Beck Theatre
Alfred Beck Theatre | |
 | |
 | |
| Address | Grange Road, Hayes UB3 2UE London  United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°31′17″N0°25′24″W/ 51.5215°N 0.4234°W |
| Parking | Free on-site car park |
| Owner | Trafalgar Entertainment |
| Type | Provincial |
| Capacity | 600 |
| Opened | 1977 |
| Website | |
| www.becktheatre.org.uk Hayes, The Beck Theatre.jpg | |
The Beck Theatreis a 600-seattheatreinHayes,in theLondon Borough of Hillingdon.It was built in 1977 at a cost of £2.5 million.
Type
[edit]The Beck is acommunitytheatre, offering one-night concerts, drama, comedy, dance, musicals, children's shows, films, opera, pantomime, and a children's summer project.
History
[edit]The Beck Theatre was built in 1977 byHillingdon Borough Council,with a bequest from Councillor Alfred Beck. It was purpose-built as a community-focused theatre, and is set in a parkland aspect adjoining abotanical garden(theNorman Leddy Memorial Gardens).
The Beck was one of forty buildings considered for theRoyal Institute of British ArchitectsLondon region award in 1978, and in 2004 won an Access Award fromHillingdon Councilfor its resources fordisabledandelderlypeople.
A fund shortage threatened the theatre's future in 1984, when it was saved by a localpetition.It was taken over in 1986 byimpresarioCharles Vance. The management contract passed then to Hetherington Seelig, followed by Apollo Leisure in 1992 (later bought out byClear Channel Entertainment). In 2006, the Beck reverted to Hetherington Seelig in apartnershipwithQdos Entertainmentcalled HQ Theatres, which continued to run the theatre on behalf of the local council until March 2021, when HQ Theatres was acquired by Trafalgar Entertainment, who now run the theatre.[1]
In June 1991, the theatre was the scene of an attemptedIRAbombing, before a performance by theBlues and Royalsband.[2]
From June 1998 until July 1999New York Times #1 bestsellerTony Leeworked at the theatre as their Marketing Manager.
Artists
[edit]The following is a selective list of artists to have performed at the Beck:
- Ian AndersonofJethro Tull[3]
- Colin Blunstone&Rod Argent(15 Jun 2000)[4]
- Marcus Brigstocke
- Brotherhood of Man(7 Sep 2012)[5]
- The Drifters
- Errol BrownofHot Chocolate
- Jimmy Carr
- Frank Carson
- Chas & Dave[6]
- Alan Davies[7]
- Jack Dee
- Donovan(10 Jun 2005)[4]
- Fairport Convention
- Georgie Fame(20 Nov 2003)[4]
- Giovanni Pernice
- Guz Khan
- Foster & Allen
- The Fureys&Davey Arthur
- Billy Fury(who gave his final concert here in 1982[8])
- Hinge and Bracket(5 Apr 1999)[9]
- The Hollies
- Roy Hudd[4]
- Rhod Gilbert
- Jethro
- Jimmy Jones
- Danny La Rue(31 May 1999)[4]
- Sean Lock
- Dennis LocorriereofDr Hook(12 Mar 1999)[10]
- Joe Longthorne
- Lee Mack[citation needed]
- Bernard Manning[11]
- Les McKeown'sBay City Rollers(14 Mar 2010)[12]
- Jacqui McShee's Pentangle(1 Nov 2000)[4]
- Lulu
- Paul Merton[4]
- Paul Chowdhry
- The Osmonds(22 Sep 2014)[13]
- Ralph McTell(24 Oct 2000)[4]
- Russell Brand
- Gilbert O'Sullivan(13 Jun 1998)[4]
- Marti Pellow
- Mickey Rooney(26 Sep 2007)[4]
- Sara Pascoe
- Sarah Millican
- Showaddywaddy[14]
- Sindhu Vee
- Frank Skinner[15]
- Freddie Starr[16]
- Steeleye Span
- SuggsofMadness[4]
- Bobby Vee(24 Nov 2005)[4]
- Barbara Windsor[17]
- Bill Wyman'sRhythm Kings(25 May 2000)[4]
- Marshall Hain(8 October 1978)
Transport
[edit]Buses
[edit]The90,195,427,607,H98andU7buses all stop at the Beck Theatre. Alight at the traffic lights at the junction of Uxbridge Road and Grange Road.
Train
[edit]The closest train station isHayes & Harlington,which is approximately1+1⁄4miles (2.0 km) away. The90,195andH98buses connect Hayes and Harlington Station and the Beck Theatre.
Tube
[edit]Uxbridgeis the closestLondon Undergroundstation. The427,607andU7buses connect Uxbridge station and the Beck Theatre.
External links
[edit]- Official Website
- Pantomimes at the Beck Theatre, 1981 to the present
- HQ Theatres entry
- Theatres Trust entryTheatres Trust
References
[edit]- ^Hill, Liz (31 March 2021)."Trafalgar Entertainment acquires HQ Theatres".Arts Professional.
- ^Kirby, Terry (11 February 1993)."Terrorist who mercilessly used his 60-year-old lover: James Canning discovered the perfect cover in a home in north-west London".The Independent.Retrieved30 May2011.
- ^"Ian Anderson setlist".Set listsite.2011.Retrieved25 April2017.
- ^abcdefghijklm"Beck Theatre archive listings".UK Theatre Web. 2017.Retrieved26 September2017.
- ^"Exciting autumn line-up at The Beck".Get West London.2012.Retrieved25 April2017.
- ^"Chas & Dave UK tour hitting Hayes Beck Theatre".This is local London.2016.Retrieved25 April2017.
- ^"Alan Davies brings his small victory to Beck Theatre".Windsor Observer.2015.Retrieved25 April2017.
- ^"Billy Fury: 1".Retrieved25 April2017.
- ^"Archive listings for Hinge and Bracket".UK Theatre Web. 2017.Retrieved26 September2017.
- ^"Archive listings for Dennis Locorriere".UK Theatre Web. 2017.Retrieved26 September2017.
- ^"A Demon Barber, razor-sharp comedy and a close shave on a mountain GoingoutTouching the Void".The Daily Telegraph.2003.Retrieved26 September2017.
- ^"Rolling with the punches".Get West London.2010.Retrieved26 September2017.
- ^"Osmonds to perform classic hits at the Beck Theatre, Hayes".Get West London.2014.Retrieved25 April2017.
- ^"Former lead singer of Showaddywaddy looks back at the good ol' times - and the bad - of the 1970s".News Shopper. 2015.Retrieved26 September2017.
- ^"Frank Skinner comes to the Beck Theatre in Hayes".Harrow Times.2014.Retrieved25 April2017.
- ^"Freddie Starr hams it up at the Beck".Get West London.2011.Retrieved25 April2017.
- ^"Spotlight on Barbara Windsor MBE: Sixty Glorious Years".It's Behind You.2014.Retrieved25 April2017.
