Beck Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Beck Theatre is a 600 seat theatre
in Hayes, in the London Borough of Hillingdon
. It was built in 1977 at a cost of £2.5 million.
It was one of 40 buildings considered for the Royal Institute of British Architects
London region award in 1978, and won an Access Award from Hillingdon Council for its resources for disabled and elderly people.
A fund shortage threatened its future in 1984, when it was saved by a local petition and taken over in 1986 by impresario
Charles Vance. The management contract later passed to Hetherington Seelig, followed by Apollo Leisure in 1992 (later bought out by Clear Channel Entertainment). In 2006 The Beck reverted back to Hetherington Seelig in a partnership with Qdos Entertainment
called HQ Theatres
.
The Beck continues to be run on behalf of the local council by HQ Theatres
and is very much a community theatre, offering one night concerts, drama, comedy, dance, musicals, children's shows, films, opera, pantomime and a famous children's summer project.
In June 1991, the Beck Theatre was the scene of an attempted IRA
bombing, before a performance by the Blues and Royals
band.
gave his final ever concert at the venue in 1982.
It has been used as the venue for several home videos, mainly by comedians such as Joe Pasquale
, Jimmy Jones
, Mike Reid
and Jim Davidson
.
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
in Hayes, in the London Borough of Hillingdon
London Borough of Hillingdon
The London Borough of Hillingdon is the westernmost borough in Greater London, England. The borough's population was recorded as 243,006 in the 2001 Census. The borough incorporates the former districts of Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, Hayes and Harlington and Yiewsley and West Drayton in the...
. It was built in 1977 at a cost of £2.5 million.
It was one of 40 buildings considered for the Royal Institute of British Architects
Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
London region award in 1978, and won an Access Award from Hillingdon Council for its resources for disabled and elderly people.
A fund shortage threatened its future in 1984, when it was saved by a local petition and taken over in 1986 by impresario
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
Charles Vance. The management contract later passed to Hetherington Seelig, followed by Apollo Leisure in 1992 (later bought out by Clear Channel Entertainment). In 2006 The Beck reverted back to Hetherington Seelig in a partnership with Qdos Entertainment
Qdos Entertainment
Qdos Entertainment was formed by Nick J Thomas in 1986 and is one of the largest broad-based entertainment groups in the UK.-Pantomimes:Qdos Entertainment is the world’s largest pantomime producer, developing 22 pantomimes in the 2011/2012 season in the UK...
called HQ Theatres
HQ Theatres
HQ Theatres Is the UK’s second largest owner and operator of provincial theatrical venues. It a part of the Qdos Entertainment Group.-History:In 2006 Qdos Entertainment and Hetherington Seelig Theatres formed a new collaboration – HQ Theatres Limited....
.
The Beck continues to be run on behalf of the local council by HQ Theatres
HQ Theatres
HQ Theatres Is the UK’s second largest owner and operator of provincial theatrical venues. It a part of the Qdos Entertainment Group.-History:In 2006 Qdos Entertainment and Hetherington Seelig Theatres formed a new collaboration – HQ Theatres Limited....
and is very much a community theatre, offering one night concerts, drama, comedy, dance, musicals, children's shows, films, opera, pantomime and a famous children's summer project.
In June 1991, the Beck Theatre was the scene of an attempted IRA
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
bombing, before a performance by the Blues and Royals
Blues and Royals
The Blues and Royals is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. The Colonel-in-Chief is Her Majesty The Queen and the Colonel is HRH The Princess Royal...
band.
Acts Facts
The popular singer Billy FuryBilly Fury
Billy Fury, born Ronald William Wycherley , was an internationally successful English singer from the late-1950s to the mid-1960s, and remained an active songwriter until the 1980s. Rheumatic fever, which he first contracted as a child, damaged his heart and ultimately contributed to his death...
gave his final ever concert at the venue in 1982.
It has been used as the venue for several home videos, mainly by comedians such as Joe Pasquale
Joe Pasquale
Joseph Ellis "Joe" Pasquale is an English comedian from Grays, Essex, arguably most famous for his high-pitched voice, use of visual gags and more recently being crowned "King of the Jungle", on the reality TV show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!...
, Jimmy Jones
Jimmy Jones (comedian)
Jimmy Jones is a British comedian, known for being outspoken.Jones attended a Catholic school and had initially wanted to train to be a priest. He grew up in Rainham, London and currently lives in Upminster.-External links:...
, Mike Reid
Mike Reid (entertainer)
Michael Reid was an English comedian, actor, author and occasional television presenter from Hackney in east London, who is best remembered for playing the role of Frank Butcher in EastEnders and hosting the popular children's TV show Runaround...
and Jim Davidson
Jim Davidson (comedian)
Jim Davidson OBE is a British comedian, actor and television presenter. He has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to entertainment, particularly of British service personnel in conflict zones.- Biography :The son of a Glaswegian father, Davidson was born in...
.