleasing". Architectural historian Joe Rock stated

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636-745: The Church of Scotland if state interference in the national church was not ended. After the Free congregation left the New North Church in May 1843, it first met at an independent chapel nearby in Argyle Square. The established congregation having returned to its historic home at St Giles' , the free congregation worshipped again in Brighton Street from November 1843. When the building

689-603: The Disruption of 1843 , when Charles John Brown , minister of the New North Church , led many of his congregation out of the Church of Scotland and into the newly established Free Church . The church was noted for its active mission and its ministry to students. After its congregation united with Greyfriars in 1941, the University of Edinburgh used the building as a chaplaincy centre and then, from 1975, as

742-664: The Great Disruption , was a schism in 1843 in which 450 evangelical ministers broke away from the Church of Scotland to form the Free Church of Scotland . The main conflict was over whether the Church of Scotland or the British Government had the power to control clerical positions and benefits. The Disruption came at the end of a bitter conflict within the Church of Scotland, and had major effects in

795-564: The Old Town of Edinburgh , Scotland. The building was completed in 1848 for the New North Free Church . After closing as a church in 1941, the building served as a chaplaincy centre and then a store for the University of Edinburgh before reopening in 1980 as the student-run theatre of Edinburgh University Theatre Company (EUTC), operating during Edinburgh Fringe festival as venue 49. The New North Free Church originated in

848-706: The liberal evangelical tendency. In 1900, the Free Church united with the United Presbyterian Church to form the United Free Church . Like most Free congregations, New North joined the new denomination. In 1929, the United Free Church united with the Church of Scotland and New North rejoined the national church. The union created an extraneous number of parish churches in the Old Town and Southside : areas where

901-539: The 1977 Fringe. The university supported a project to convert the building into a thrust stage theatre named in memory of Tyrone Guthrie . To this end, an appeal for £150,000 was launched in 1979 but proved unsuccessful. The university instead offered the building to the Edinburgh University Theatre Company (EUTC). The building reopened on 31 January 1980 as the Bedlam Theatre. Adrian Evans, EUTC's president for that year, suggested

954-583: The Disruption. Most of the principles on which the protestors went out were conceded by Parliament by 1929, clearing the way for the re-union of that year, but the Church of Scotland never fully regained its position after the division. The painter David Octavius Hill was present at the Disruption Assembly and decided to record the scene. He received encouragement from another spectator, the physicist Sir David Brewster who suggested using

1007-403: The EUTC. The EUTC usually has two slots allocated to it; one is traditionally taken up by The Improverts (though they must be democratically selected like all other Fringe proposals) , and the other by a theatrical production. Friends of Bedlam is the alumni association for the EUTC and its predecessors. Well known alumni include: Bedlam Theatre Bedlam Theatre is a theatre in

1060-464: The Establishment, we go out on the Establishment principle; we quit a vitiated Establishment but would rejoice in returning to a pure one. We are advocates for a national recognition of religion – and we are not voluntaries." Perhaps a third of the evangelicals, the "middle party", remained within the established church – wishing to preserve its unity. However, for those who left, the issue

1113-601: The Old Town cityscape, terminating the view south along George IV Bridge . The theatre, restored in 2012, has been protected as a Category B listed building since 2001. The New North Free Church originated in the New North Church , which, at the time of the Disruption of 1843 , was meeting in the chapel at Brighton Street in the Bristo . In November 1842, prior to the Disruption, the church's minister, Charles John Brown , joined other evangelical ministers in promising to leave

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1166-550: The United Kingdom's oldest fully student-run theatre and one of Edinburgh's leading smaller venues. In addition to around 40 productions staged each year by EUTC, it can host up to eight shows a day during the Edinburgh Fringe , when it is numbered Fringe Venue 49. Throughout the year, the theatre is also home to the Improverts improvisational comedy troupe who are the longest running comedy troupe in Edinburgh. Since 2012,

1219-423: The bottom. A shallow, polygonal apse defines the building's southern end. The front elevation at the northern end consists of twin, two-storey, semi-octagonal stair towers on either side of a projecting porch . Heavy buttresses support the lower storeys of these towers while the upper storeys are decorated with blind tracey, which is continuous with an openwork screen above the arched doorway. The wide gable of

1272-457: The building have been carried out on occasions including a 1990 production of Pericles and a 1998 production of Hamlet . In June 2001, the university proposed that EUTC vacate the Bedlam Theatre to allow for its demolition by hotel developers. EUTC rejected the proposal and, the following month, Historic Scotland upgraded the building's listing status from Category C to Category B , effectively preventing its demolition. Its future as

1325-586: The church and upon Scottish civic life. "The Church of Scotland was recognised by Acts of the Parliament as the national church of the Scottish people". Particularly under John Knox and later Andrew Melville , the Church of Scotland had always claimed an inherent right to exercise independent spiritual jurisdiction over its own affairs. To some extent, this right was recognised by the Claim of Right of 1689, which ended royal and parliamentary interference in

