The Technical Department

The Technical Department is responsible for researching, planning and implementing the staging of all productions contracted to appear in the Edinburgh International Festival. This involves realising a succession of productions in the Festival Theatre, King’s Theatre, Edinburgh Playhouse, and the Royal Lyceum Theatre. Additionally, in some Festivals, venues are found and converted for site-specific productions, which this year are at Lowland Hall, Royal Highland Centre. Technical support is also given where required for music events in the Usher and Queen’s Halls.

This requires the co-ordination of plans with up to twenty different theatre, dance and opera companies each year. This means ensuring that rehearsal and performance plans are feasible and arranging for the technical personnel and equipment to be sourced, recruited and scheduled. The department also arranges transport of scenery, provision of super-titles, and liaises with the venues to provide all the theatre support services needed by the artists.

The Technical team, which consists of the Head of Technical and Technical Department Administrator, is augmented by five Technical Heads of Department (lighting, audio visual, stage management, staging and sound) immediately before and during each Festival. Up to 200 theatre technicians are employed on a temporary basis for the duration of the Festival itself.

For more information contact tech@eif.co.uk