Garrison Theatre

Garrison Theatre

The Garrison Theatre is a 280 capacity venue in Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland, with a sprung proscenium stage with fixed raked seating. It has 19 rows, named A to S which either has 8, 12, 13, 15 or 16 seats in each row.

The venue hosts dance, drama, stand up comedy, pantomime and music productions together with regular film screenings (Shetland currently has no dedicated cinema so the Garrison Theatre has monthly film screenings. A new cinema opened in 2012 - see Mareel).

It was opened in 1903 and used as a Drill Hall and gymnasium during the First World War. It was also the headquarters of the 7th Volunteer Battalion Gordon Highlanders. The building was converted to a theatre by ENSA in 1942 to be used as a venue to entertain troops during the Second World War. During the 50s and 60s it was owned by the Zetland County Council, who decided to repair and refurbish the theatre in 1989, and was programmed by Islesburgh Drama Group and an Entertainments Committee. Ownership was then transferred the Islesburgh Trust before coming under Shetland Arts management in April 2007.