Theatre Royal

Theatres in Glasgow don’t come any older than this. Opened in 1867 as the Royal Colosseum & Opera House, it became the less fussy-sounding Theatre Royal in 1869, and has been in constant use ever since. Owned by Scottish Opera since 1974 – who in 2005 leased management of the theatre to international entertainment giant the Ambassador Theatre Group – it remains home today to both Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet.

Theatre Royal has been the subject of a recent two-year, £14 million upgrade and refurbishment  programme, which has seen a cylindrical extension on the corner of Hope Street and Cowcaddens Road added to the 147 year-old building. It houses new foyers, bars, a box office, cloakroom and hospitality suites, as well as a rooftop terrace bar-restaurant with fine views over the city. But architecturally, the Royal remains defined by its impressive period features, some of which are as old as the building itself, including a traditional, cherry-red walled proscenium arch theatre and grand auditorium with plush red seats and an ornately decorated ceiling.

As well as all the major productions by its two resident companies – which have in recent years included Scottish Opera’s take on Puccini’s ‘Madama Butterfly’ and Scottish Ballet’s hugely successful version of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ – the Royal Theatre also hosts a broad variety of populist entertainment spanning the worlds of theatre, dance, comedy, musicals, kids shows, close-up celebrity encounters and live music. Expect everything from Agatha Christie dramas to burlesque shows, Motown covers bands, Robin Hood parodies, and stand-up performances by the likes of Kevin Bridges or Frankie Boyle in any given month.