Glasgow's Lost Theatre: The Story of the Britannia Music Hall

by Judith Bowers, Judith McLay

Music-hall stars such as Jack Buchanan, Charles Coburn, Harry Lauder, Dan Leno and Vesta Tilley all trod the boards at what started life as the Britannia Music Hall, as did a certain Stan Laurel, who made his debut there in 1906. Under the management of A.E. Pickard, the Panopticon, as it became known, widened its range of attractions to include freak shows, waxworks, a carnival and a zoo, continuing to draw the crowds until 1938. During the next sixty years, however, its very existence faded into memory as the building was converted and its auditorium sealed off. It was only in 1997 that Judith Bowers discovered the theatre, since when she has made it her mission to bring the Britannia back to life. In this book Judith Bowers, founder of the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall Trust, traces the history of this magical place and the people who performed there, and tells the fascinating story of how the Britannia is being restored to its former glory.

208 pages, Paperback

Published November 22, 2014

Reviews

[Roger Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cracker of a book about the history and story of the Britannia Music Hall in Glasgow, the oldest surviving music hall in the world. Many famous music hall stars appeared there and Stan Laurel made his debut in 1906. It was closed in 1938 and the auditorium sealed off for sixty years whilst the building was used for other purposes. However, in 1997 the author of this book Judith Bowers persuaded the owner to let her have a look and this led to the gradual reopening and restoration of the building, a magnificent achievement and a wonderful recognition of the history of this music hall theatre. I had a particular interest in reading about 'Dr' Walford Bodie whom I have researched and written about myself at length culminating in the book with Brian Lead "Showmen Or Charlatans?" which is still available. Michael Grade in the foreword describes the book as a 'gem' and I can only agree.

[Ross Cameron · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Britannia Panopticon is an absolute gem. If you haven’t visited, I can’t recommend it enough.

This book does a good job of capturing the eta of the music hall & the working class entertainment that would have gone on within the Panopticon. The history of the music hall, and particularly the character of A.E. Pickard are well explored within a wider framework of music halls and the development of such entertainment across the UK.

It is accessible, readable and wonderfully presented.

Only gripe from me is that I would have preferred more on the actual building than those acts that may or may not have performed. Show us more images of the bits the public can’t see. Let’s see the graffiti? More of the artefacts. But I appreciate I am likely to be in the minority with this.

[Frankie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Jamie Bookboy Fitzpatrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating