From one-man comedy shows to musicals with a cast of hundreds, local musicians and brass bands to some of the world’s most recognised faces in entertainment and amateur variety shows to dazzling circus performers. Thousands upon thousands of feet have walked across the Gaiety Theatre stage.

Described as a shining jewel of the island’s Victorian heritage, the Gaiety Theatre celebrates its 120th anniversary today (Thursday).

Today, the theatre remains closed, after the early decision to put off any live performances at both the Gaiety and the Villa Marina until October.

However, despite this and many other turbulent times in its history, including surviving several closures and the threat of demolition, the changing face of the tourist industry and two world wars, the grand old venue is as just as vibrant and full of life as it has ever been.

The Gaiety opened its doors on Monday, July 16, 1900, after the famous theatre architect Frank Matcham was asked by the Palace and Derby Castle Company Ltd to completely redesign the failed and empty Pavilion Theatre.

The impressive interior, combining influences from the Italian Renaissance, Elizabethan and Baroque-era designs, along with the stunning glass domed ceiling, still stands today, largely thanks to the dedication of people who have seen the need for a grand theatre on the island, which often flew in the face of commercial considerations.

The theatre was opened with the Douglas Choral Union singing the British national anthem, before the play ’The Telephone Girl, featuring the Victorian star Ada Blanche, in front of an audience of nearly 2,000 people crammed into the three tiers of seating, well over two and half times the number of people you are allowed to have in there today.

The fortunes ebbed and flowed throughout the first half of the 20th century, with an initial boom period cancelled out by the First World War.

Ideas such as installing cinema equipment and turning the stage into an ice rink were tried through the late 1930s and the further drop in numbers caused by the Second World War and the post-war years saw the theatre fall into a dilapidated state.

With the fate of the theatre hanging, quite literally, one signature away from demolition, the Isle of Man Government purchased the theatre in 1971 and from 1976, began to bring the Gaiety back to its former glory.

Under the guidance of theatre manager Mervin Stokes MBE (inset), who up until his retirement in 2007, worked tirelessly to preserve and promote the theatre, the Gaiety underwent many periods of restoration up until as late as 2003.

The Theatre is famous for having the only working example of a ’Corsican Trap’, along with many other period stage mechanisms, and it is these qualities, along with its stunning interior, that makes it one of the most desirable theatres in the UK to make an appearance.

Emma Callin, the head of the Villa Marina, Gaiety Theatre and the arts, believes that the theatre is key to the island’s entertainment and, besides attracting many top starts of music, comedy and entertainment to the island, also gives a huge boost to the island’s own home-grown talent.

’Even today, visiting actors and performers in whatever field they perform in are blown away by the Gaiety,’ said Emma.

’You can see their jaws just drop when they see the place for the first time and they can’t believe there is a theatre like this in such good, working order.’

’Having somewhere like the gaiety was very important for those who are involved in the local theatre groups

’I, like many others, "grew up" in the Gaiety and many people’s first experience of standing on a big stage was walking out onto the Gaiety theatre.

’We didn’t realise how special it was until you meet with other groups .

’Your friends and peers in drama groups in the UK would mainly have local church halls and more modern-built 80s-style theatres to perform in.

’Most of these places were nice and functional which did the job, but they were nothing like the Gaiety.

’It is amazing to see generations after generations of people keep coming back through the theatre.

’The island is rich in acting talent now and there are many local groups of amateur actors and performers.

’I’m sure that if we didn’t have the Gaiety theatre we wouldn’t have the abundance of talented actors and groups that we have now.’

The anniversary will be marked with a private function at the Gaiety at 12pm today (Thursday), with the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister among the guests.

The Manx Bard Zoe Cannell will read a special poem.