Talking Heritage: The Close Theatre Club

Situated up a close at 127 Gorbals Street, the Close Theatre Club (1965-1973) was an extraordinary and formative period in Citizens Theatre history. A studio theatre, bar/restaurant and later nightclub, the Close was created as a workshop theatre to explore new forms of performance and present experimental work that could not be programmed on the main stage. Its members-only status allowed the Close to circumnavigate censorship laws and to push boundaries both on and off-stage.

Delving into some of the club’s most controversial productions, as well as its function as a social and cultural hub – and one of Glasgow’s first unofficial gay bars – this talk will celebrate the radical ethos of the Close Theatre Club and its enduring impact on the landscape of Scottish theatre.