'Cypress Avenue to Bring Art House Productions to Glasgow's Pavilion Theatre'
Key Highlights :
For decades, the Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow has been synonymous with home-grown big, broad-stroke productions such as Bender in Benidorm and Rally Roon’ The Rangers. Now, the theatre which has been taken over by global live entertainment company Trafalgar Entertainment, has announced a bold new initiative which will see the Renfield Street operation feature art house productions.
The theatre is set to stage Cypress Avenue. Playwright David Ireland’s hugely controversial - and incredibly funny – play has both stormed theatres across the world and created storms of criticism. Acting star David Hayman will reprise his role of Eric Miller, the emotionally disturbed Protestant grandfather from Belfast who believes his new granddaughter to be Nationalist politician Gerry Adams in disguise.
The staging of Cypress Avenue is a collaboration between Trafalgar Entertainments and Glasgow’s Tron Theatre, where the sold-out play appeared in March of this year. Helen Enright, CEO of Trafalgar Theatres says she is excited at the potential this relationship offers to both organisations. “It is an important first step in our ambition to work more closely with organisations and artists across Glasgow," she says. “Since taking over at Glasgow Pavilion we have been enormously encouraged by conversations with a number of theatre-creators, writers and producers who want to work with us to expand the range of shows. The team at Tron Theatre create truly excellent work which really resonates with audiences but with only 230 seats this limits the reach of the shows being staged.”
Ms Enright added: “It felt like the easiest decision in the world to address that – offering our larger-capacity theatre to the Tron team and, as a result, bringing selected shows to a wider audience.” The Pavilion Theatre was acquired by Trafalgar Theatres in April. The theatre’s new owners aim to increase the number of performances staged each year and to work more closely alongside organisations, writers and artists from across the city.
The Tron Theatre’s Joint CEOs Andy Arnold and Patricia Stead said: “We are delighted to embark upon this new relationship with Trafalgar Theatres. The Pavilion is such a wonderfully atmospheric theatre, so much part of Glasgow’s theatre history, and the Tron will now have the opportunity to showcase brilliant work, like the surreal and shockingly hilarious Cyprus Avenue, to many more people across the city.”
David Hayman recently won the coveted Outstanding Performance award at the Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland for his role in Cypress Avenue. One theatre insider said the move to bring art house plays to the Pavilion is a hugely positive one. “The Pavilion had to move forward,” he said. “There was something tired and dated about its old-style shows. And if Trafalgar Entertainment can cherry pick the very best exciting plays which are successful in the smaller theatres this can only be good for audiences.”
The Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow has long been a source of entertainment for local audiences, providing big, broad-stroke productions such as Bender in Benidorm and Rally Roon’ The Rangers. Now, with the acquisition of the theatre by global live entertainment company Trafalgar Entertainment, the Renfield Street operation is set to feature art house productions, beginning with David Ireland’s hugely controversial and incredibly funny play Cypress Avenue.
The staging of Cypress Avenue is a collaboration between Trafalgar Entertainments and Glasgow’s Tron Theatre, where the sold-out play appeared in March of this year. Acting star David Hayman will reprise his role of Eric Miller, the emotionally disturbed Protestant grandfather from Belfast who believes his new granddaughter to be Nationalist politician Gerry Adams in disguise.
Helen Enright, CEO of Trafalgar Theatres says she is excited at the potential this relationship offers to both organisations. “It is an important first step in our ambition to work more closely with organisations and artists across Glasgow," she says. “Since taking over at Glasgow Pavilion we have been enormously encouraged by conversations with a number of theatre-creators, writers and producers who want to work with us to expand the range of shows. The team at Tron Theatre create truly excellent work which really resonates with audiences but with only 230 seats this limits the reach of the shows being staged.”
The Tron Theatre’s Joint CEOs Andy Arnold and Patricia Stead said: “We are delighted to embark upon this new relationship with Trafalgar Theatres. The Pavilion is such a wonderfully atmospheric theatre, so much part of Glasgow’s theatre history, and the Tron will now have the opportunity to showcase brilliant work, like the surreal and shockingly hilarious Cyprus Avenue, to many more people across the city.”
The move to bring art house plays to the Pavilion is a hugely positive one, as it allows traditional Pavilion audiences to see a wider range of shows. David Hayman recently won the coveted Outstanding Performance award at the Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland for his role in Cypress Avenue, and the play is sure to be a hit with Pavilion audiences.
Cypress Avenue, The Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow, February 26 – March 2, 2024. Tickets on sale 10am June 22 here.
