Background to the Henderson Theatre 

The Henderson Theatre is a 147-seat studio theatre in Shotts in North Lanarkshire created in April 1982, by converting classrooms of the former Calderhead Junior Secondary School (built in 1876). It was named in honour of notable local actor and drama teacher James Archibald Henderson and is currently owned and run by the local authority North Lanarkshire Council. 

The theatre is sited in Shotts Community Centre in Kirk Road, Shotts which is 300m from Shotts Train Station (on the Glasgow -Edinburgh route) and 3 miles from Junction 5 of the M8.  Shotts is the largest town in this part of North Lanarkshire but also borders West Lothian and is surrounded by a number of villages - Harthill, Eastfield, Greenrigg, Allanton, Hartwood, Bonkle, Fauldhouse, and Forth.  

History of the theatre 

Shotts Arts Guild was founded in 1978, a voluntary organisation with the aim of promoting both participation in, and appreciation of the arts, in Shotts and the surrounding villages. After an earlier attempt in 1973 failed to gain financial support for the building of a theatre in Shotts, the Arts Guild set out to demonstrate demand for the arts in the town and surrounding villages. 

It began its proof of concept by running transport to cultural events in Edinburgh and Glasgow and organising a programme of events in the Shotts Community Education Centre and Calderhead High School.

After five years of fund raising by a community working group and Shotts Arts Guild, combined with funding from Strathclyde Regional Council, Motherwell District Council and the Scottish Arts Council, the theatre was opened in 1982 and named after James Archibald Henderson. 

James Archibald Henderson (1899-1982) began his working life as a miner and started out his acting career in Shotts Amateur Dramatic Society in 1916, eventually becoming a member of the Scottish National Theatre Society and the Scottish National Players. 

He played all over Scotland and London, returning to Shotts to form many drama groups - the YMCA Players, Shotts Labour Party Drama Team, Shotts Miners' Welfare Players, Shotts Bertram Players and was active in Shotts Community Drama Association.  

The theatre’s opening ceremony was compered by one of Henderson’s former students and long-time friend, film and theatre actor Andrew Keir, who was also born and brought up in Shotts. 

Councillor James Burns said “I’m honoured to be asked to open this theatre, it is not a task but an act of pure love. I pay tribute to all the hard work and enthusiasm which has brought this project to fruition “….”It is fitting that it is named after Archie Henderson whose total dedication to drama for more than 60 years has been of benefit not only to Shotts but to the whole of Scotland.” The ceremony was followed by a performance by 7:84 of Joe Corrie’s play “In time o’ strife”. 



Community Education  

As well as running a programme of events Shotts Arts Guild had an educational purpose, it wanted to inspire and cultivate home grown talent and arranged for many of the performers visiting the town to visit local schools broadening access to the Arts. 

It ran group and individual violin, keyboard, guitar and piano tuition for both children and adults for a number of years from 1988, purchasing instruments for the students to borrow and learn on (including a Bluthner boudoir grand piano), and giving them the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience in the theatre.  While not free at the point of access it could be argued this was not dissimilar to present day music education projects like Sistema Scotland. 

Notable Performances

Between 1982 and 1994 the theatre attracted the support of the Scottish Arts Council and hosted many professional and amateur productions of theatre, dance, music, puppetry, storytelling and film alongside participatory workshops. Some of the most notable performances were by renowned Scottish and UK touring theatre companies 7:84, Wildcat, Traverse Theatre Company , Borderline, Communicado, Theatre Workshop , Hull Truck Theatre Company as well as Scottish Opera Go Round, Complicité, the Telemann Ensemble and the Whistlebinkies.

Notable Performers

Alan Cumming in It’s not the end of the World – Theatre Workshop - April 1987

· Blythe Duff – Checking out – Cumbernauld Theatre Company – March 1988

· Elaine C Smith, Dorothy Paul and Katy Murphy, Ida Schuster   – The Steamie 1987 

· One of the earliest appearances of the group who would go on to be the Flying Pickets  in 7:84’s One Big Blow March -1981 (developed by The Everyman Theatre Liverpool

· Dave Anderson – various Wildcat Stage Productions 

· Liz Lochhead poetry readings- June 1982

· One of the earliest appearances of Shotts band Bedlam that would later become Octopus. 



