Ghostly Encounters and Theatrical Superstitions at a Glasgow Theatre

After the audience has left and the final performer has concluded their act, employees at Glasgow’s King’s Theatre often experience an additional presence in the auditorium while cleaning up, which can be unsettling. Mark O’Neil, a tour guide at the venue, states, “When they’re in the auditorium after a show, when they’re the only ones there and it’s feeling eerie as it is – on the two top galleries the seats will flip up and down by themselves”. This particular spirit may not necessitate an exorcist or the involvement of the Ghostbusters, but it is one of several supernatural occurrences and traditional beliefs associated with the renowned historic building. Mark further explains, “The seat tipper ghost is the most famous and the most common”. He notes that “For many, many years front of house staff have reported hearing it. The head stage doorkeeper told us that one day she tried to catch it happening and sat in there by herself. “She sat there but nothing happened and she started to look at her book – and as soon as she did that she heard the seats start to tip, tip, tip.” Other unsettling incidents have occurred at the venue, which is perhaps not surprising given that the building has been operational since 1904. Mark recounts with enthusiasm, “About a year ago a woman complained that she was sitting in the upper circle and during the show someone started to approach in the middle aisle with a big coat, a hat and what she described as ‘big mutton chops,’”. He continues, “This figure told her to get out of the seat before walking off towards the ladies toilet. We got a bit curious and what is now the ladies toilet was once a saloon. Maybe he was looking for it?” Mark, 36, has been employed as a tour guide for approximately a decade and manages his own company, Where Now Tours. He possesses extensive knowledge of the King’s history, conducting both standard tours of the location and, for the current year, specialized ghost-themed excursions timed with Halloween. He also mentions, “A paranormal hunting group went into the King’s with a reporter a few years ago – they wanted to communicate using dowsing rods with the other side,”. He adds, “They said they managed to ask questions and get answers. It was a woman, not from Glasgow, who was not an actor but worked backstage. “The thing that interests me is that while a ghost hunting group are obviously looking to find something, it was actually the reporter who was holding the rods at the time – maybe that adds credence to it.” Mark expresses a “fascination” with ghost stories, believing that theatres provide a rich environment for paranormal narratives. He remarks, “I find them quite scary at times, and it’s a safe way to interact with the part of you that likes being scared. I particularly love ghost stories attached to theatres, because they are constantly being added to and told by people who are themselves very creative.” He concludes, “They are always a bit surprising and fun.” This perspective extends beyond the venue’s ghost stories to encompass numerous traditional theatrical superstitions. These beliefs persist even today, in an era arguably more skeptical than previous times. Examples include referring to Macbeth as “the Scottish play” or refraining from whistling on stage – a practice rooted in the historical fact that many sailors worked as stagehands, and their nautical background meant a whistle could be interpreted as a cue to lower or raise scenery. Mark observes, “The general public are a lot more cynical and view superstitions as a tradition rather than anything that’s actually dangerous,”. He adds, “But people in theatres tend to have a more creative outlook on life, and maybe they’re more willing to take these things onboard. “The absolute cardinal sin is wishing an actor good luck, because it’s seen as tempting the spirits there. They’re seen as tricksters more than actively harmful, so if you wish someone good luck they’ll want to do the opposite.” Regarding Mark’s personal experiences, he has not encountered a poltergeist at the King’s, but he did have a disquieting experience while employed at another prominent Glasgow arts venue. He recollects, “When I was younger I took part in Alien Wars at the Arches,” referring to the interactive performances held there during the 90s, and again in 2008 and 2009. He continues, “Apparently during the Spanish flu epidemic they used part of the Arches as a makeshift morgue. When I was down there, one night in particular, I always felt like there was someone standing next to me, just leaning in and always whispering.” Concerning the unsettling seat-tipping phenomenon that reportedly affects the King’s, Mark states, “Some believe it’s a spirit looking for something that they lost long ago under the seats. Others believe it’s just the temperature in the building changing between shows and causing the metal to expand or contract – which one you believe is open to personal preference. “I believe in the more interesting story myself… “