About us
The national theatre of Scotland is pantomime.
– actor/director Lewis Casson, speaking in the 1920s
Beginning in October 2007 Pantomime in Scotland: ‘Your other national theatre’ was a three-year research project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) that explored and celebrated all aspects of pantomime in Scotland.
The Pantomime in Scotland project was an opportunity to explore, document and enjoy one of Scotland’s great popular art forms. Recognising this, the project was both an academic investigation and a celebration of Scottish pantomime, its history, its current arrangements and impacts.
Part of our work was a nationally-organised oral history project to record people of all ages’ memories of going to see – and appearing in – pantomimes.
The project has produced a touring exhibition, a DVD of archive pantomime films, a national census of pantomime activity in Scotland in 2008/2009, and an economic impact study, which assesses pantomime’s contribution to both Scottish theatre and the wider economy.
Who funded us?
Pantomime in Scotland was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the UK body that supports academic research into all areas of the Humanities.
Who were our partners?
Partner organisations involved in different aspects of the project include:
- The Scottish Theatre Archive, University of Glasgow
- The Scottish Screen Archive, National Library of Scotland
- The Fraser of Allander Institute, University of Strathclyde
- Spoken Word Services, Glasgow Caledonian University
Our staff
| Professor Adrienne Scullion | Principal Investigator |
| Dr Paul Maloney | Research Fellow |
| Dr Sandra McNeil | Exhibition Assistant |
| Benjamin Shelley | PhD Researcher |
| Alan Wilkins | PhD Researcher and playwright |