A FAMOUS theatre is to undergo a £25 million transformation following fundraising efforts from well-known ambassadors including John Byrne, Ian Rankin and Elaine C Smith.

The overhaul of the King's Theatre in Edinburgh will see the installation of a new stage as well as seating numbers reduced.

To perform the facelift, the 111-year-old venue will close for two years from late 2021 and its popular annual pantomime, which draws 90,000 people every year, will move to the Festival Theatre.

The closure will mean it cannot be used as a venue for the Edinburgh International Festival in the summer of 2022, for which it is a major performance space – this year the King's was used for The Divide plays, as well as shows such as Jarvis Cocker and Chilly Gonzales.

Chief executive Duncan Hendry said the project would revamp of the A-listed building, which would radically upgrade the building's front of house facilities – including an expanded foyer, and two new lifts that will go to all floors – as well as backstage, where performers currently use outdated and small changing rooms and facilities.

He said: "We are calling it a radical transformation, it is more than just a redevelopment."

Opened in 1906, the theatre's exterior will be cleaned but will remain largely untouched.

The top section of seating in the Upper Circle – which are very high and offer poor views of the stage – will be removed entirely, and the capacity reduced by 200 to 1100 seats.

The rest of the Upper Circle will be re-seated, and a new backstage area, created by bringing forward the wall in the upper circle, will mean unsightly lighting rigs will be removed from the boxes.

The new stage will not be raked, but will be flat, allowing the theatre to attract more dance companies and change the venue's use.

Mr Hendry said: "It gives us the chance to be a venue for touring, medium sized dance companies that cannot come here at the moment, the mid-scale, UK based dance companies who cannot find a venue in Edinburgh, and for who the Festival Theatre stage is too big."

As well as a complete revamp of the cramped and old fashioned back stage area, the public areas of the theatre will be redeveloped, whilst retaining its notable 1906 design and decoration.

The old Howard and Wyndham boardroom will be opened into the first floor bar area, there will be new toilets, and, on the roof, a new 'glass box' area for corporate functions and other events which will provide views of the city

Access for wheelchair users - who currently only have one lift and use a side door – will be greatly upgraded, and there is currently no access for disable performers, which will also be provided.

The redevelopment will be much more involved than the £2.3m refurbishment in 2012, which made the building wind and water tight.

As yet, architects and builders have not been appointed to the job, which will take around 18 months.

Festival & King's Theatres, which run the venue which is owned by the city council, will hope to raise £10m of the required sum from a public fund raising initiative as well as from trusts and foundations, will contribute £5m itself, ask for £5m from the council and also bid for money from the Heritage Lottery Fund.