Leeds City Varieties Music Hall is a somewhat hidden gem of the city, nestled behind the Headrow on Swan Street. The Victorian Music Hall has been beautifully restored following a £9.2m grant from Leeds City Council and the Lottery Heritage Fund, and this year marks their 150th anniversary. City Varieties has had a colourful past over the 150 years, we are taking a look at some important periods in its history, and some of the famous figures who have graced the stage.
The Beginning
Even though the City Varieties as we know it dates back to 1865, we can go a little further back in time to see how it all began. In 1760, a coaching inn, The White Swan was built just off Briggate. In 1766 a singing room was added to the inn where people could enjoy different acts while they ate and drank.
Charles Thornton became the landlord of the White Swan Coaching Inn in 1857 and in 1865 decided to rebuild the pub and singing room. The pub was rebranded as Thornton’s New Music Hall and Fashionable Lounge. Charles Thornton also commissioned the Thornton’s Arcade which still graces our city centre today. In contemporary reports, the music hall was said to have billiards and supper rooms attached, and customers appreciated the ‘attentive’ waiters. Music Halls became popular at this time as a less formal alternative to the theatre. Guests could go in their work clothes and eat or drink during the performances. Heckling was common too, as was throwing items at the stage if they did not like the show!
As a result of the popularity of Thornton’s, other pubs in the city followed suit and opened their own concert halls. Deciding to give up the licensing trade, Charles Thornton leased the music hall and used the proceeds to fund the Thornton’s Arcade. The lease changed hands a couple of times, as did the name – first to Stansfield’s Varieties and by 1894 the now familiar Leeds City Varieties Music Hall. By this time the theatre was owned by Thomas Dunford, prior to his purchase improvements had been made to the building including the addition of the Headrow entrance.
The late 19th century saw the theatre change hands again, but this was the heyday of music halls. Famous acts who performed at the City Varieties during this time include Lily Langtry (the famous ‘Jersey Belle’), George Formby Senior, Charlie Chaplin as one of ‘The Eight Lancashire Lads’ and Chirgwin billed as ‘The White Eyed Kaffir’!
The 20th Century
The City Varieties has had many performers grace their stage over the years who have gone on to become world famous acts. One of the first of these was Houdini who appeared there in 1904. The early years of the 20th century were difficult ones for music halls, with many of them closing their doors as they struggled to compete with the new cinemas. The Varieties managed to stay open but only putting on cheaper, little known performers and touring companies. Playbills from the time though suggest that there were some interesting characters around at this time such as Morny Cash, the Lancashire comedian who performed there in November 1912, The ‘Englishman who beat Niagra’ Bobby Leach was the main attraction in December 1913 and ‘Australia’s Novelty Manipulators’ Bryant and Bryant in March 1915 – goodness knows what their performance entailed!
Around the same time, there were challenges for local men to compete in wrestling matches here too. The Varieties continued in the same way over the years with revue, variety and the occasional film while changing ownership several times. When the Argyll Theatre in Birkenhead was destroyed by WW2 bombs the City Varieties became the oldest surviving Music Hall in Britain. It was during this period, 1941 that Harry Joseph leased the theatre. During the very apt performance of the Babes in the Wood pantomime that Christmas, a woman gave birth to a baby in the audience! Harry Joseph’s response to this unusual event was to give the baby boy free admission for life!
The end of the war increased visits to the Varieties as people were keen to see performers live that they had previously heard on the radio. There were still strange, unusual acts around too including the lady who mesmerised an alligator to the accompaniment of music! One particular act of the time was Frankie Ableson – more famously known as singer Frankie Vaughan.
In the 1950’s theatre audiences began to decline again – this time due to the increasing popularity of television. One way Harry Joseph tried to combat this was to put on striptease shows. The girls however did not dance seductively while removing their clothing, they were only allowed to pose naked on stage not moving. Blondie ‘Godiva’ Haigh was one of the striptease girls who appeared at the Varieties. She remembers “My first visit to the City Varieties was as a dancer when I was just 15. I worked for months at a time but every tour would include the City Varieties. I toured for years as a dancer. However, all this came to a gradual end when nudity became popular and I joined the club so to speak. I became ‘Blondie’ Haigh after first riding around Piccadilly in the nude, for publicity for the new all girl show ‘Godiva Rides Again.’ This ran for a very long time, years in fact and went to the City Varieties many, many times. The ‘Godiva’ ride around Piccadilly hit all the headlines and my work changed a lot as I became the top of the bill and was known as ‘The Nude Who is Always in the News’. Whilst I was billed as ‘The Striptease Queen with the Fabulous Figure’, we striptease girls didn’t actually strip. We were nude but were not allowed to move. The manager Pip Pawson insisted we wore dressing gowns around the theatre until we were about to step on stage.”
