One hundred and twenty years to the day since the doors opened, an invited cast took to the stage to celebrate the island’s most iconic cultural landmark.

The Gaiety Theatre and Opera House hosted its first performance on July 16, 1900.

Having fallen into disuse and disrepair in the aftermath of the Second World War, the Gaiety came within a whisker of demolition in the late 1960s, leading the Isle of Man Government to purchase the building.

Decades of work by an ensemble cast of volunteers, enthusiasts and fundraisers has seen the theatre painstakingly restored to its original condition.

As part of the 120th anniversary celebration, Lieutenant Governor Sir Richard Gozney revealed two plaques which will be installed to commemorate different phases of the restoration. The first effort in the 1970s which saved the Gaiety, and the 10-year race to restore the theatre’s original condition in time for the centenary in July 2000.

Manx Bard Zoe Cannell performed a specially-written poem to mark the occasion and a special tribute was paid to Mervin Stokes MBE, the driving force behind the restoration projects, by Friends of the Gaiety chairman David Stacey.

The Friends group - affectionately known as the FOGs - has been fundraising and volunteering since the Gaiety reopened in 1979. Many shows rely on the volunteers of FOGs to support the full-time theatre staff, while the group has a number of restoration projects in the pipeline including the refurbishment of the Circle Bar.

The group has a new website (www.fogs.im) to encourage new supporters and volunteers. Meanwhile, VillaGaiety has added an option to make a donation to FOGs while purchasing tickets online for events and performances at the Villa Marina or Gaiety Theatre.