Throughout history, people have been gathering together for entertainment of all kinds, creating community around various art forms. The Romans had the Colosseum, the Greeks had their outdoor theaters... and once the Industrial Revolution led to the creation of the modern city, entertainment was still a focus of the people.
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| Britannia Music Hall circa 1880's |
One of the premier spots for those in Glasgow to be entertained in the late 1800's was the Britannia Music Hall, later to be known as the Britannia Panopticon. This building housed many acts over its long history. In fact, it was this very stage where Stan Laurel of Laurel and Hardy first performed professionally at the age of 16. The building itself has gone through a dearth of changes since it first opened in the late 1850's, and still stands today. In 1997, the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall Trust was founded by
Judith Bowers to protect and restore this building that held so many magical memories for the people of Glasgow and beyond.
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| Recent look inside the Britannia Panopticon photo by David Walker |
We are so very excited to announce that Judith Bowers, will be in Seattle this Moisture Festival season to present a workshop on the history of the Britannia Panopticon! Judith's book,
Glasgow's Lost Theatre: The Story of The Britannia Music Hall was published in September 2014, and provides a detailed, insightful history into this glorious venue. From high kicking dancers and bawdy comics to cinema, Judith's talk takes the listener on a journey through time to the days when the audience really did leave no turn un-stoned.
This will be a
FREE event at Hale's Palladium,
Monday April 6 at 7:30 PM. No need to buy tickets, just show up to learn the interesting history and hopeful future of this glorious building!
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