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Theatre Royal, 282 Hope Street, Cowcaddens, Glasgow
Formerly Bayliss's Royal Colosseum Theatre and Opera House

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Above - The Theatre Royal, Hope Street, Glasgow in May 2008 - Photo Graeme Smith

The Theatre Royal is the oldest theatre in Glasgow and is the largest example in Britain of a theatre design by Charles Phipps. It is the home of Scottish Opera (the theatre`s owner) and of Scottish Ballet and is operated today by the Ambassador Theatre Group.

James Baylis instructed his architect George Bell, a President of the Glasgow Institute of Architects, to design a complex of buildings in Cowcaddens at the head of Hope Street, containing the city`s largest theatre at the time, a smaller music-hall (the Alexandra Music Hall) above the theatre main entrance in Cowcaddens and shops fronting the streets. It opened in 1867 as the Royal Colosseum and Opera House and accommodated 3,000 people in the stalls and two galleries. He presented dramas, burlesques, ballet, and pantomimes, but only one season of opera. Other venues in the city performed opera, in 1868 there were 76 performances of 23 different operas. As part of the summer entertainments of 1868 Baylis presented evenings in his new Royal with Arthur Lloyd billed as the Grand Comique."

In 1869 he leased its operation to William Glover and George Francis who brought the name Theatre Royal with them from Theatre Royal Dunlop Street when it was demolished to make way for railways to St Enoch Square near the Clyde. The Baylis family owned it for 10 years before selling to a partnership. The Glover family staged seasons of opera, plays, burlesques and pantomime. It became the main theatre for opera, and its pantomimes had the best costumes and scenic effects. Lessees after Glover included Marie Litton, Charles Bernard, Fred Sydney, Edward Knapp, and William Rushbury.

Above - The auditorium of the Theatre Royal, Glasgow in 2005 - Photo Courtesy Arla Kean

Following a fire, the auditorium and stage were rebuilt in 1880 to the designs of the architect Charles Phipps, this time with three galleries, and the front door became Hope Street. Another fire in 1895 caused the auditorium and stage to be reinstated, with minor modifications, to Phipps design of 1880.

In 1888 Mr Howard and Mr Wyndham took over with the backing of Baillie Michael Simons who was one of the promoters of the Glasgow International Exhibitions of 1888 and 1901. In 1895 Michael Simons created Howard & Wyndham Ltd which became one of the largest theatre companies in Britain. The company ran pantomimes for each of almost 80 years, the longest run of any. Plays, spectaculars, silent films projected from the Dress Circle (with full orchestral scores played), circuses and opera grew up with the Royal. And television grew up as well. In 1957 Howard & Wyndham joined with Roy Thomson of Canada to start commercial television in Scotland using the Royal as the headquarters and studios of Scottish Television.

Above - Photograph of The Queen and friends at the Theatre Royal, Hope Street to see Fiddler on the Roof by the Scottish Opera in 1979. The first visit of a reigning monarch to the Theatre Royal. - Courtesy Graeme Smith.

Under Scottish Television the stage was extended into part of the stalls, leaving room for 700 of an audience in stalls and dress-circle to watch many of the music shows and programmes being televised. STV promoted plays, documentaries, dance and opera and became the first and largest commercial sponsor of the newly formed Scottish Opera. In the 1970s it expanded to new studios built on ground beside the theatre and offered to sell the Royal to Scottish Opera to become Scotland`s first national opera house. The theatre`s stage, dressing rooms and equipment were rebuilt and extended by Scottish Opera, and the auditorium was restored to the full glory of Phipps classical design, care being taken to retain the high quality acoustics. On 14th October 1975 the Theatre Royal reopened as a full live performing theatre again. This was one of the first theatre openings since television flooded across Britain. The Financial Times wrote:

'By means of intelligent planning, energy, discernment and guts, Scottish Opera in the 13 years of its existence has won a place among Europe`s leading companies. One thing has been lacking - a permanent base. Now one exists in the form of the Theatre Royal in Hope Street, Glasgow…. recently occupied by Scottish Television.

Right - The Dome above the auditorium of the Theatre Royal Glasgow - in 2005 - Photo Courtesy Arla Kean

In a remarkably short space of time it has been expertly converted and restored as a well-equipped modern opera house with an old-style auditorium. Although a few stair carpets and coats of paint were missing, the opening took place on schedule this week, in a last-minute aroma of scarcely dry plaster and builders` dust, with a special performance of Die Fledermaus followed the next evening by Verdi`s Otello.'

