This August bank holiday we welcome The Beach Hut Theatre Company to the Shuttleworth Gardens with their new show ‘Pop-Up Pierrots: Smell the Flowers’. Join time-travellers Tom, Vik and Harriet as they venture through the fascinating history of Scarborough’s South Cliff Gardens. Exploring 1626 onwards, this show is the perfect way to dive into the local treasures of Scarborough’s heritage. Written by John Pattison and Alison Watt, and featuring Shannon Rian Barker, Josephine Pimm and Steve Wilkin it’s not to be missed!
Pierrots themselves have a fine Scarborough tradition dating all the way back to 1894 when Will Catlin formed the town’s first troupe, “Catlin’s Favourite Pierrots” an all-male ensemble who began life as humble beach performers on Scarborough’s South Bay but would later be renamed rather more grandly as “Catlin’s Royal Pierrots”. Their distinctive black and white suits and pointed hats as well as their single sex status set them apart from other similar local acts of the time.
They proved so popular with visitors that it wasn’t long until Catlin sought a more permanent home. In 1909 he opened Catlin’s Arcadia on the site that would later become home to The Futurist theatre. The troupe also toured extensively and in 1912 won the accolade of being voted the country’s most popular entertainers.
Catlin didn’t remain in Scarborough but he did retain his association with the Pierrots. In 1915 he moved to Llandudno where he died in 1953 after a long career in show business. His coffin was adorned with a Pierrot hat styled out of white flowers bearing the inscription “King of the Pierrot’s’ Final Curtain”.
Experience some of the enduring magic, laughter and joy of a Pierrot show for yourself. There will be 4 FREE outdoor performances for the whole family to enjoy on 29th August at 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm and 1:30pm. We look forward to entertaining you!
Comments are closed