Designed by Bertie Crewe for Thomas Barrasford, the Pavilion Theatre opened its doors at the corner of Renfield Street and Renfrew Street in 1904. It was regarded as luxurious for its time with its decor being described by the owners as "pure Louis XV". An electrically operated sliding roof ensured good ventilation.
Performances in the early days were mainly variety, melodrama and pantomime. Many of the leading music hall artistes of the period appeared at the Pavilion, including Marie Lloyd, Harry Lauder, Florrie Forde, Will Fyffe, Sarah Bernhardt and a then unknown Charlie Chaplin.
Reference: Mitchell Library, Theatre Collection
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Archives
Keywords:
melodrama, music halls, pantomimes, Pavilion Theatre, theatres, variety