In 1953 a pilot programme was filmed at the City Varieties about the Old Time Music Hall. The producer Barney Colehan proposed that they should start doing regular outside broadcasts from the theatre and so ‘The Good Old Days’ was born. Barney’s idea was to recreate the old Victorian and Edwardian Variety shows – it was an incredible success lasting for 30 years and by the 70’s there was a massive waiting list of over 24,000 people wanting a seat in the audience! Jimmy Cricket recalls “When I was a teenager growing up in Belfast, I was totally captivated by The Good Old Days television series. Having aspirations to tread the boards myself, I was drawn to most variety shows on telly, but this one was special. The audience in their Victorian garb were as much a part of the show as the performers and their contagious enjoyment seemed to radiate into our living room. I remember comedian and fellow country man Frank Carson dancing on. He was the first Northern Ireland comedian to make it ‘big’ in the UK and his appearance on The Good Old Days was greeted warmly by our family. The TV show The Good Old Days and the City Varieties went together (and still do) like cheese and onion or ham and pineapple. Forever etched in our memory when we think of the golden years of television variety.”
Another star who remembered The City Varieties and The Good Old Days fondly is the late Keith Harris. He said “I was first asked to do a week at the city varieties theatre in Leeds in the sixties. I think I was offered £75 for the week – matinees and all. I was to do a spot and compere for the show between the ‘nudes’. The thing was – I looked so young and had to wear short pants to stay looking young as my billing was ‘Keith Harris the Boy Ventriloquist’ – the other artistes mothered me! In 1973 I was booked to appear on The Good Old Days. I had watched the show so many times and loved every one so, for me, it was a great honour to appear there. However, it was the first time Orville had been seen on television and more importantly, it was the first time I had ever worked with him, so it was quite a risk. That night for the first time ever, I walked out on stage with the duck on my arm and as he turned around from my shoulder all the audience gave a great big ahhhh….and then I knew he was going to be a big hit.”
Stanley and Michael Joseph took over the running of the Varieties following the death of their father Harry in 1962. The Good Old Days continued but 1968 saw the end of the striptease shows. In the same year the Christmas pantomime Cinderella was put on which was a great success. This saw the return of family entertainment at the theatre with autumn and spring seasons of ‘A Night at the City Varieties.’ The 70’s and early 80’s saw the Varieties continue in much the same vein providing entertainment through their variety shows and reviews with the likes of Bruce Forsyth, Les Dawson, Ken Dodd and Bernie Clifton appearing in The Good Old Days.
The theatre was threatened with closure in the 1980’s and in 1987 it was purchased by Leeds City Council. Leased to the Grand Theatre and Opera House Ltd., they appointed Peter Sandeman as general manager. Peter realised he had a challenge on his hands to build up the programme and audiences, and was effectively operating the theatre by himself. Needing help, he called upon family and friends to assist him and as a result he set up two groups which are now an integral part of the success of the City Varieties – The Volunteers and The Friends of the City Varieties. In 1988 he contacted Barney Colehan and brought back The Good Old Days which had ceased a few years previously.
The City Varieties Today
In its long and varied history, the City Varieties has only been closed for a refurbishment in 2009. It managed to keep its doors open during the war years, providing entertainment for many. Following the refurbishment it reopened its doors in September 2011 and has gone from strength to strength. The Good Old Days is now firmly back on the bill with another show coming up soon on the 2nd and 3rd of October. There are also comedy, variety and music acts performing throughout the year, with many stars from TV treading the boards at the theatre. A popular show featuring annually at the City Varieties is their Rock n Roll Panto. These are great fun for the whole family with rock n roll music, the traditional panto Dame and well worth a night out!
The Friends of the City Varieties help tremendously in the running of the theatre by volunteering as ushers, selling programmes and raffle tickets – in fact anything they can think of to raise money. They managed to raise an incredible £30,000 through selling and donations in order to pay for the gold leaf gilding of the dress circle. Another way in which they have managed to raise money and also to celebrate the 60th anniversary of The Good Old Days and 25 years of The Friends a couple of years ago was to create a book of memories. Caroline Fields is a professional singer and has performed many times at the Varieties. She is a member of The Friends and researched, compiled and edited the book after coming up with the idea at a meeting. She was able to involve the artistes in the book as she has worked with lots of them and knows them well. She says “They were all keen to be part of what has been called ‘A love letter to The Varieties’.” The book has been a great success, it is great to dip into to read fond memories and funny anecdotes from many of the stars and characters who have been a part of the theatre over the years. All the quotes used in this article are excerpts from the book and we warmly thank Caroline for her permission to use them.
With such support from its many fans and still the oldest working theatre in the UK, we are sure the City Varieties will continue to provide fun and entertainment in stunning surroundings for many more years to come.
The Book of Memories by Caroline Fields can be purchased in person at The City Varieties Music Hall Theatre for £9.99 or, to get it by post send a cheque made out to The Friends Of The City Varieties for £12.99 to “Bowshaws”, Rawden Hill, Arthington, LS21 1PS along with your name and address.
If you would like the author, Caroline Fields, to sign your copy – either with or without your name – please ask.