A young Alan Cumming front right. April 1987




Plays that were produced in the Henderson Theatre as part of the Scottish Touring Theatres Network

April-82 In time o’ strife by Joe Corrie  7:84

Sep-82 His Masters Voice written and composed by David Anderson Wildcat Stage Productions 

Jan-83 "No Bed of Roses" & "Jobs for the Girls" Mother Hen Theatre Company (Scotland's first women’s theatre company) 

Feb-83 Poems and letters of Wilfred Owen performed by Peter Florence

Mar-83 Children of the Dead End  by Tom Lannon - Theatre Workshop 

Sep-83 Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo 

Sep-83 Brooing by On Yer Bike Theatre Company 

Oct-83 Maggie's Man by Colin Mortimer  7:84 Theatre Company 

Oct-85 Will You Still Need Me- Ena Lamont Stewart - Prime Productions . 

Mar-86 The Boxer Benny Lynch by Peter Arnott , United Artists Scotland  

Apr-86 The White Bird Passes – by Anne Downie -  Theatre Workshop 

Sep-86 Centre Ocean Stream - Barbara Harrow 

Sep-86 Heather up your kilt -  by David MacLennan & Dave Anderson ,                          Wildcat Stage Productions

Mar-87 High Places  Ena Lamont Stewart,  7:84 Theatre Company 

Apr-87 Mugshot by Robert Robson  - Cumbernauld Theatre Company 

Apr-87 Its not the end of the world - a play by Jack Klaff and  Bob Sinfield - Theatre workshop ( Alan Cumming acting) 

Jun-87 Wallace Guardian of Scotland – by Patrick Evans - Theatre Co-op

Sep-87 ‘The Steamie’  by Tony Roper - Wildcat Stage Productions  (Original production) 

Sep-87 Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off - Liz Lochhead-     Communicado Theatre Company

Feb-88 Tales of the Arabian Nights – by Gerry Mulgrew - Communicado Theatre Company

Mar-88 "Checking Out" by Marcella Evaristi  - Cumbernauld Theatre Company 

Apr-88 A Hard Day’s Night”  by Frederick Harrison Hull Truck Theatre Company

Apr-88 The Cauldron – by Edwin Stiven - Theatre Alba  

May-88 The Burgher's Tale - Theatre Co-op

Sep-88 The Puddok and the Princess  by David Purvis -  Theatre Alba 

Sep-88 Fancy Rappin -  by David MacLennan & Dave Anderson Wildcat Stage Productions 

Oct-88 Blood Wedding –   Federico García Lorca translation by David Johnston Communicado Theatre Company 

Feb-89 ‘The Yellow on the Broom’ by Anne Downie , Winged Horse Theatre Company

Mar-89 Sheila by Anne Marie Mambro and Dead Dad Dog by John Mckay  - Traverse Theatre Company 

Mar-89 ‘Them Through the Wall’ by Liz Lochhead- and Agnes Owens 

Aug-89 Hecuba - Winged Horse Theatre Company 

Sep-89 The Appointment by David MacLennan & Dave Anderson Wildcat  Stage Productions 

Sep-89 The Magic Theatre by John Clifford and Patter Merchants by Liz Lochhead - Winged Horse Theatre Company

Nov-89  Whuppitie Stourie  by David Purves- Theatre Alba 

Mar-90  Joe by Anne Mari Di Mambo &  Jimmy Hanlon by Peter Nardini – Traverse Theatre Company 

Mar-90 Two thought-provoking one man-one woman shows  -Byre Theatre Company

May-90 Desire Under the 'Elms  by Eugene O’Neill American Connexion Theatre Company 

May-90 Vodka and Daisies  by Lara Jane Bunting -  Annexe Theatre Company 

Oct-91 Waiting for Baby - by Raymond Ross -  Gallus Stage Productions

Mar-92 Givin It Fish by Dave Anderson – Wildcat Stage Productions 

May-92 Ship of Fools   Benchtours Theatre company 

May-92 Elegy for a Lady and Some Kind Love Story By Arthur Miller , American Connexion Theatre Company

