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Birmingham Theatre Royal

shardeen said:
evening all, i hope i am not mistaken ,but, didnt Bill haley and the Comets play at theOdean cinema in the early 60's?

shardeen
Click to expand...

shardeen

Could this be it
BILL HALEY & THE COMETS - ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK
Birmingham Odeon 1979 - Last Ever Professional Performance Outside Of The USA ~ Shake, Rattle & Roll * Razzle Dazzle * Rudy's Rock (From The Film 'Rock Around The Clock') * Saints Rock & Roll * See You Later Alligator * Rock Around The Clock * Rock This Joint * Me...
 
I can remenber going to the Theatre Royal, not long after we were married 54/ time see Noel Gordon (Cross Roads) in "Call Me Madam"
Irving Berlins Musical, Noel took the part played by Ethel Merman in the film. Good night out from what I remember. Bernard
 
On 7 June 1810, at just seventeen years of age, the renowned Shakespearean actor William Charles Macready (1793-1873) made his début as Romeo at the Theatre Royal, New Street, Birmingham. According to contemporary press reports, his performance was a great success — a sign of things to come.

W C Macready was the son of William Macready (1755-1829) and Christina Ann Macready née Birch (1765-1803). His father was an actor and theatre manager, and had managed the second incarnation of the Theatre Royal intermittently from about 1795. The family moved in early 1798 from London to Birmingham, where young William was taught by Mr Edgell of St Paul's Square. He later attended Rugby School, but was prevented from going on to Oxford University by his father's financial difficulties.

Sources and further reading:
William Archer. William Charles Macready. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co Ltd, 1890.
Arthur Lloyd. Theatre Royal, New Street, Birmingham. Accessed 8 December 2010.​

Pictured below:
[1] William Charles Macready (1821 engraving by J Thomson after a painting by Samuel Drummond).
[2] Press report of W C Macready's début (Morning Post 13 June 1810).​
 
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This site https://www.theatrestrust.org.uk/resources/theatres/show/946-theatre-royal-birmingham shows Moss Empires were Owner/management
1929-56 so narrowed down slightly, it also has more information with regard to the theatre.
I have a number of old programmes from The Alexandra Theatre where my father in law was General Manager, and they did not include a year date on their programmes either.
Unfortunately this link does not now seem to work

Colin
 
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David These Foolish Things with the Crazy Gang opened in London at The Paladium on 3rd October 1938. So the Theatre Royal programme must be around that date.
 
I have checked through my book on the Theatre Royal (pub 1950)- it stops at the beginning of the twentieth century.
However, it does refer to the Ref Library has a collection of playbills, manuscripts and documents going back to 1790, so you might find the answer there.
 
Hmmm I went to the last Panto at The Theatre Royal... "Old King Cole" Staring Vic Oliver,, Following year Moss Empire moved the panto into The Hippodrome. which was "Jack & the Beanstork" Staring Beryl Read. Freddie Frinton. it was a Tom Arnold production. Before this the theatre did not do Panto.. only Variety It was Moss Empires 2nd Theatre in Birmingham

Theatre Royal had to closedown due to it needing a total electrical rewire..
 
My mom and aunt used to manage the bar in the 1930's at the theatre royal Birmingham, she told me some funny stories I can tell you. I have quite a few photo's of different acts and plays, from Douglas Fairbanks Jr, to troupes of dancers etc. I have just seen on one of the posts above a link to a site which is very interesting so I have written to them to ask about the photo's I have. Will let you know how I get on. I think I put some on here before as I photo copied them, was their another post on this theatre?
 
Hi Patty: This is fascinating indeed. Please let us know what happens about the photos. I can only imagine what your Mom and Auntie witnessed during their time managing the Bar at the Theatre Royal. Thanks for posting.
 
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Canopy off and a new canopy on.
The Theatre Royal 1953.
 
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Temple Street in 1901 and two doors away from Benson's Restaurant is the side entrance to The Pit Bar in the Theatre Royal
 
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This is an inside view of The Pit Bar.



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Te little building advertising Bass Pale Ale was the rear of the Pit Bar and the doorway in the foreground was the entrance from the yard to the Theatre Royals Gallery Bar. (see next post).
 
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It should be remembered that as with the seating arrangements, the Gallerry was a little better than the pit and this is The Gallery Bar.

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This of course is the posh one, The Circle Bar.
 
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This is a picture of the interior of the Wine Cellar beneath the Theatre Royal and as you can see from the picture below, it was really pretty basic with the patrons sitting on beer crates.
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This was an advert in the programme for the Theatre Royal. The brewery advertised was in Nursery Terrace, Hunters Lane in the 1890s.
 
Stitcher what wonderful photo's. My mom took me to the Theatre Royal a few times and I have always had fond memories of it. I went to a Panto starring Max Miller in the '40's, it was arranged for children of men in the Base Stores at Dunlop. I think the last show I saw was Sherezade, time mists the memory and I can't recall if it was an Opera or a Ballet, but I know it was in the 50's.
 
Hello Di, if my pictures stir your memories then I am glad I posted them, I have said before that I am sorting all my stuff out and I have no idea what I might find as I go through it all.
stitcher
 
I saw "South Pacific" at the Theatre Royal - and met Sean Connery at the stage door. He was in the back line of the chorus....Phwoar!
 
Some lovely pictures and perhaps this little story wouldn't be out of place here. I certainly haven't seen it quoted on here before and it was one of many told by Frederick William Humphreys, who was Musical Director of the Theatre Royal for 42 years during the second half of the 19th Century.

After the rebuild of 1820, there were no stalls and the pit extended around the orchestra to the stage. In those days, patrons of the Theatre were keen, if not always kindly, critics and their mode of expressing their sentiments was louder and rougher than in more recent times.

It was quite a popular amusement with them to interrupt the most pathetic periods of the play by dropping an empty mineral water bottle from the top tier. The object was to hit the big drum, but if the bottle descended on the artist with the drumstick, no one was perturbed except himself, and the house would much appreciate the inaccurate aim! :tongue:

[Taken from Mr Humphreys' obituary in the Birmingham Gazette & Express dated 1909]

Maurice :friendly_wink:
 
A Few more pics of The Theatre.
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Replacements photos, not necessarily the same as originals

theatre royal 1950s.jpgTheatre Royal New Street the 3rd theatre in 1820.jpg
 
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As a Special Thank you too Topsy.. Here is a picture from my collection... an Interior shot... I have a view of the Stage somewhere.. Hmmm I think she has put it in a safe place ???

theatre royal brum.jpg
 
I can remember just before we got married taking Enid to see Noel Gordon in
"Call me Madam" at the Theatre Royal, must have 1953/4 Bernard
 
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