One of Scotland’s most historic and significant theatres is undergoing a 'facelift' as it prepares to celebrate its 120th anniversary.
The King's Theatre in Glasgow was designed by prolific British theatre architect Frank Matcham and cost over £50,000 to build - equivalent to over £7 million today.
Opening on September 12, 1904, it has played host to top stars over the years including Sir John Gielgud, Katharine Hepburn - during a 1952 run of The Millionairess - and Laurence Olivier.
The Category-A listed building remains one of Glasgow's most beloved cultural landmarks, attracting audiences from across Scotland and beyond.
Now the theatre is undergoing repair works and external cleaning of its two principle elevations to ensure it will be enjoyed "for generations to come".
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Planning permission for the works was granted by Glasgow City Council in April, with further conditions in accordance with the permission discharged this week.
The works includes stone cleaning, stonework repairs and roof repairs.
The planning documents note that the stone repairs "will be carried out using replacement natural stone to match the original stonework in every respect including colour, geological character, texture and coursing pattern".
Repairs to slated roof areas will also be undertaken in natural slate to match the existing.
Ambassador Theatre Group, which operates the theatre, confirmed that shows taking place at the King's will be unaffected by the work.
Theatre Director James Haworth told The Herald: “As we celebrate our 120th year on Bath Street, The King’s is having a little facelift to ensure she looks her best! The works currently taking place to the exterior of the building are to ensure that our Category-A listed building will be enjoyed for generations to come.
"Shows taking place at the venue will be unaffected. We look forward to welcoming patrons to our exciting programme of shows this autumn, ahead of our 60th anniversary pantomime Peter Pan which will take us through from November 2024 to the new year.”
In September last year, it was revealed that a “very ambitious” multi-million pound plan to revamp The King’s was being developed to attract “bigger shows”.
The theatre’s owner, Glasgow City Council and ATG, which runs the Bath Street venue, confirmed they were working on a project to upgrade the A-listed building.
A council official said at the time that the revamp is required to attract shows “like Hamilton and the Lion King” which “can’t fit in behind the stage at the moment”.
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A council report stated that advances in “theatre design and the trend for shows to require larger and heavier sets, along with the requirement to significantly upgrade the accessibility and internal condition of the theatre” had prompted Glasgow Theatres Ltd to start discussions with the council over “a significant redevelopment of the venue”.
The council official said the hope was to establish “what the development might look like” over the next three years.
“It’s very ambitious,” he said. “It’s likely to involve everything behind the stage, to effectively be removed and built bigger, and taller and stronger.
“The shows we want to attract to the King’s Theatre like Hamilton and the Lion King can’t fit in behind the stage at the moment, and that’s the reason why they never appear in Glasgow. There’s an aspiration to bring these bigger shows to the city.
In 2009, Edinburgh architecture firm Simpson & Brown was commissioned to carry out internal repairs and restoration work at the theatre.
The aim of the project was to restore the front of house areas to their layout and decoration in 1904, upgrade the services to modern standards and repair the external fabric.
Work was completed over two phases including rebuilding the stalls and upper circle floor, installation of removable seating and platforms offering a flexible orchestra pit, dedicated seating for the disabled, strengthening works to the upper circle balcony front and new auditorium seating and floor finishes in the stalls, grand circle and upper circle.
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