With doors set to open for the first time since 2018, Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre has revealed a glimpse of what audiences visiting the historic venue can expect as the building enters the final phase of its redevelopment and the countdown to August’s reopening begins.
The transformational redevelopment of the Citizens Theatre, the first since the Category B-listed building began life as a working theatre in 1878, has brought the building into the 21st century while carefully preserving its unique Victorian heritage. From the iconic auditorium and stage house to the historic under-stage machinery and working paint frame, one of the last of its kind in the UK, the design of the building by Bennetts Associates has opened up public access to the building’s heritage.
Hannah Armitage, Senior Associate, Bennetts Associates, says, “The transformation of the Citizens Theatre has been a labour of love, balancing the preservation of its historic character with the creation of contemporary, state-of-the-art facilities. Our design restores and celebrates the much-loved Victorian auditorium while enhancing the theatre’s accessibility, technical capabilities, and creates an entirely new front of house experience. The revitalised Citizens Theatre will not only enrich the experience for audiences but also support the theatre’s world-renowned artistic productions and its invaluable outreach work, ensuring it remains a vital cultural hub for generations to come.”
As the redevelopment at the iconic theatre moves into its final phase, Glasgow locals will be among the first to be invited to come and experience the building afresh as part of a homecoming festival in late summer that will see The Citz burst into life again with readings, sharings, exhibitions, tours and workshops celebrating the theatre’s past, present, and future.
The celebrations will kick off an opening season which sees community sitting at the heart of the activities, as creative life returns to all corners of the building for the first time in seven years. Tickets to the first stage productions will go on sale at the end of March.
Bringing the main stage back to life will be Small Acts of Love, a major new work about the bonds formed between families on both sides of the Atlantic in the wake of the Pan Am 103 atrocity. The collaboration between playwright Frances Poet and composer Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue fame has been painstakingly researched and developed with support from families and communities who were directly affected. Set to premiere in September 2025, it will feature a large ensemble cast and band.
Further main-stage productions in the Autumn will include Douglas Maxwell’s Glasgow-set comedy So Young, exploring mid-life meltdowns, grief and love while an ambitious new production of Tennessee Williams’ drama The Glass Menagerie, will also visit in the autumn.
Towards the end of the year, the much-loved Citz Christmas show returns with a new, specially commissioned production of Beauty and the Beast, written by Lewis Hetherington. Meanwhile, the new 150 seat Studio Theatre in the heart of the redeveloped building will host The Gift, for younger visitors aged 18 months and five years, as part of the festive programme.
Dominic Hill, Artistic Director, Citizens Theatre says, “This is a very special moment as we start to unveil an exciting programme of shows and opportunities in the new theatre. The first few months of programming reflects our commitment to both innovation and tradition. While the Citz has always celebrated the great works of drama from the past, the new theatre must look forward too and we’ve been working hard to develop new plays that showcase the talent of writers and artists working in Scotland. These new works embody the spirit of what this theatre has always stood for, creativity, community, and a deep connection to the city of Glasgow. I can’t wait for audiences old and new, local and global, to experience these brilliant productions in a transformed Citizens Theatre, that will inspire audiences and great storytelling.”
Tickets for the first productions will go on sale at the end of March here.
