Regency Hot Spots: Glasgow Theatre

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THE THEATRE is situated in Queen street opposite to the south west corner of George's square It was erected in 1804 by subscription shares of 25 each at the expense of nearly 18,000 from designs by Mr D Hamilton architect In front it extends 70 feet and 158 in depth towards the west The front is of polished work adorned with columns of the Ionic order 30 feet in height with corresponding entablature each rising from the basement Between the columns which project from the wall their whole diameter are two ranges of windows and immediately above the entablature and at each side are placed figures of the lion and unicorn couchant The principal doors are in the front and the whole building is massive and well constructed The area is nearly of the same size as that of Covent Garden in London It is esteemed the largest provincial theatre in Europe and has been completed with so much skill judgment and
taste that it will yield to none but the most celebrated theatres of the metropolis The interior which can accommodate above 1600 persons when lighted up presents a most magnificent and brilliant appearance The Picture of G. Or Strangers’ Guide  (1812)

Theatre Glasgow or Theatre Royal in Queen Street in Glasgow was part of a merchant effort to form Queen Street and create new development (The Theatre Royal, Queen Street, Glasgow (arthurlloyd.co.uk)).  Formerly the site of a market garden including fruit trees, the site was purchased by the Council who then raised the funds for construction with public subscription.  It officially opened in April 24, 1805 and was “unequalled out of London” (The Theatre Royal, Queen Street, Glasgow (arthurlloyd.co.uk)).

The stage would host some of the era greats, including the Kembles and Edmund Kean (The Story of the Scots Stage (electricscotland.com))

VERITAS Theatre GLASGOW About a month ago our theatrical summer campaign commenced in this place without any addition whatever to our winter company These with the exception of two or three individuals are all of the inferior cast which the manager very soon found to his cost for during the first fortnight he had almost every night the mortification of witnessing a beggarly account of empty boxes At the expiration of that period however the public were most agreeably surprised by an advertisement intimating that the young gentleman who had for this some time past performed in the theatres of Dublin Cork and Belfast with such a series of success and drew such crowded and overflowing houses as to acquire the appellation of the Young Roscius was engaged for a few nights at this theatre Public curiosity could not now remain long silent and numbers flocked to the theatre with an eagerness hitherto unexampled in the annals of Glasgow theatrical exhibitions Their expectations were certainly gratified for a young man of more deserving merit has rarely made his appearance on our boards His language is in general chaste free from every provinciality and his action is spirited and judicious His diminutive size is perhaps a little against him in the opinion of some but a candid critic mustallow that that defect is completely lost sight of in the high abilities he displays in every character he has attempted When here he performed Douglas Romeo Hamlet Frederick Tancred Rolla and Richard III but the character in which he seemed to give most satisfaction was that of Frederick in Lovers Vows a more chaste and excellent performance has seldom been witnessed in this city and in the scene where he makes himself known to his father almost every eye in the house was bathed in tears He took his farewell of the Glasgow audience at his benefit on Wednesday last in Osman in the tragedy of Zara in which character he acquitted himself highly to the satisfaction of the
most crowded house seen here these many years and greatly to the regret of the amateurs of the drama JOHN BLUNT June 20 1804 The Monthly Mirror: Reflecting Men and Manners (1804)

 

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