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VIDEO: Leeds City Varieties – a look behind the scenes
WIND the clock back a little over a hundred years and a trip to Leeds City Varieties would have been unlike anything the modern theatre-goer is used to.
The stage would have been daubed in natural light, thanks to the 13 windows flanking the main auditorium, cigarette smoke would have hung thick in the air.
There were even signs warning denizens, most of whom would have been in drink owing to the connection to the Swan pub directly below, not to discard their cigarette butts by flicking them over the balcony. Doing so, warned the signs, would have resulted in ejection from the theatre and "immediate prosecution".
The signs are just one of a number of historical features to have been uncovered during the 9.2m restoration of the Varieties, which is now well underway. The seats in the stalls have been removed, the main chandelier lowered, ready to be cleaned and taken to auction, sections of 100-year-old wallpaper have been uncovered, as have a number of other features, not least of which is an ornate iron balustrade in near mint condition.
The balustrade was found behind wooden panelling, itself believed to be at least 60 years old. In its original state, the theatre would have sported a number of these cast iron railings to separate stairwells from landings, instead of the painted wooden divides which most visitors will be familiar with.
According to manager-of-21 years Peter Sandeman, it would have given the theatre a much more open feel and it is a feature they plan to re-create.
"We have uncovered all kinds of things, but by far the most impressive is the balustrade, which is in such good condition considering the length of time it has been covered up. It's almost as if it's been in a time warp.
"It would have given the theatre a more open atmosphere. By following some of the balustrades, we have managed to discover the original floor levels.
"We also discovered seven windows either side in the upper circle and most of the glass was intact. We knew some of these windows were there because we had some re-wiring done in 1992 and when the electricians were chasing out the walls, they came across them, but this is the first time they have been uncovered.
"In the circle bar, there were two windows and we are going to re-instate one, we can't do the other one because it intrudes onto the lift area."
He added: "I think it will feel different. We are putting in new seats with improved leg-room, so the capacity is going to go down. The stalls bar will go and become a toilet but we are retaining the circle bar because we know it's popular.
"The link between the Varieties and the Swan pub is being restored. That's an interesting one because the link was severed in 1905 after Leeds Council made it conditional on renewal of the Swan's licence. Here we are over a hundred years later, re-establishing that link.
"It's going to make for an enhanced experience in terms of comfort and moving around. The movement of people around the building will be less congested, there will be more toilets.
A brief history
Leeds City Varieties began life as a rebuilding of the Swan Inn singing room in 1865.
It was originally called Thornton's New Music Hall, after its builder, Charles Thornton.
It 1876 it was closed and leased to John Stansfield.
It was later bought by Fred Wood, who ran it for 15 years, after which it had a number of owners, until it was bought by Harry Joseph in 1947.
From 1953 to 1983, it was used to record the BBC TV programme, The Good Old Days. Joseph died in 1962 and sons Stanley and Michael took over.
In 1988 it was bought by Leeds City Council.
Factfile
5.2m of the restoration cash has come from Leeds City Council, 2.7m from the heritage lottery fund, leaving a further 1.3m yet to be raised through donations and through a charity shop, which will be opening on Eastgate in the coming weeks.
All kinds of acts have appeared at the Varieties, from Dickie and Dottie's nude comedy act to wrestling matches, in 1913 and 1915, with local men taking part.
Striptease shows became a regular feature during the 1950s, Sooty's Christmas Show, with Harry Corbett, performed on stage in December 1957.
Harry Houdini and Charlie Chaplin have appeared on stage at the Varieties.
It is rumoured the Varieties is haunted by several ghosts.
During a performance of the Christmas pantomime in 1941, (appropriately, Babes in the Wood), a woman in the audience gave birth. Owner Harry Joseph gave the boy free admission to the Varieties for life!
When bombs destroyed the Argyll Theatre in Birkenhead, the City Varieties became Britain's oldest surviving music hall.
Frankie Ableson, who went on to become famous as the singer Frankie Vaughan, was discovered at the Varieties.
We are modernising the building to bring people all the facilities they quite rightly expect today but at the same time looking at the heritage of the building and things like the decorative plaster work.
“In recent years, people coming to the Varieties have seen it looking a bit tired and lacklustre. When they see it next, it will have a new lease of life. It’s exciting.”
Discoveries have included 100-year-old wallpaper, intricate ceiling roses, old beer bottles and cigarette packets from around the turn of the century, original wooden panels and of course the balustrade and bricked up windows.
Contractors are expected to begin restoration work in May and it is hoped the theatre will be re-opened to the public in late 2010, although there have already been some delays, so it is possible this date could be pushed back.
David Wilmore, heritage consultant, said: “The building was constructed in 1865 and at that time this was a traditional music hall of the period, with an elongated auditorium and windows letting in natural light. Gas lighting would have been expensive and difficult to operate.
“I often think that today we over-light things. Our levels of lighting are often 10 or 20 times what they would have been around in the 19th Century.
“When the idea of having the theatre in black-out became the norm, the windows were bricked up. We have discovered 13 windows along the main auditorium, six on one side and seven on the other and we intend to restore them, with the option of having light into the theatre, which will also cut down on the power bills during the day.
“The theatre has gone through a number of changes during its lifetime and in some places there are floors on floors on floors on floors, so it really is stratification when we start delving down through these levels. I have no doubt we will come across many more interesting objects as we do so and we intend to catalogue them as we go.”
When the restoration work is complete, Leeds will have one of the finest historic theatre houses in the country, boasting full disabled access to all floors (in the form of a new lift), new toilet facilities, new bars and a historic link with the Swan pub.
The theatre was originally linked via a warren of passageways to the pub below but that link was severed following licensing law changes made by Leeds City Council in 1905.
Leeds Council now own the pub and the link is due to be restored in the hope of making a trip to the varieties an experience worth savouring.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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