1378-522: The congregation assumed responsibility for a Free Church mission in the Cowgate , which, from the following year, met at Mary's Chapel. Under Brown, the mission proved a success and was elevated to a full charge in 1859. The church's district (equivalent to a parish ) was thereafter moved to cover the Bristo and, in 1880, the congregation purchased a former dance hall on Marshall Street to serve as mission premises. Brown's death in 1884 greatly affected

1431-536: The congregation vacated the building, the University of Edinburgh used it as a chaplaincy centre from 1957. In this period, the building was the site of a teach-in on Northern Ireland in 1969, during the early days of the Troubles . After the completion of a purpose-built space within the Potterrow Student Centre in 1973, the chaplaincy vacated the former New North Church two years later and

1484-481: The congregation, as did the deaths of nine other senior office holders between 1885 and 1891. By 1893, membership had declined to 470; though, during the ministry of John Kelman from 1897 to 1907, this revived somewhat, standing at 560 in 1900. The church also had a long connection with student life that continued into the early 20th century and Kelman established a special students' service. Both Kelman and his successor, John P. Sclater , were celebrated preachers of

1537-586: The early evening) and Festivals (usually week-long events, sometimes incorporating more than twenty productions selected by the elected festival team). The most important Festivals take place in Freshers Week and early January. These can be supplemented with Extraordinaries , which are usually one of performances which do not fit easily into any of the previous categories. The EUTC runs the Bedlam Youth Project aims to introduce children to

1590-437: The east side of the building. This was constructed in 1903 to a perpendicular Gothic design of Scott & Campbell . Alexander Lorne Campbell of Scott & Campbell also undertook work on the interior of the church in 1932. The theatre has been protected as a Category B listed building since 4 July 2001. Critical responses to the design have been generally negative. Comparing it to contemporaneous churches in Edinburgh,

1643-467: The first comprehensive internal and external renovation of the building from 2008. Work commenced in 2012 with the cleaning and restoration of the external stonework and the reintroduction of railings around the building, the originals having been removed for scrap during the Second World War . The auditorium can accommodate 90 patrons. The theatre also has a bar and cafe. The building is

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1696-499: The first meeting of the Free Church of Scotland, the Disruption Assembly. Thomas Chalmers was appointed the first Moderator. On 23 May, a second meeting was held for the signing of the Act of Separation by the ministers. Eventually, 474 of about 1,200 ministers left the Church of Scotland for the Free Church. In leaving the established church, however, they did not reject the principle of establishment. As Chalmers declared: "Though we quit

1749-449: The ministers involved in the Disruption but Hill also included many other men – and some women – who were involved in the establishment of the Free Church. The painting depicts 457 people of the 1500 or so who were present at the assembly on 23 May 1843. The social tensions underlying the Disruption are the subject of William Alexander 's novel, Johnny Gibb of Gushetneuk (1870). David Octavius Hill's use of photography to record

1802-433: The name Bedlam in reference the city bedlam , which stood immediately south of the building. The university saw the building as only a temporary home for EUTC and funds for its conversion were limited. Chris Ward of Centaur Lighting was charged with leading the conversion. Initially, the lighting rig was supported by the building's galleries while the ground floor seats were taken from a cinema. Internal rearrangements of

1855-506: The new invention, photography, to get likenesses of all the ministers present, and introduced Hill to the photographer Robert Adamson . Subsequently, a series of photographs were taken of those who had been present, and the 5-foot x 11-foot 4 inches (1.53 m x 3.45 m) painting was eventually completed in 1866. The partnership that developed between Hill and Adamson pioneered the art of photography in Scotland. The painting predominantly features

1908-444: The north elevation contains a traceried window and is flanked by octagonal turrets with pinnacles . The apex of the gable includes a niche and is capped by a pinnacle. The interior retains its gallery, supported on cast iron columns; while the apse still contains the organ loft and Gothic screens. Over the nave is a single-span timber roof. Additions to the building include a single-storey, flat-roofed vestry and waiting room at

1961-484: The only requirements. In this context, Thomas Hamilton emerged as an arbiter or architectural taste for the new denomination. At the New North Free Church, he was pitched against David Cousin and George Smith in a competition to choose the design of the church. After his design was accepted, Hamilton argued unsuccessfully for the addition of a spire to the building. The resulting building is, in

2014-507: The opening of the New North Free Church, Hamilton had, along with William Burn , led the design of civic improvements in the Old Town. Hamilton's plans were not executed in their entirety but they included both the George IV Bridge and the triangular block formed by Teviot Row, Bristo Place, and Forrest Road at whose northern point the Bedlam Theatre now stands. Disruption of 1843 The Disruption of 1843 , also known as

2067-467: The order and worship of the church. It was ratified by the Act of Union in 1707. On the other hand, the right of patronage , in which the patron of a parish had the right to install a minister of his choice, became a point of contention. Many church members believed that this right infringed on the spiritual independence of the church. Others felt that this right was a property of the state. As early as 1712

