Established in 1792, the Theatre Royal Dumfries has a long and storied history as an entertainment venue in town. It has played host to such notable figures as Robert Burns, J. M. Barrie and John Laurie.
The theatre was originally built by public subscription and was the first theatre to be built in Dumfries. It received a great deal of support from Robert Burns and his friends, proving to be a popular source of entertainment for the town.
This continued well into the 19th Century as the theatre welcomed many of the most popular actors of the day. It even attracted the attention of a young J. M. Barrie who took inspiration from the shows he saw and began writing himself.
In the 20th Century, the theatre saw many changes, including several refurbishments. The first in 1910 attempted to turn the building into a roller-skating rink, then a few years later it was converted into a cinema. Eventually it was bought by the Guild of Players in 1959 who restored it as a theatre.
The most recent renovation has seen the building expand, providing a greater range of facilities and greater scope for performances. The theatre welcomes a wide variety of touring shows, as well as the regular performances by the Guild of Players, guaranteed to have something for everyone
