DUNDEE REP celebrated 25 years in its home at Tay Square with a gala night on Saturday.

Artistic director Robert Robertson was the moving force in the creation of purpose-built premises which saw the company leaving the converted church off Lochee Road which had been its home.

He was succeeded by Hamish Glen, who created a full-time ensemble company, and by the current partnership of James Brining and Dominic Hill.

The Rep in Tay Square opened on May 4, 1982.

As guests arrived for that gala the carpets were still being hammered into place.

On Saturday the sprucing up was complete, again with a new carpet.

Guests saw a programme incorporating the work of the ensemble, Scottish Dance Theatre and the Creative Learning Team. The programme included extracts from award-winning shows such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Gypsy and Sunshine on Leith.

Meanwhile singer-songwriter Michael Marra performed his song If Dundee Was Africa, created for popular show The Mill Lavvies.

The important role of the Rep in the community was emphasised with an extract from On The Line, the story of the Timex dispute, told by the people for the people.

Dundee Rep Women’s Singing Group joined the cast for the singing of Ricky Ross’s title song.

Scottish Dance Theatre showed the range of its talents with Luxuria, an erotic and challenging piece of work; and High Land, choreographer Janet Smith’s wry take on Scottishness.

The Rep began in the 1930s and was housed in Foresters Hall, Nicol Street, but fire destroyed the building in 1963. After a brief spell of homelessness the Rep moved to the Lochee Road church.

To celebrate the anniversary Helen Watson, who has worked at the Rep for 30 years and is its longest-serving member of staff, opened an exhibition in the Theatre Cafe.