📌 Trongate, Glasgow
★★★
The Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre is one of Glasgow‘s quirkiest attractions, yet even many Glaswegians don’t seem to have heard of it. During the 1970s, self-taught artist Eduard Bersudsky began crafting a set of curious, moving sculptures (“kinemats”) out of scrap metal and rubbish. Initially only seen by his closest friends in his small room in a St Petersburg communal flat, the first kinetic theatre was founded in St Petersburg after Bersudsky showed his work to a theatre critic a decade or so later. Russian economic decline led to Bersudsky’s emigration, but Glasgow soon picked up on his kinemats and they now reside in a first-floor gallery in the city centre, brought to life during shows several times weekly. The darkly humorous machinery somehow stirs up a surprising variety of emotions over the course of the various shows, with each model sequentially coming to life to a carefully chosen soundtrack.
🌍 Location
📌 103 Trongate, 10-min walk south of George Square, Glasgow
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NS 595649
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.856973,-4.246584
🚌 Numerous local buses | 🚇 St Enoch | 🚆 Argyle Street & several other options
🚗 Car parks nearby (charge)
📝 Key info
⌚ Shows run on most days but check official website for exact times
🎫 £15 adult / £8+ child depending on show
