Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow

The Pavilion Theatre stands at the top of Renfield Street in the north of Glasgow city centre, opposite the Cineworld tower and a block from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. It opened in 1904 as a music hall, making it one of the city's oldest theatres, and it is now protected as a category A listed building with a French Renaissance terracotta frontage and Rococo plasterwork within. Seating 1,449 across stalls, circle, balcony and boxes, it is run by Trafalgar Theatres and known for comedy, tribute and nostalgia music nights, popular plays and its long-running Glasgow pantomime.

The Pavilion Theatre of Varieties opened on 29 February 1904 as a music hall. It was initiated by Benjamin Simons, working with Walter de Frece, with funding guaranteed by his father Bailie Michael Simons, chairman of the theatre owners Howard & Wyndham. Rich Waldon of the city's Royal Princess's Theatre was a founding director and soon became managing director.

The architect was Bertie Crewe, who designed it as one of three Glasgow venues in Thomas Barrasford's chain of British music halls, alongside the Glasgow Hippodrome and the Palace in the Gorbals. The owners described the decor as pure Louis XV, with Rococo plasterwork across the proscenium arch and boxes, terrazzo flooring, leadlight glazing and rich mahogany woodwork, while the facade was carried out in French Renaissance style in glazed buff terracotta. An electrically operated sliding panel in the roof kept the auditorium ventilated.

Many of the great music hall names of the early twentieth century played here, among them Marie Lloyd, Little Tich, Harry Lauder, Sarah Bernhardt and a then unknown Charlie Chaplin. Pantomime production began in 1920, and from 1919 to 1957 the theatre was led by Fred Collins and then his son Horace Collins, with star turns including Dave Willis, Jack Anthony and G H Elliot. Some of those pantomimes were filmed, and Glasgow University and the Orchestra of Scottish Opera have helped restore and remaster them.

The Pavilion went on to become a receiving house for plays and alternative comedy while continuing to make its own pantomimes, and for years it was noted as the only privately run theatre in Scotland and one of the few unsubsidised independent theatres left in Britain outside London. The Mighty Boosh played here several times from 2000 onwards, and their 2008 dates sold out in three hours, the fastest selling act in the theatre's history. In 2007 the venue relaunched itself as the Scottish National Theatre of Variety, and in 2023 it was bought by Trafalgar Entertainment Group.

Step-free access

The Pavilion is accessible for wheelchair users and anyone needing step-free access at Stalls level. Please ask staff to use the accessible entrance to the right-hand side of the main entrance, then enter the auditorium via the accessible ramp. The Stalls level is gently raked and there are 4 wheelchair positions in the rear Stalls, Row U 25 to 28.

Main entrance

The main entrance is on Renfield Street, with the foyer shop and box office at street level. The pavement in front is raised by two steps on the left-hand side of the foyer and has one lowered step on the right-hand side.

• Lift: there is no lift at the Pavilion Theatre.
• Circle and Balcony: reached by stairs only, 19 stairs to the Circle and 70 to the Balcony, and both levels are steeply raked.
• Accessible toilet: located at the rear of the Stalls area. Circle toilets are reached by stairs, with the ladies' toilet in the circle foyer and the gents' at the rear of the auditorium. Balcony toilets are at the back of the auditorium and also require stairs.
• Bars: 13 steps down from the foyer to the Stalls Bar, then 15 stairs up to the Stalls auditorium at the end of the corridor. The Circle bar is at the rear of the Circle, 30 stairs up. The Balcony bar is in the stairwell of the Renfield Street balcony entrance.
• Guide dogs: welcome in the auditorium. Please tell the box office in advance when booking so staff can help.

Access scheme

The theatre runs an accessibility scheme you can apply for through the box office, which includes a free companion ticket where one is needed. Additional security checks are in place, so it is worth arriving earlier than usual.