The Stage

Aberdeen’s Lemon Tree to reopen in June

Published Monday 28 April 2008 at 16:05 by Matthew Hemley

Aberdeen arts centre the Lemon Tree, which was forced to close in December following a financial crisis, will reopen its doors in June.

The venue ceased trading at the end of last year and went into voluntary liquidation, only to be saved when Aberdeen City Council’s resources management committee agreed to hand over the running of the venue to Aberdeen Performing Arts.

APA, a charitable company which leases and operates several of the city’s performing arts venues, has now announced the Welcome Back Weekend, scheduled to run from June 20 to June 22, which it said would see the venue “serve up the kind of entertainment it was famous for in its heyday”.

Scottish band Shooglenifty will open the venue on the Friday night, followed by comedian Craig Hill on the Saturday night.

Duncan Hendry, chief executive of APA, said: “The Welcome Back Weekend will do exactly what it says on the tin. We want to get people back into the venue who used to be regulars there and work at drawing in new audiences as well.”

Hendry has also has vowed to bring more “cutting edge drama and dance” to the venue.

Work has begun on a stage version of Iain Banks’ novel, The Wasp Factory and a new play by playwright Mike Gibb, especially commissioned by APA.

Hendry said: “We hope to help start and develop a creative community in Aberdeen. There hasn’t been work in the city for actors, producers, directors, designers and stage managers, and we are hoping to develop those opportunities here.”