The Gaiety Theatre, Shimla

There were two highlights for me in Shimla. The first was a tour of the Gaiety Theatre, which was opened on 30 May 1887, to a design by the English architect Henry Irwin. I'm sure I remember reading in Felicity Kendal's autobiography that she was put on stage here when she was a baby and her father was the actor-manager of a repertory company that was touring India. Nowadays, the theatre is a community entertainment and cultural complex which still stages productions by local theatre companies. There was an art exhibition in the basement while I was there.Read more