Category: Uncategorised

The final days of The Manchester Hippodrome Theatre

Time to say farewell to this iconic theatre Sadly in 1934 after 30 years the curtain finally came down for the last time at The Manchester Hippodrome Theatre on Oxford Street which was Manchester’s top variety venue; commonly know throughout the country as ‘the home of variety’. When it closed its doors on the final performance the audience, the actors...

Mae West says ‘Come up and see me sometime at the Palace Theatre, Manchester 1929

Mae West Mae West came to Manchester to star in her very own show that she had written herself called ‘Diamond Lil’. Despite it having censorship problems in America due to the story line being about a racy woman in the 1890’s.  This play was turned into a film in 1933. After hearing the folk song “Frankie and Johnny,” which...

Manchester’s first music festival and ball 1828 at the Theatre Royal

The origins of the music festival and grand fancy dress ball In  October 1828 Manchester rose to prominence with it’s first music festival.  One of the places it was advertised in was a playbill at The Theatre Royal, Manchester. It was organised by the Chairman, Deputy-chairman, Gentlemen and Stewards of the Committee of the ‘Gentleman’s Concert Society’ . The concerts...