Citizens Theatre

Performing arts theater · The Gorbals

Citizens Theatre

Performing arts theater · The Gorbals

1

119 Gorbals St, Gorbals, Glasgow G5 9DS, United Kingdom

Photos

Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by Photo by Tom Brogan
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null
Citizens Theatre by null

Highlights

The Citizens Theatre, a beloved Glasgow gem, boasts a vibrant mix of innovative productions in its charming, intimate venue, captivating audiences year-round.  

Placeholder
Placeholder

119 Gorbals St, Gorbals, Glasgow G5 9DS, United Kingdom Get directions

citz.co.uk
@citizenstheatre

Information

Static Map

119 Gorbals St, Gorbals, Glasgow G5 9DS, United Kingdom Get directions

+44 141 429 0022
citz.co.uk
@citizenstheatre
𝕏
@citizenstheatre

Features

payment credit card
Tap to pay

Last updated

Jul 28, 2025

Powered By

You might also like

Terms of Use • Privacy Policy • Cookie Policy
 © 2025 Postcard Technologies, Inc.
@afar

"The Theatre of the People One of the most famous literary depictions of Glasgow is the Gorbals in H. Kingsley Long's seminal No Mean City. The infamous tenement slums have long since been demolished, but out of their ashes have risen progressive ventures such as the Citizens' Theatre, the principle producing theatre in the west of Scotland, which is known for its radical and edgy work."

Literary Glasgow
View Postcard for Citizens Theatre

Tunde Cockshott

Google
Glasgow institution. WQe go every year for their family panto, more a festive play, not a trad panto. Also recently saw the magnificent The Cheviot, the stag and the black black oil. Wonderful performance. Go about 3 or four times a year. great atmosphere and innovative shows.

andy gallacher

Google
I have seen shows here and also photographed rehearsals of upcoming shows, the venue is beautiful, staff are extremely helpful and understanding. The behind the scenes tours are very worth while

Jake Murray

Google
The Citizens Theatre was my local theatre when I lived in Scotland. We used to have a once-a-month event for deaf people to witness performances in British Sign Language and I thought the staff here were lovely, it's really easy to book tickets either in person through the box office or the phone or the online panel.

Jennifer Peel

Google
Seen 9 to 5 tonight with my wife and sister-in-law. Was a fab night out for only £17 each and we had fantastic seats. The cast and musician's were amazing. Lovely theatre with some free parking nearby, would highly recommend.

Neil Peacock

Google
I love the citizens theatre. It attracts a lot of great shows and a lot of great talent. Seating in the theatre is relatively comfortable. I was recently there, and seated in a "restricted view" area. However, it was fine: at the end of a row, and near a pillar, but my view in no way restricted. There is a bar that serves drinks before the show, during the interval, and after the show. Also, you can take your drinks into the theatre. One thing worth bearing in mind if you plan to see a play there is its location. Away from the city centre, to get there you really need to drive or use public transport. Luckily there are bus stops outside and a subway station nearby. It's not the safest area of town to be wandering on a dark evening.

elizabeth anderson

Google
Their Christmas productions are wonderful. Not to be missed. Better than any panto

David Patterson

Google
A good venue with nice affordable onsite cafe and free parking though get in early if you want a table at the cafe! You can see the stage from even the extreme outside seats though the stage is very high so on the front row you'll need to look upwards to see it and end up with a stretched neck afterwards. Ideal viewing is about 4 rows back.

Bill Robertson

Google
Sadly still a building site.I was born across the road from it in Dunmore street.Hopefully they will get it finished someday...
google avatar

Briony C.

Yelp
I love, love, love the Citz - as Nicola C says, it's a Glasgow institution and is probably the best place to start your theatre-going-life if you've never been before. It's relaxed and welcoming and you don't need to get dressed up if that isn't your thing. I've been to the Citz a few times over the years - ages ago to see A Clockwork Orange, and on Friday to see Trainspotting. Buying tickets online is really easy, and if you're a local you can get 50p tickets which I think is such a brilliant idea. In the foyer there's a bar and seating so you can have a drink while you wait for the show to start - we decided to just have water but they have the usual bar selection you'd expect. And there's a bar upstairs. Inside the theatre is comfy and cosy - we were in the third row and had an amazing view of the stage (at points, almost *too* amazing). I don't want to give away much about Trainspotting aside from saying if you don't have tickets already, you really need to get them as it's an amazing stage production and the cast are truly brilliant. The building itself is worth a visit alone - they have tours which are worth booking onto as I learned so much and really appreciated the behind-the-scenes perspective. They also offer acting classes for kids and adults, and have a range of other ways of getting involved with the theatre. I'm definitely going to be visiting more often - I really enjoyed doing something a bit different for a night out and still can't stop thinking about how good Trainspotting was, days later!
google avatar

Graeme H.

