So what did Matcham do to it? Well, it would appear that on his first visit in 1897 he simply improved the fire exits and did some redecoration. The fire exits would certainly have needed upgrading by then, and in the roof area it is possible to see where he constructed a proper fire wall between the stage and the front of house. It also appears that he also took over some of the shop spaces and incorporated new staircases to improve audience exits. The original surviving Phipps staircases have a totally different feel and scale to them and the internal walls in the stage house and above the auditorium seem to have been cladded in some form of crude concrete or fire resistant material. It may be that Matcham also improved front of house facilities by utilising space under the stalls, but there is no evidence of that today. Whilst the 1872 plans show the theatre was benched throughout the lower or pit area, it is likely that as he improved the circulation Matcham incorporated stalls seating at the front.

 

In 1909 Matcham was again back in Aberdeen, and well known, having recently completed His Majesty's Theatre. This time his input was far more extensive, the article is "reconstructed" - the outlay was £6000 - although the article noted that the skeleton of the theatre remained as before. The whole facade is now described as being taken up with entrances and exits - nine in number - and they are all still clearly visible today, including, most unusually, the gold lettering on the glazed panels above each door. From these it is possible to trace the complex systems of separate entrances and exits to each part of the auditorium. Reference is made to a veranda (or canopy) extending along the entire front of the theatre - it has gone but is clearly shown in photographs taken in the 1970's. The descriptions of the magnificent saloons and crush rooms suggest that any remaining unused space under the auditorium was brought into proper use, to augment the minimal space at the front of the building. These works were in turn remodelled, initially in a refurbishment which appears (from a date on the plans) to have taken place around 1949.

 

Within the auditorium, it seems there were now separate front stalls, described as fauteuils on the glazed panels, and a more traditional pit area behind, and that the dress circle was divided between proper seats at the front and benches at the rear. The upper circle or balcony always appears to have been benched.