Detailed Information

In early 1904 the prolific theatre-owning and producing company Howard & Wyndham Ltd commissioned UK theatre architect Frank Matcham to design a £50,000 theatre in the centre of Glasgow.

The King’s Theatre subsequently opened on 12th September 1904. It is an important example of an Edwardian theatre by the now-renowned theatre architect Frank Matcham.

As of the present day the theatre remains largely true to Matcham’s design. Alongside His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen it is one of the finest examples of a Matcham theatre in Scotland.

The imposing Bath Street elevation was designed to attract an audience and was built in high quality materials. Comfort for the audience was a priority as was maximising audience numbers. The theatre featured a lavish marble-lined entrance foyer – with a barrel-vaulted coffered ceiling – which led into the elaborately decorated auditorium.

In the auditorium, the three tiers of horseshoe-shaped balconies were cutting edge at the time for their cantilevered construction method, as it allowed for an unobstructed view of the stage and also created more space for paying customers. When built, the King’s had seating capacity for 1,841.

The Adam-style ceilings on the Grand Circle staircase and in its crush bar date from 1914, and are by William Beattie Brown, Howard & Wyndham’s architect.

The King’s Theatre was sold by Howard & Wyndham in 1967 to the City of Glasgow. It is currently managed by the Ambassador Theatre Group  but remains in the ownership of Glasgow City Council.

In September 2023 it was announced  that the theatre’s owner (Glasgow City Council) and operator (Ambassador Theatre Group) would work together on a project to upgrade the theatre so it could attract big shows which currently struggle to fit into the theatre. The project was said to be a very ambitious multi-million pound plan.