Yelp
The Citz is one of the things that makes Glasgow what it is, and the city would definitely be a worse place without it. It puts on varied, interesting, and locally focussed plays both new and old, and does a great work promoting upcoming artists and playwrights. It's a great, comfortable theatre, not too big, and with good, comfortable seats. The legroom is pretty good, and the views are solid as well. There is a good (and relatively cheap) bar and cafe in the main foyer, as well as a smaller bar upstairs. The foyer can be a little crowded at the start of a sold out show, but it does generate a good atmosphere. It also does lots of cool stuff - backstage tours, acting classes, and discounted tickets for people that stay in the local area. I suppose my only negative is the parking, which can be a little chaotic on the way out, especially if your fellow theatre-goers are a little rude (I'm looking at you, the couple in the white Renault Clio at Trainspotting!). In many ways, a theatre is only as good as the plays it puts on, and in this the Citz excels: new runs of classic Scottish plays like Trainspotting, Slab Boys, and Lanark; interesting versions of classic plays, and first runs of new, local plays. There really is something for everyone, even a great alternative pantomime at Christmas. Keep an eye on the schedule, find something you like, and give it a go! You'll definitely come back!
google avatar

Rebecca D.

Yelp
What's not to love about The Citz? Over the years I've seen some wonderful productions here and I've loved every single one. After their recent renovation (and a recent tour through the Yelp Glasgow Community, RIP) I was keen to come back for more. Most recently I visited to see The Rivals and I thought I was going to die laughing. The acting, direction, set, everything was brilliant, just as it always seems to be at The Citz. I was lucky enough to get seats front and centre and can confirm that they're some of the best in the house. Its a relatively old theatre. Its been open as The Citz since 1945 but the building has been a theatre since 1878. Sure, it's been renovated recently but don't worry, it still has all its old charm. Yes, including elephants and statues in a foyer. It lives up to its name as a theatre for the Citizens too. It constantly seems to be running projects that are valuable to the community, including community productions. Glasgow would be poorer without it.
google avatar

Laurence D.

Yelp
I went for the first time to the Citizens theatre to see 1984. The place is absolutely lovely. The theatre itself is smaller than I had imagined, but very cosy and the seats comfortable. We were seated on the second row and had a perfect view, with a real full blown experience from being so close to the stage. The play was also fantastic: I will definitely go again!
google avatar

Steven B.

Yelp
Been here a few times for different performances and look forward to seeing Stewart Lee in here next week, having never been to a comedy gig in here. It's a really nice theatre, that is markedly cheaper than some of the bigger ones in the City Centre, perhaps due to being smaller and more out of the way. It's easy enough to get to all the same though, near Bridge Street tube. Comfy and clean, with loads on all the year round, this is a great wee busy theatre that you would be forgiven for overlooking with fewer high profile performances being hosted in here. With any performance though, I still prefer a more intimate setting and this one will do me nicely for Stewart Lee.
google avatar

Nicola C.

Yelp
The Citz is a Glasgow institution and, to me, has always felt homegrown and inviting. It's a reasonably large theatre but manages to possess genuinely charming and cosy qualities, meaning I'm always looking forward to my next visit. Just recently, I went to see the adaptation of Alasdair Gray's Lanark, which was fantastic. For the Citizen to put on such a play was wonderful, considering just how quintessential a novel it is for the city. The Citz is warm and charasmatic, showcasing the best of upcoming Scottish and British acting and playwriting talent. - It truly is my favourite theatre in Glasgow!
google avatar

Nicola B.

