Weston's Music Hallwas amusic hallandtheatrethat opened on 16 November 1857 at 242-245High Holbornin London, England. In 1906, the theatre became known as theHolborn Empire.
1868 Royal Music Hall Royal Holborn Empire 1892 Royal Holborn Theatre of Varieties 1906 Holborn Empire | |
 | |
| Address | High Holborn Camden,London |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°31′03″N0°07′12″W/ 51.5174°N 0.1201°W |
| Owner | Henry Weston |
| Designation | Demolished 1960 |
| Type | Music hall |
| Capacity | 2000 (1906) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 16 November 1857 |
| Closed | 12 May 1941 |
| Rebuilt | 1886-1890 Lander and Bedells 1906Frank Matcham |
| Years active | 1857 - 1941 |
| Architect | Finch HillandEdward Lewis Paraire |
History
editEarly years
editThe theatre was constructed on the site of theSix Cans and Punch Bowl Tavern.Edward Weston, nephew of the previous licensee of the pub, bought the formerHolborn National Schoolroomsimmediately behind the pub and rebuilt it as a music hall in six months.[1]This purpose built hall was his response to the success ofCharles Morton'sCanterbury Music HallinLambeth.In 1861, Morton struck back by opening theOxford Music Hall,nearby inOxford Street;a development Weston opposed on the grounds there were already too many music halls in the area.[2]
The theatre was renamed theRoyal Music Hallin 1868, and then changed names again in 1892 under the management of Arthur Swanborough (Smith) (1838-1895) and George Burgess (1843-1908), becoming theRoyal Holborn Theatre of Varieties.So successful was it in that decade it began to rival Morton'sCanterbury Theatre,which was the most popular and profitable in London.[3]
The hall's early and most influential years were presided over by an exacting chairman and master of ceremonies, W. B. Fair, famous for the songTommy, Make Room for Your Uncle.[2]He chose the acts, warmed the audience up for each succeeding performance, and encouraged them at all times to interact with the performers throughout the evening. Fair was thus responsible for introducing to the London stage some of the most famous music hall acts, includingBessie Bellwoodand JH Stead.[4]
The theatre became moribund at the beginning of the 20th century, but was rescued by George Cray, with sketches such asThe Fighting Parson.
Holborn Empire
editIn 1905 the theatre was bought by the variety impresario Walter Gibbons[5]and in 1906 he had the theatre auditorium remodelled byFrank Matchamat a cost of £30,000;[6]the theatre was renamed the Holborn Empire.[7]The Holborn Empire was the last survivingvariety theatrein theWest End,[8]also performing special theatrical matinees.
On 22 January 1907, a long brewing dispute between artists, stage hands and managers of the theatres came to a head at the Holborn Empire. The artists, musicians and stage hands went on strike. Strikes in other London and suburban halls followed, organised by theVariety Artistes' Federation.The strike came to be known as theMusic Hall Wars,and was against the conditions imposed by the managers. These included sole rights to a star and the ability to include additional matinee performances in the schedule without pay, or notice. Eventually the managements were forced to give in, in the face of solidarity by major stars likeMarie Lloyd,and additional payments for matinee performances were introduced.[9]
The theatre premièred the first full-length feature film in 1914,The World, the Flesh and the Devil,a 50-minutemelodramafilmed inKinemacolor.[10][11]In 1926, comediansFlanagan and Allenwere booked byVal Parnellfor a début at the theatre,[12]andMargaret Lockwoodmade her first stage appearance at the age of 12, in 1928, as a fairy inA Midsummer Night's Dream.
The Holborn Empire was whereMax Millerwas taken on by impresario Tom Arnold in 1926, and also where he starred in the George Black revuesHaw Haw!(1939), followed byApple Sauce(1940) featuringFlorence Desmond,Jack Stanford andVera Lynn.The theatre was closed as a result of an unexploded time bomb near the stage door,[13]duringthe Blitzon the night of 11–12 May 1941, and the show transferred to theLondon Palladium.[14]
The building was hit the following night by another bomb and too badly damaged to reopen. It was finally pulled down in 1960.
References
edit- ^Morning Advertiser, 27 March and 6 November 1857
- ^abWeston's Music Hall, at Arthur Lloyd music hall history31 Mar 2007
- ^Stuart, Charles Douglass; Park, A.J. (1895).The Variety Stage: A History of The Music Halls From The Earliest Period Period To The Present Times(PDF).London: T Fisher Unwin. p. 62.Retrieved16 March2023.
- ^British Library on Weston'saccessed 31 Mar 2007
- ^"An A-Z Encyclopaedia of London Theatres and Music Halls".Over The Footlights.Vivyan Ellacott.Retrieved3 May2016.
- ^"The Holborn Empire".The Era:21. 27 January 1906.
- ^Theatre Collection at the University of Kentaccessed 13 Oct 2007
- ^Museum of Londonaccessed 31 Mar 2007
- ^Music Hall Strike of 1907(Theatre Museum London)accessed 15 Nov 2007
- ^"Programme for the Kinemacolor Season at the Holborn Empire".Science Museum Group.Retrieved4 April2019.
- ^The World, the Flesh and the DevilatIMDb
- ^Flanagan and Allen(The Crazy Gang)accessed 15 Nov 2007
- ^Dame Vera Lynn's Tribute to the 93rd Searchlight Battalion(BBC People's War)accessed 15 Nov 2007
- ^Notable Stage Appearances(Miller's the name, lady)accessed 15 Nov 2007
- The Oxford Companion To Theatre(second edition) (1957)