GLASGOW'S old theatres, such as the Alhambra, the Empire and the Lyric, live long in the memory of many.

Now a group of academics is hoping to jog the memories of those who recall one of the city's most famous variety theatres - Jimmy Logan's New Metropole Theatre on St George's Road - with a drop-in day of events tomorrow at the Mitchell Library.

The New Metropole opened in 1913 as the West End Playhouse.

It was renamed as the Empress in 1915 and it operated as a popular variety theatre until the late 1950s.

For a few years, it was known as the Falcon Theatre.

In 1962 it took on the name of the New Metropole, under the ownership of the Frutin family and two years later, Scots stage star Jimmy Logan bought the theatre.

It had been the venue for his parents' show, "Ma and Pa Logan" in the mid-1940s, and at the age of 19, Jimmy Logan was the theatre's principal comedian.

As its owner, Logan offered variety shows, popular farces and musicals, but he lost money and the theatre eventually closed.

Demolished in the 1980s, the theatre is still fondly remembered as the last local variety theatre of its type in Glasgow.

The Scottish Theatre Archive On Stage project and The Mitchell Library are hosting two sessions tmorrow - in the morning, Exploring Your Theatre History is an opportunity for people who want to carry out their own research into friends or relatives who worked or performed in the theatre, while the afternoon is dedicated to Remembering the Metropole,with short talks, films and group discussions.

If you'd like to join in the morning session, call the Scottish Theatre Archive on 0141 330 6767 or email special@lib.gla.ac.uk with the details of your enquiry in advance.

Professor Adrienne Scullion,of the University of Glasgow, said: "The Scottish Theatre Archive is an essential collection for anyone interested in the story of theatre and drama in Scotland but it's also a fantastic resource for anyone interested in social and cultural history more widely.

"These events will allow us to showcase the historical riches held in both the Scottish Theatre Archive and the Mitchell Library and just might also unlock a few new memories about our theatrical heritage too."

A separate, but related, event will be held in Paisley on Thursday, October 16. As part of The Spree community festival, the Scottish Theatre Archive and Paisley Library are joining forces for a day to celebrate the history of Paisley Theatre, also known as the Victory Theatre.

Opened in 1890, and closed in 1959, the theatre was a key part of town life, offering everything from amateur operatics to repertory companies and variety shows performed by the Logan family, Andy Stewart and many others.

The Scottish Theatre Archive is running a morning session for anyone interested in embarking on personal research related to the Paisley Theatre and in the afternoon has invited anyone who remembers appearing at the theatre in amateur productions or seeing Scottish variety shows there in the 1940s and 1950s. Both events are being held at Paisley Central Library.

ann.fotheringham@ eveningtimes.co.uk