Theatre Royal

Creating drama outside and inside the building

Our tour begins at the Theatre Royal where Niall Murphy meets historian Fergus Sutherland and architect David Page.

The splendid new entrance, a theatrical performance in its own right and designed by Page/Park Architects, brings visible drama and quality back to Glasgow’s oldest theatre. Since first opening in 1867, the Theatre Royal has had a long history of entertaining audiences with pantomimes, cinema and circuses.

From 1957 the Theatre Royal became the Scottish Television Theatre, broadcasting live shows across the nation. In 1975 the building was sold to Scottish Opera who converted it back into the Theatre Royal and established as the permanent performance home of Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet.

Now the grand new entrance, echoing the curve of the 19th century auditorium built by Charles Phipps, welcomes the public with a warmhearted flourish. Inside, the winding staircase built by the Scottish Opera’s own set designers and joiners, almost dances its way up through the theatre, inviting us to follow.