Theatre 118 Aims to Create, Entertain and Inspire

An innovative new cultural collective is making a dramatic bid to create affordable theatre for all in the heart of Glasgow.

From the outside, 118 Osborne Street looks like any other office, but inside there is a creative oasis which is flourishing within a world of grey concrete and gleaming metal.

In one colourful corner of the building is an inspirational space used by Theatre 118 – a groundbreaking, grassroots company which aims to produce cutting-edge plays and open up opportunities. 

It is next to the famous mural of Billy Connolly created by John Byrne – which is apt as both titans of Caledonian culture would no doubt approve of its mission to create a hub of artistic activity in an environment of mutual support and co-operation.

Theatre 118 is proud to present 'Play of the Week' – its first season of new, one-act plays being performed throughout July 2025.

Audiences are invited to discover a fresh, original tale every week, ranging from comedy to drama and everything in between, performed by fabulous theatre actors.

Tickets are affordable at £10 (or Pay What You Can), but the best way to enjoy the shows is a season pass for £30 – entitling you to see all four plays with a 25% discount. You can buy tickets from https://theatre118.com    

The inaugural Play of the Week line-up for July 2025:

• 3-5 July – 'Fools on a Hill', written by Chris Patrick, starring Erin Scanlan, Ross Flynn and Colin McGowan
• 10-12 July – 'Madonna/Whore', written and directed by Julie Calderwood, starring James Keenan, Gregory Bonnar and Sarah Pieraccini
• 17-19 July – 'Suicide, and Other Acts of Selfishness', written by Kieran Lee-Hamilton, directed by Frodo Allan, starring Eli McFarland 
• 24-26 July – 'Morning Star', written by Alan Muir and starring Derek Banner

Theatre 118 is run by a small collective, primarily the people behind two grassroots West of Scotland companies – Roughly Staged and Short Attention Span Theatre. The steering committee includes David Hewitson, Graham McDougall, Stephen Brackenridge, Tom Brogan and Karen Barclay.

It receives zero public funding – all profits are used to pay creatives and for the running/upkeep of the venue – allowing the volunteers to programme new work and facilitate other people using the space.

David Hewitson from Theatre 118 said: "We're delighted to present 'Play of the Week' – our first season of original, thrilling and thought-provoking productions. There will be four plays – performed four times a week, including Saturday afternoon and evening – throughout July.

"Audiences are in for a treat in a unique setting – in the company of fantastic, passionate creatives. We've tried to make sure tickets are kept affordable and the shows will be BYOB – so bring some drinks and some pals, and join us for this phenomenal season of new work from some of Scotland's most exciting theatre artists!"

David added: "Theatre 118 is heavily influenced by A Play, A Pie and A Pint at the Oran Mor and they've been consistently supportive of what we're up to. They absolutely led the way in making Glasgow a hub of new theatre-making, and I don't think we'd be doing any of this if they hadn't blazed a trail.

"Truly, the best thing about the theatre community in Glasgow is how friendly and nurturing everybody is – we've had a great deal of assistance from companies like Sleeping Warrior Theatre, Take Me Somewhere and the Tron Theatre – it really does feel like everyone is rooting for each other to succeed and to make stuff happen here.

"As well as allowing audiences access to first-class entertainment, Theatre 118 is on a quest to find, develop and support new voices – creating opportunities in an increasingly-challenging cultural environment. Please support us if you can."

Theatre 118 – 118 Osborne Street, Glasgow, G1 5RP – is part of the Outer Spaces Network, a charity collaborating with artists, organisations and property owners to activate the nation's empty commercial spaces.

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