At the turn of the century Scarborough's outdoor seaside entertainment came in the form of the Pierrots. These colourful characters entertained holiday makers with songs and skits throughout the summer season and they were very popular for several years.

There were several troupes in Scarborough and these performed at first on the beach and then the specially-built Arcadia Theatre followed by the Futurist Theatre, making them a big part of Scarborough's outdoor entertainment heritage.