2120-743: The population was also declining. In this context, the congregation united with nearby Greyfriars on 23 March 1941. Greyfriars retained the New North mission halls in Marshall Street until their sale in 1961. The following ministers served New North Free Church (1843–1900); New North United Free Church (1900–1929); and New North Church of Scotland (1929–1941): 1843–1884 Charles John Brown 1860–1867 Andrew Crichton 1866–1897 Robert Gordon Balfour 1897–1907 John Kelman 1907–1923 John Robert Paterson Sclater 1923–1928 William Wallace Gauld 1928–1941 Duncan William Park Strang After

2173-504: The right of patronage had been restored in Scotland, amid remonstrances from the church. For many years afterwards, the church's General Assembly tried to reform this practice. However the dominant Moderate Party in the church blocked reform out of fear of conflict with the British Government . In 1834, the evangelical party attained a majority in the General Assembly for the first time in 100 years. One of their actions

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2226-405: The simplicity of Hamilton's Gothic church designs was best complemented by exteriors of rough masonry: as at Free St John's and Roxburgh Free . Rock argued that, in contrast to these, the ashlar of New North Free is "not so successful". Nevertheless, the building forms an important part of the Old Town's cityscape , terminating the view south along George IV Bridge . Two decades prior to

2279-592: The spiritual independence of the church) compromised. This claim was rejected by parliament in January 1843, leading to the Disruption in May. On 18 May 1843, 121 ministers and 73 elders led by David Welsh met at the Church of St Andrew in George Street, Edinburgh . After Welsh read a Protest, the group left St. Andrews and walked down the hill to the Tanfield Hall at Canonmills . There they held

2332-466: The theatre has been part of Creative Carbon Scotland's Green Arts Initiative and has promoted awareness of environmental issues through shows as well as using sustainable practices. Work with the initiative has included, in 2013, Dramatic Impact: a green theatre festival. In 2015, the theatre adopted e-ticketing as an environmental measure. With the Disruption , the Free Church moved to erect buildings as quickly as possible with comfort and safety being

2385-562: The theatre's administration and produces the vast majority of its shows. Most members of the EUTC are students or former students of the University of Edinburgh. Shows are proposed to the EUTC at a General Meeting, where they are selected by a general vote. All show proposals must have, at the very least, a director , producer (organisation, finances and publicity), technician (lighting, sound and special effects) and stage manager or set manager (set building, props and costumes). Once

2438-569: The university used the building as a store. Contemporary suggestions for the building's use included a library for nursing students. After the chaplaincy vacated the building, it was occasionally used for student dramatic performances and as an overspill venue for the Traverse Theatre during the annual Edinburgh Fringe . One notable production in this period was Bradford University Dramatic Society's Satan's Ball (an adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov 's The Master and Margarita ) at

2491-543: The various disciplines of theatre. In 2009, they visited Brussels to help run 'Featlets', a youth theatre subsidiary of the Festival of European Anglophone Theatre Societies (FEATS). In 2016, children were involved in a week long Easter camp at Bedlam Theatre, where they devised and performed their interpretation of The Jungle Book , with the assistance of the Youth Project Team. Bedlam's longest running show

2544-473: The words of the Buildings of Scotland guide to Edinburgh, "a thinly detailed early Dec rectangle". The church consists of a wide nave under a pitch roof. At the exterior side walls, heavy buttresses divide the nave's five bays while a shallow parapet runs along the top. A course of moulding divides each bay into two storeys, with a simple traceried in the top storey and smaller twin lancets in

2597-460: Was a creation of the state and derived its legitimacy from act of Parliament . The Auchterarder ruling contradicted the Scottish church's Confession of Faith . As Burleigh puts it: "The notion of the Church as an independent community governed by its own officers and capable of entering into a compact with the state was repudiated" (p. 342). An appeal to the House of Lords was rejected. In

2650-510: Was also the issue of needing to train its clergy, resulting in the establishment of New College , with Chalmers appointed as its first principal. It was founded as an institution to educate future ministers and the Scottish leadership, who would in turn guide the moral and religious lives of the Scottish people. New College opened its doors to 168 students in November 1843, including about 100 students who had begun their theological studies before

2703-401: Was clear. It was not the democratising of the church (although concern with power for ordinary people was a movement sweeping Europe at the time), but whether the Church was sovereign within its own domain. The body of the church reflecting Jesus Christ, not the monarch nor Parliament, was to be its head. The Disruption was basically a spiritual phenomenon – and for its proponents it stood in

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2756-604: Was sold to an Evangelical Union congregation in 1846, the Free congregation moved to the United Secession Church in Potterrow . The church's building was constructed on the site of the city poorhouse at a cost of £7,000, opening June 1848. That year, New North Free counted 650 members. The church ministered in an area of significant poverty, founding missions, a Sabbath school , and a day school. In 1852,

2809-460: Was to pass the Veto Act , which gave parishioners the right to reject a minister nominated by their patron. The Veto Act was to prevent the intrusion of ministers on unwilling parishioners, and to restore the importance of the congregational "call". However, it served to polarise positions in the church, and set it on a collision course with the government. The first test of the Veto Act came with

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