The pantomime at the King's has been running annually since 1971. Before that a few pantomimes were staged from 1964/65 after Glasgow Corporation bought the theatre from Howard & Wyndham Ltd. Pantomime in Scotland has always been popular, particularly in Glasgow, and there has been a long tradition developed from the 1860s. From the 1970s pantomime productions for the King's were funded jointly by the City Councils of Glasgow and Edinburgh and staged in both cities. Stanley Baxter one of Britain's top pantomime dames performed at the King's in the 1980s in Cinderella, written and directed by him. The management asked him to bring back the same production the following year. He refused, but said 'maybe in eight or ten years.' He kept his promise and returned for his final pantomime appearance in 1991. In 2005, the company First Family Entertainment took over production of the annual pantomime, and First Family Entertainment are now responsible for a dozen productions up and down the country. The current productions run during the festive period until mid January, totalling over 70 performances during the run, with two performances daily, six days a week.
Gerard Kelly was for 20 years a regular performer at the King's Theatre pantomimes, every year taking up the lead comic role. Elaine C Smith appeared regularly between 1996 and 2005, however has since taken a break and in recent years has been involved as an Associate Producer. During her time starring in the pantomimes, she often took on the role of dame, making the King's Theatre production somewhat unusual, with a female playing the dame role, which is traditionally played by a man. Scottish comedian Karen Dunbar has taken on the leading female comic role in recent years; starting in 2007 as Nanny Begood in Sleeping Beauty she then appeared in Cinderella in 2008, Aladdin in 2009, and again as Nanny Begood in 2011, she created the role of Mrs McConkey in Cinderella in 2012 and most recently appeared as The Slave of The Ring in Aladdin in 2013.
After Kelly's death in 2010, both Gavin Mitchell and Des Clarke have taken on the lead comic role a Buttons style character. Emulating his infamous 'Hiya pals' into their own versions of 'Hiya gang' and compiling their own skits whilst still paying homage to Kelly.
The 2014/2015 Season marks 50 years since the first pantomime at the King's, however this will only be the 47th pantomime to be staged here.
2016/2017 - Cinderella
2015/2016 - Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs
2014/2015 - Peter Pan, the 50th anniversary of the King's Pantomime.
2013/2014 - Aladdin
2012/2013 - Cinderella
2011/2012 - Sleeping Beauty
2010/2011 - Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs
2009/2010 - Aladdin - starring Gerard Kelly - the last show before his death.
2008/2009 – Cinderella
2007/2008 – Sleeping Beauty
2006/2007 – Aladdin
2005/2006 – Cinderella
2004/2005 – Mother Goose
2003/2004 – Sleeping Beauty
2002/2003 – Aladdin
2001/2002 – Babes in the Wood
2000/2001 – Cinderella
1999/2000 – Mother Goose December 3, 1999 - January 22, 2000 - Starring Gerard Kelly, Barbara Rafferty, Eileen McCallum, Ford Kiernan, Greg Hemphill,
1998/1999 – Sleeping Beauty December 4, 1998 - January 16, 1999 - Starring Elaine C. Smith, Jonathan Watson, Barbara Rafferty, Juliet Cadzow, Dave Anderson, Billy Boyd
1997/1998 – Aladdin December 5, 1997 - January 17, 1998 - Starring Elaine C. Smith, Gerard Kelly, Grant Stott
1996/1997 – Cinderella December 6, 1996 - January 18, 1997 - Starring Elaine C. Smith, Gerard Kelly, Barbara Rafferty, John Leslie, Grant Stott, Eileen McCallum, Jackie Farrell, Jan Wilson
1995/1996 – Babes In The Wood December 14, 1995 - February 3, 1996 – starring Cannon and Ball, Jimmy Logan, Grant Stott, Vivienne Carlyle
1994/1995 – Sleeping Beauty December 8, 1994 - February 4, 1995 - Starring Les Dennis, Gerard Kelly, Barbara Rafferty, Jonathan Watson, Jan Wilson
1993/1994 – Dick Whittington December 2, 1993 - January 29, 1994 - Starring Allan Stewart, Christopher Biggins, Jimmy Chisholm
1992/1993 – Aladdin November 26, 1992 - January 30, 1993 - Starring Gerard Kelly, Una McLean, Jonathan Watson, Emerson and Jayne
1991/1992 – Cinderella – December 10, 1991 - February 22, 1992 starring Stanley Baxter – his last ever stage performance
1990/1991 – Babes in the Wood – Starring Gerard Kelly, Iain McColl, Una McLean
1989/1990 – Mother Goose November 28, 1989 - February 10, 1990 - Starring Walter Carr, Gerard Kelly, Jan Wilson
1988/1989 – Jack and the Beanstalk November 29, 1988 - February 11, 1989 - Starring Jimmy Logan, Una McLean, John Ramage
1987/1988 – Cinderella November 23, 1987 - February 6, 1988 - Starring Rikki Fulton, Walter Carr, Jan Wilson, Jackie Farrell
1986/1987 – Aladdin November 24, 1986 - February 7, 1987 - Starring Stanley Baxter
1985/1986 – Sinbad the Sailor November 25, 1985 - February 8, 1986. starring Johnny Beattie, Christian, Una McLean, Emerson and Jayne
1984/1985 – Sleeping Beauty - Starring Rikki Fulton, Walter Carr, Gregor Fisher
1983/1984 – Mother Goose - Starring Stanley Baxter
1982/1983 – Jack and the Beanstalk November 29, 1981 - February 12, 1982. Starring Jimmy Logan
1981/1982 – Babes in the Wood November 30, 1980 - February 13, 1981. Starring Rikki Fulton, Jack Milroy, Mary Lee, Gregor Fisher, Tony Roper
1980/1981 – Cinderella - Starring Stanley Baxter, Angus Lennie
1979/1980 – Sinbad the Sailor December 3, 1979 - February 16, 1980. Starring Christian, Johnny Beattie, Una McLean
1978/1979 – Aladdin - Starring Jimmy Logan, Peter Kelly
1977/1978 - Sleeping Beauty - Starring Rikki Fulton, Walter Carr, Una McLean, Margo Cunningham
1976/1977 - Jack and the Beanstalk - Starring Stanley Baxter, Peter Kelly
1975/1976 - Babes in the Wood - Starring Jimmy Logan
1974/1975 - Robinson Crusoe - Starring Rikki Fulton, Walter Carr, Una McLean, Tony Roper
1973/1974 - Cinderella - Starring Jimmy Logan
1972/1973 - Aladdin - Starring Denny Willis
1971/1972 - Mother Goose - Starring Stanley Baxter
1968/1969 - The World of Jamie - (Howard & Wyndham 'Scottish' Pantomime) - Starring Kenneth McKellar
1967/1968 - Aladdin - Starring Rikki Fulton
1964/1965 - A Wish for Jamie - (Howard & Wyndham 'Scottish' Pantomime) - Starring Kenneth McKellar, Johnny Beattie,Fay Lenore