May-92 Your turn to clean the stairs – by Rona Munro  - Traverse Theatre

Aug-92 The Haunting of Billy Marshall by Raymond Ross – Gallus Stage Productions 

Sep-94 Wolf - Plain Clothes Productions by Michael Bosworth

April 2023  The Other Side of the River by Lisa Nicoll – In Motion Theatre 

Music and Dance 

Nov-82 The Guisers, and the Auchinshuggle Ceilidh Band, 

Dec-82 The Telemann Ensemble 

Feb-83  Telemann Ensemble – with a flute quartet from Dykehead Amateur Flute Band 

July 83 Werchowyna Ukrainian Dance Ensemble

Nov-83 Scottish Chamber Choir

Jun-84 Pye's People, teachers, pupils, and friends from Calderhead High School, with Alistair Pye including  British Accordion Champions, the Preston Brothers; and folk group "Kenspeckle" 

Dec-84 'Drinkers Drouth' folk band with Jed Foley 

Nov-85 Kelvin Ensemble

Apr-86 Sheila Osborne (opera singer) accompanied by Steven Adam (principal cellist with the Scottish Opera Orchestra)

Apr-86 English Dance Theatre

Sep-86 Sheila Osborne and Stephen Adam an Evening of Song 

Oct-86 10/83 Big Band - Jazz Band 

Mar-87 Celtic Tapestry Landscapes of Scotland singing of Mary Sandeman, the superb fiddle playing of Bob Christie the witty comments of Keith Graham together with a continuous visual montage of the landscapes of Scotland 

May-87 Milton Fiddlers 

Oct-87 1083 Big Band plus Chazz 25-piece youth swing band made up mainly of former pupils of Eamock High School in Hamilton with musical director Tom Cunningham joined by Alister Gibson jazz trumpet, Bert Harrison, Willie Smith, Tom Chalmers, Ramsay Crossan, and Dan Henry .

Nov-87 Puccini’s “La Boheme”  Scottish Opera Go Round 

Nov-87 Shiela Osbourne and Stephen Adam

Feb-88 Whistlebinkies folk group

Nov-88 Sheila Osborne, Stephen Adam and Bernard Docherty (Leader- SNO)

Nov-88 CWS Brass band conductor John Hudson

Mar-89 Setanta traditional Scottish and Irish music with Stewart Mclsaac on Bouzouki Mike Berry on violin and tin whistle Hunter McConnell on guitar Colin McAllister vocals and Bodhran and Jack Bethel on hammer dulcimer and concertina

May-89 Round the World with Ann Chaurand. Her music features Scottish Traditional on both guitar and lute and other pieces from Brittany, Ireland , Spain, Italy, and Latin America. 

Nov-89 "We'll meet again" - the Song Machine - musical set in the war 

Feb-90 Murray International Whitburn Band brass band

Mar-91 Strings and Things and evening of music by students from the Arts Guilds Music classes, violin, guitar, piano, keyboards.

Sep-91 The Whistlebinkies folk group

Nov-91 “North Winds” quintet. The programme comprises light pieces by Mozart, Bach, De Groot, Neilsen and Wailly. There were also Scottish folk songs and sea shanties

Children’s Theatre
(not including performances in schools) 

Nov-79 Peter and the Wolf & Jack in the Beanstalk  Da Silva Puppet Theatre Company (Norwich). 

May-80 Mr Magic Children's Show

Mar-81 The Worm - Hansard Puppets

Dec-86 'Rumpelstiltskin' & 'The Marriage of Rama and Sita' the Edinburgh Puppet Company 

Feb-87 Tam O'Shanter - Edinburgh Puppet Company - 

Dec-87 Beauty and the beast - Edinburgh Puppet Company 

Dec-88  “We Master Misery” Edinburgh Theatre Workshop 

Dec-89  ‘The Red-Nosed Baggy-Trousered Circus Show’ Black Box Puppet Theatre Company 

Dec-91 Gregor’s Christmas Trunk  Hullaballoo Children’s Theatre 

Dec-91 Weans in the Wid’ Clyde Unity Theatre’

Mar-92 Big Move by Morag Fullerton  Skint Knees Theatre Company 

Jun-92 ‘The Birthday of the Infanta ’ Hullaballoo Children’s Theatre 


Were you there at any of these shows? 

Please write to us to share your memories and we can use them in funding applications. 

Want to support our aims and efforts? Click Here

Check out our social media pages

Facebook Page

Facebook Group

Sign up for our Newsletter

Download the history as a PDF