Yelp
There's something kind of magical about going to see a wee show at the Citz. Located just down the road from Bridge Street Underground, it's a very intimate theatre. The main auditorium is reminiscent of the King's, but a miniature version of it. It's a dollhouse of a theatre. I've only been in the circle once, but the stalls are pretty cosy and as such it seemed odd to be so up high that once! The stage is quite narrow, but stretches deep, so a lot of shows involve a depth of field that is rarely achieved in other theatres. The upstairs auditorium is a very small theatre-in-the-round, where you sit around the outsides on kind of steps, and performances take place below you in the middle. I've seen a couple of student productions here, and one or two SYT shows. Since it hosts a number of amateur and student/youth productions, it tends to be cheaper than the other theatres in town. I've always found it to be worth every penny.
google avatar

gareth v.

Yelp
The Citizens has a programme of drama throughout the year, whether it be new works from Scottish favourites like David Greig or interpretations of Shakespeare. As a production centre, it balances the popular choices, like Othello, against the more experimental. I'd suggest checking out their second venue, a small room up the stairs. It frequently offers close up acting of marvellous quality, with an intimacy that the larger productions cannot match. It is also one of Glasgow's oldest theatres, harking back to a time when the city had performance on every street. Having salvaged pieces of these now demolished theatres, the interior is decorated with strangely painted statues which complement the dark, austere paint job. The bar, which is open on performance nights is satisfactory for interval drinks- although, once again, a trip upstairs is rewarding. The busy downstairs can be escaped for empty tables and a peaceful interlude. If the choices of major productions can be rather safe, the range of shows, and the quality of the performances, ensure that a night out at The Citz is value for money.
google avatar

Adele R.

Yelp
I love a trip to The Citizens, especially at Christmas time when they offer alternative pantomimes with a Glasgow twist. This lovely little theatre has a good old fashioned feel, with minimum fuss or special effects, which gives it a much more authentic feel and inspires much more creativity among the performers. Not the kind of place where you can rustle sweetie wrappers throughout the show, as its so small and intimate it would be heard across the theatre and prompt some disapproving looks from the surrounding seats. The Citizens is a proper theatre, with great performances from some of the very best talent, old and new, that Glasgow has to offer.
google avatar

Qype User (paga_m…)

Yelp
The Citizen's theatre is a very popular venue due to its rich 'menu' of plays included in its programmes. The ticket prices are ones of the cheapest in the city too, which makes it accessible to a wide range of audience. TAG at the Citizen's offers theatre productions for children. also widely famous and loved. The theatre played important role in the 1970s when it opened doors for various productions of Scottish playwrights and directors. It definitely, inspired a whole generation of theatre makers afterwards, among them David McLennan, Liz Lochhead, etc. Despite its mixed architectural styles and slightly distasteful decoration inside, the small cafe and the friendly staff can make your evening an enjoyable event.
google avatar

Qype User (anghel…)

Yelp
the citizens theatre is located in the (in)famous gorbals area of glasgow just south of the river/city centre - an easy walking distance it has a fantastic history of famous stars/shows/productions set in a beautiful victorian auditorium as its names implies - it has always been a venue for the people of glasgow and is held in deep regard by them the christmas pantomine season is always popular - this year showing the wizard of oz + wicked there is a little cafe at the entrance and fairly easy to park nearby
google avatar

Jennie H.

Yelp
A real Glasgow institution and a true community theatre - over the years I've been lucky to see so many great plays here. The history of the theatre is really interesting and although the exterior was refurbished in the 1980's, much of the original Victorian interior remains. The foyer is a nice open space with the box office and a bar area with seating. The main theatre is smaller than the bigger city centre theatres in Glasgow but the seating doesn't lack for leg room and it feels nice and intimate with the stage being so close to the audience. They have two tiny studio theatres, the Stalls and the Circle Studios, which allows them to show a really diverse range of plays and a lot of smaller performances that just wouldn't get shown at bigger theatres. They run activities for the local community, from workshops and acting classes to educational work with prisons and schools, and local residents within the Gorbals get discounted tickets. They stage everything from contemporary Scottish plays to new interpretations of more classical dramas, from both their own and visiting companies. I've seen everything here from Oedipus Rex to Trainspotting. Always exciting, never boring, you do need to keep an eye on the website as they don't advertise as widely as the bigger theatres but it's worth doing so as you'll always find something interesting.