Inside historic Citizens Theatre as £30m restoration unfolds

The Citizens Theatre in Glasgow is set to reopen for the first time in seven years after a £30m transformation.

Upgrades to the venue include new performance spaces, a bar, hospitality areas, and improved accessibility to “bring the building into the 21st century”.

The B-listed theatre was in urgent need of repair when it closed in 2018 to undergo an extensive refurbishment to secure its future.

The redevelopment was not without challenges – there were setbacks due to Covid and other structural issues.

But the theatre is just months away from welcoming back audiences.

Artistic director Dominic Hill said: “It’s been a difficult journey, but I don’t want to talk about the past. I want to talk about the future and the hope this building now embodies.

“The difference architects and builders have created is extraordinary. It’s symptomatic of the combination of new and old that this building now exemplifies.”

The theatre's Victorian features have been retained — The theatre’s Victorian features have been retained STV News

The first show back, Small Acts of Love about the Lockerbie Bombing – will debut in September.

Other productions include So Young, The Glass Menagerie, and an all-new Christmas show, Beauty and the Beast.

But before that, a homecoming festival kicks off in late summer.

Catherine Evans is director of Participate, the theatre’s community engagement programme.

“The big focus has been on getting the main stage open and that first show announced. Now, what we want to do is wrap activities around it.

“There will be workshops, tours, pop-up events. It’s about getting people here and seeing how they want to use the space.

“It’s got this amazing historic legacy, lots of memories. We need to foster that level of excitement. It’s a gift for us as we reopen.

“What we need is space, minds and ideas – that’s the next step of bringing it to life. We want people to meet, gather and feel ownership here.”

Director Lewis Hetherington, who is writing the Christmas show Beauty and The Beast, described the new-look theatre as “future-focused”.

“I went on a tour of the place when it was a building site,” he told STV News. “I could start dreaming into the space and start thinking how I can honour that in some way with the Christmas show I’m writing.

“I thought, ‘What can I do to bring something hopefully light and joyful to all the people coming through these doors?’

“It’s a beautiful fusion of past and present—the legacy, history, and memories – but not getting stuck on that.

“We want to welcome new people who have never been before, who don’t go to the theatre. Everyone is welcome to create a new history for this space.

“This theatre is the heart of the community. It feels like a huge honour to imagine my work stage as part of the monumental reopening.”

Theatre undergoing £30m transformation STV News

Chiefs estimate audiences of around 75,000 will attend the theatre every year after it fully reopens, with artists and creative teams bringing the expected annual footfall to over 100,000.

Locals from the Gorbals will be among the first audiences to be welcomed back to the landmark venue this August.

Tickets go on sale at the end of March – with special low-priced offers for locals, under 30s, those on low incomes and people with accessibility issues.

They will be available to purchase on the Citizens Theatre website.