Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar. The Citizen’s Theatre, Glasgow, Sept. 16, 2023

Copyright © 2023 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

A scene from our walk to the Citizen’s Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland, on Sept. 16, 2023.

A scene from our walk to the Citizen’s Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland, on Sept. 16, 2023.

The sun was out in Glasgow as Mike Hume, Rick Boychuk, Megumi, Alan Butland, and I walked to the Citizen’s Theatre, 119 Gorbals Street. Here is a link for the history of the building, also known as “The Citz”: https://www.citz.co.uk/about/citizens-theatre/history-the-building

The Citizen’s Theatre on Sept. 16, 2023.

Mike Hume had arranged a tour with Graham Sutherland, head of production and client representative of the Redevelopment Project. In 2019, the Citizen’s Theatre broke ground on a £21.5 million project to enlarge and modernize the building. The reopening is currently anticipated for 2024.

Our visit necessitated that an architect to be on site, as the building is in the midst of a massive project; a big ask.

Mike Hume, Rick Boychuk, Wendy Waszut-Barrett, Megumi, and Alan Butland.

The complex is magnificent and I am especially intrigued with the history of the building. I can only hope to visit once the project is complete.

On Dec. 28, 1878, the venue opened as Her Majesty’s Theatre and Royal Opera House. Less than a year later, the building went under new management, was renovated, and rechristened the Royal Princess’s Theatre. On Oct. 24, 1879, the Glasgow Herald reported, “A lease of the theatre has, as we learn, been taken by Mr. Cecil Beryl, who will be favorably remembered by many playgoers, and arrangements have been made for the commencement of the season on the 22d of December with the production of Merrit’s drama ‘New Babylon,’ which has reached something like the 250^th night of performances at the Duke’s Theatre, London” (page 4).

On Dec. 19, 1879, the Glasgow Herald announced, “Our south-Side playhouse, rechristened the Royal Princess’s Theatre, is to be opened under the management of Mr. H. Cecil Beryl tom-morrow evening. During the time the establishment has been closed it has undergone considerable alteration and redecoration…a new act-drop painted by Mr. W. W. Small, and representing a scene on the Bosphorus, has been hung, while much of the scenery is fresh” (page 4). This was William Wilson Small (1830-1890), the resident artist who lived nearby. He is quite an interesting character, and now on my list of scenic artists to track down.

Small also painted scenery for the opening show that winter. An advertisement in the Glasgow Daily Mail on Dec. 27, 1879, credited Mr. H. Emden and Mr. Wm. W. Small as the scenic artists for New Babylon at the Royal Princess’s Theatre (page 1). They likely worked on paint bridges and frames high above the stage floor.

For visual reference of a paint bridge, here is an illustration by scenic artist Charles Graham for Harper’s Weekly Magazine in 1878.

Harper’s Weekly Magazine, Nov. 30, 1878.

It was not until 1894 that the Citizen’s Theatre backstage area was expanded to include a paint room with two vertical frames. Amazingly, the paint frames and machinery are still functional and intact. The distemper paint palette that scenic artists used for decades is also still in the space!

Here are a few photographs of the paint room from our tour.

Paint room with two frames at the Citizen’s Theatre.

Paint room at the Citizen’s Theatre. Notice the distemper paint palette on the right.

Graham explained that they were analyzing the paint on the walls to see what colors were used.

Paint-spattered walls and frame.

Looking up at the skylights.

Paint frame counterweight.

Winches in the paint room.

I will be curious to see what colors they identify, and if they are from the standard color palette promoted in Victorian scene painting manuals, such as F. Lloyds “Practical Guide to Scene Painting and Painting in Distemper.”

One of many scene painting guides published in the 19th-century.

Color chips were included in F. Lloyds’ book.

More color chips from F. Lloyds’ book.

It was not until Sept. 11, 1945, the theatre opened as The Citizen’s Theatre. Hume has written a lovely history about the venue and photographed the entire building before the current redevelopment project. Here is a link to his page: https://www.historictheatrephotos.com/Theatre/Citizens-Glasgow.aspx

Here are a few photographs of architectural details from our tour on Sept. 16, 2023.

Ceiling of the auditorium.

Ceiling detail.

Statuary detail.

Column detail.

Balcony detail.

For more information about the theater’s history, you can also visit: http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/Glasgow/Citizens.htm

To be continued…