Manchester Theatre History ⋆ Page 3 of 7 ⋆ The history of Manchester theatres and stars that appeared there

9th January 2020

M/ch hippodrome 1910 to 1920

Between 1911 and 1920 the Manchester Hippodrome attracted famous stars as well as showing silent movies at most performances in the theatre. Ballet Ballet was popular on the stage in this era with the Imperial Russian Ballet Company. The most celebrated Russian ballerina of her day Anna Pavlova was one of the most impressive stars to grace the Hippodrome’s stage....

The Hippodrome Theatre/Uncategorised Comments: 5

15th December 2019

The Theatre Royal celebrates Heaton Park Horse Races 1836

Another interesting playbill On archiving the playbills for the Theatre Royal, Manchester I came across a playbill from October 1836 starring the famous Shakespearean Actor Mr Kean. It states that the evening was under the patronage of ‘The Right Honourable Lord R Grosvenor’, Steward of the Heaton Park Races‘ This was so interesting as I’m sure not many of...

The Theatre Royal Comments: 0

6th December 2019

Another Opening, another Show 1904 at the Manchester Hippodrome

The start of a Great Theatre The Manchester Hippodrome Theatre was situated on Oxford Street, Manchester It was built by Sir Oswald Stoll in 1904 at the princely cost of £45,000, today 2019 this would be about £5 million. On its opening night it was advertised as ‘A Variety Theatre and Circus, staging the most amazing water spectaculars and moving...

The Hippodrome/The Hippodrome Theatre Comments: 4

27th November 2019

‘What every woman Know’ is the well kept secret at the Opera House, Manchester in 1929

Sweet Lavender The popular romantic comedy ‘Sweet Lavender’ was written by the Victorian playwright Sir Arthur Wing Pinero. It was staged in 1923 at the Opera House, Manchester. It was a great success in the West End and toured successfully throughout Europe and America. the author called it a “domestic drama.” Sweet Lavender was first performed in 1888 and in...

Opera House Comments: 0

12th November 2019

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...

The Palace Theatre/Uncategorised Comments: 0

4th November 2019

Sherlock Holmes solves two mysteries at the Opera House, Manchester 1929

In 1929 Manchester theatre goers were given the opportunity to see Sherlock Holmes solve not one but two mysteries as there were two Sherlock Holmes plays that were performed within a fortnight of one another, both were from different production companies. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Despite being born in Edinburgh Arthur Conan Doyle went to boarding school in England,...

Opera House Comments: 0

25th October 2019

First Girl Band or is it ‘Girl Power’? at the Gaiety Theatre 1910

All Female Concert In February 1910 Nellie Chaplin and her all female group appeared at the Gaiety Theatre. They performed their revival of ancient dances to the acclaim of the Manchester theatre going public. The music and the dances were from a long bygone era and consisted of the Sarabande, the Corante, the Coronto, the Jig, the Bourree and the...

Gaiety Theatre Comments: 2

20th October 2019

Variety at the Opera House 1922 to 1923

1922 This was the year of the Great Flu epidemic which killed so many people, my grandfather was one of those. He left behind an expectant widow who already had 4 children under the age of 11. She had to go to a charitable organisation to beg for financial help as sadly there were no social services in those day...

Opera House Comments: 2

11th October 2019

The Opera House and some of its shows 1919 to 1921

The play ‘Seven Days Leave’ The Great War was over and people wanted a bit of fun in their lives again, audiences wanted to see romance, humor and excitement on the stage to brighten up their lives. ‘Seven Days Leave’ by Walter Howard met every one of those expectation. Howard wrote this play “to please his brave young soldier son’....

Opera House Comments: 0

2nd October 2019

Special edition: Fiddler of the Roof in Yiddish from New York

Special edition blog from New York City Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish Whilst I normally only write about the history of theatre in Manchester, on a recent visit to New York, I was lucky enough to go and see several shows but the one that resonated the most, was Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish. I was lucky...

New York Comments: 0