West Cliff Theatre
Encyclopedia
The West Cliff Theatre in Clacton-on-Sea
, England
, dates back to 1894 when Bert Graham
, a 21-year-old civil servant, set up a concert party on a patch of waste ground in Agate Road. In 1899, along with Bernard Russell and Will Bentley, Graham moved the concert party to the West Cliff Gardens.
Bernard Russell died in 1910, but Graham and Bentley continued the concert party. In 1912 they signed up a new romantic baritone by the name of Stanley Holloway
. He stayed with the company for three years.
In 1928, Graham and Bentley built a new theatre on the site of their concert party, the theatre which still stands in Clacton-on-Sea today as the West Cliff Theatre. In 1934, Graham and Bentley sold the theatre and it was bought by Will Hammer
, who already owned several seaside theatres. In 1934 he also founded the film company Hammer Film Productions
, which was later to gain worldwide fame as the producer of many horror films.
After the Second World War
, the theatre, under Hammer, continued to put on summer shows. The 1947 show, Victory Vanities starred Nosmo King
and a young up-and-coming comedian, appearing in his first-ever summer season, one Frankie Howerd
.
Will Hammer died in 1957 and there was much doubt over whether the theatre would continue. Eventually, Clacton Council bought the theatre and continued to put on shows. In 1973, Francis Golightly took over the staging of the summer shows. He was responsible for unearthing some major new talent who went on to star in the West End - names such as Ruthie Henshall
, Alex Bourne and Gary Wilmot
.
In 1985, a local group of theatre enthusiasts took over the day-to-day running of the theatre and in 1995 bought the freehold of the theatre from the council. The West Cliff (Tendring) Trust is now solely responsible For putting on the shows at the theatre and still maintain the tradition of putting on a summer show. This year the Summer Show stars Steve Barclay.
As well as the summer show the Trust put on year-round entertainment with one-off variety shows, plays, children's shows, dance and other shows. There is also a thriving youth section, the West Cliff Stage Foundation, which puts on performances during the year, but is also a valuable means of training youngsters for the theatre.
Clacton-on-Sea
Clacton-on-Sea is the largest town on the Tendring peninsula, in Essex, England and was founded in 1871. It is a seaside resort that attracted many tourists in the summer months between the 1950s and 1970s, but which like many other British sea-side resorts went into decline as a holiday...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, dates back to 1894 when Bert Graham
Bert Graham
Bert "B. G." Graham was a Major League Baseball first baseman and second baseman who played in with the St. Louis Browns.-External links:...
, a 21-year-old civil servant, set up a concert party on a patch of waste ground in Agate Road. In 1899, along with Bernard Russell and Will Bentley, Graham moved the concert party to the West Cliff Gardens.
Bernard Russell died in 1910, but Graham and Bentley continued the concert party. In 1912 they signed up a new romantic baritone by the name of Stanley Holloway
Stanley Holloway
Stanley Augustus Holloway, OBE was an English stage and film actor, comedian, singer, poet and monologist. He was famous for his comic and character roles on stage and screen, especially that of Alfred P. Doolittle in My Fair Lady...
. He stayed with the company for three years.
In 1928, Graham and Bentley built a new theatre on the site of their concert party, the theatre which still stands in Clacton-on-Sea today as the West Cliff Theatre. In 1934, Graham and Bentley sold the theatre and it was bought by Will Hammer
William Hinds
William "Will" Hinds , stage name Will Hammer, was one of the founders of Hammer Film Productions.-Jeweller:Hinds was a jeweller from London who, with his brother Frank, owned and ran Hinds Jewellers...
, who already owned several seaside theatres. In 1934 he also founded the film company Hammer Film Productions
Hammer Film Productions
Hammer Film Productions is a film production company based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1934, the company is best known for a series of Gothic "Hammer Horror" films made from the mid-1950s until the 1970s. Hammer also produced science fiction, thrillers, film noir and comedies and in later...
, which was later to gain worldwide fame as the producer of many horror films.
After the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the theatre, under Hammer, continued to put on summer shows. The 1947 show, Victory Vanities starred Nosmo King
H. Vernon Watson
H. Vernon Watson , better known as his character Nosmo King, was a popular English variety artist. He was touring the music halls before World War I, but he remained relatively obscure until the 1920s, when he shot to fame as Nosmo King....
and a young up-and-coming comedian, appearing in his first-ever summer season, one Frankie Howerd
Frankie Howerd
Francis Alick "Frankie" Howerd OBE was an English comedian and comic actor whose career, described by fellow comedian Barry Cryer as "a series of comebacks", spanned six decades.-Early career:...
.
Will Hammer died in 1957 and there was much doubt over whether the theatre would continue. Eventually, Clacton Council bought the theatre and continued to put on shows. In 1973, Francis Golightly took over the staging of the summer shows. He was responsible for unearthing some major new talent who went on to star in the West End - names such as Ruthie Henshall
Ruthie Henshall
Valentine Ruth Henshall , better known as Ruthie Henshall, is an English singer, dancer, and actress best known for her work in musical theatre. Henshall attended the Laine Theatre Arts school in Epsom, Surrey before making her first professional appearance on stage in 1986...
, Alex Bourne and Gary Wilmot
Gary Wilmot
Gary Wilmot is an English actor, writer, comedian, impressionist and singer. He rose to fame in the 80s through a number of television appearances, and subsequently moved into theatre.- Career :...
.
In 1985, a local group of theatre enthusiasts took over the day-to-day running of the theatre and in 1995 bought the freehold of the theatre from the council. The West Cliff (Tendring) Trust is now solely responsible For putting on the shows at the theatre and still maintain the tradition of putting on a summer show. This year the Summer Show stars Steve Barclay.
As well as the summer show the Trust put on year-round entertainment with one-off variety shows, plays, children's shows, dance and other shows. There is also a thriving youth section, the West Cliff Stage Foundation, which puts on performances during the year, but is also a valuable means of training youngsters for the theatre.