A handsome home they have made of it ……. The side boxes with Corinthian columns, the circle fronts with Renaissance-style plasterwork are surprisingly delicate and elegant. The colour scheme of chocolate brown and beige with touches of kingfisher blue and subdued gilt is extraordinarily pleasing - comfortable, warmly festive, not gaudy.

The above text was written by Graeme Smith and kindly sent in for inclusion on the site in 2008, and is from his new book 'THE THEATRE ROYAL: Entertaining a Nation', Details here...

Arthur Lloyd is known to have performed at the Theatre Royal, Hope Street in 1868.

You may like to visit the Theatre's own website here...

The Theatre Royal has, without doubt, the most distinguished history of any playhouse in Glasgow, and stands on what is probably the oldest theatrical site in the city. It has been quoted as being the most fire conscious building in the city. It first opened its doors in 1865 as a Music Hall but was destroyed by fire in 1867. When it was rebuilt it was called Bayliss's Royal Colosseum Theatre and Opera House, the main entrance being in Cowcaddens. (Please see amendment at bottom of this page. M.L.)

Right - Final performance programme for 'Robinson Crusoe' 1957, when the Theatre closed and was converted to a Television studio.

Within a few years the name of the theatre was changed to the Theatre Royal and was acquired by two actors who already owned a theatre in Edinburgh; their names were J. B. Howard and F. W. Wyndham. Unfortunately in 1879 the theatre was once again destroyed by fire and during the subsequent reconstruction the opportunity was taken to transfer the main entrance round the corner into Hope Street. On the mosaic floor of the main entrance it is still possible to see the date: 1880.

On March 1st, 1891 the theatre was for the third time laid waste by fire. This fire occurred only a few days before the property was to be taken over by the limited company formed by J. H. Howard and F. W. Wyndham and only a day or two after the two partners had allowed the insurance to lapse. As private individuals however, they had to find the money for the new theatre. Within only a few months the work was completed and on September 9th, 1895, the building which we know today as the Theatre Royal was opened with a visit by the distinguished actor Sir George Alexander and his London Company. The Company had a repertoire of five plays including Pinero's new and then very daring "The Second Mrs. Tanqueray." Since that date it has been a tradition of the Theatre Royal to offer its audience only the best in every form of entertainment.

Many of our greatest stars of the theatre have played at the Royal: Sir Herbert Tree, Mrs. Pat Campbell, Lewis Waller, Sarah Bernhardt, Maud Allen the dancer, Coquelin, the great French actor. There was also Sir Frank Benson, the great Shakespearian actor, who was followed in later years by Henry Baynton and Donald Wolfit.

Accoustically it is among the finest in the country. Built in the shape of a bell, every word spoken or sung on the stage can be heard clearly in all parts of the house; because of this every opera company of note has appeared at the Theatre Royal.

Left - Programme for 'Deep is the River' at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow - September 12th to October 4th 1941.

Even the cinema has played its part in the entertainment of Theatre Royal audiences with such classics as "The Birth of a Nation," "Hearts of the World," and later the German "Dr. Mabuse."

It is probably pantomime that will linger longest in the memories of Glaswegians. In the nineties it was the principal boy who was the main attraction: Marie Loftus played principal boy in 1889, 1895 and 1899, Vesta Tilley "the darling of the Music Hall" in 1892 and 1896, and Evie Green in 1898. Gradually however, as the years passed it was the comedians who became the star attraction and in 1905 Sir Harry Lauder stopped the show night after night with his song "My Scotch Bluebell." At the end of the first verse a little girl emerged from the wings to whom he sang the chorus. That little girl was later to become Jose Collins of "Maid of the Mountains" fame.

In more recent years many in the audience here tonight will still retain happy memories of visits by Will Fyfe, Tommy Lorne, Dave Willis, Jewel and Warriss, Albert Burdon, George West, Harry Gordon, Jack Radcliffe, Jimmy Logan, Stanley Baxter and Alec Finlay.

The first break in tradition came in 1919 when the world famous musical Chu Chin Chow replaced the usual pantomime while in the last war a circus on two occasions was the Christmas attraction.

Right - The Theatre Royal, Hope Street, Glasgow in 2003 - Photo M.L.

Throughout the years the Theatre Royal has had a firm place in the affections of theatre goers, not only in Glasgow but throughout Scotland. On its stage have appeared the cream of acting talent in theatre land.

And now we, 'RING DOWN THE CURTAIN'

Above text from the Farewell Performance Programme, Saturday, 16th February, 1957. Please Note that there are some errors in this text and for research purposes you are advised to take notice of Graeme Smith's more accurate article at the top of this page.