Hackney Empire

The Hackney Empire is a theatre on Mare Street, Hackney. A grade II* listed building, the theatre was first built as a Music hall in 1901, designed by the architect Frank Matcham. Buckingham Palace, a Grade I listed building. ... Music Hall is a form of British theatrical entertainment which reached its peak of popularity between 1850 and 1960. ... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Frank Matcham, a famous theatrical architect who designed Buxton Opera House in 1903. ...

ATV bought the theatre to use as studios in the 1950's, and shows such as Take Your Pick and Oh, Boy! were broadcast live from the venue. Some scenes from Emergency Ward Ten were also filmed there. From 1963 to 1984 the theatre was used by the Mecca organisation as a bingo hall. Associated TeleVision Limited, later ATV Network and best known simply as ATV, was a British ITV company from 1955 until 1981. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Take Your Pick was a game show aired in the UK from ITVs launch in 1955 until 1968, and again from 1992 to 1998. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Housie is a gambling game played in New Zealand, Australia and the UK, where it is called Bingo. ...

When, in 1984 Mecca found the building too expensive to maintain, as a bingo hall, it was offered to C.A.S.T, a satirical touring theatre group, headed by Claire and Roland Muldoon, as a London base. Not only was it used by them, but also mounted successful variety nights headlined by a new breed of comedy acts, such as Ben Elton, Dawn French, and Jennifer Saunders. 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Benjamin Charles Elton (born May 3, 1959) is an English comedian and writer. ... Dawn French in The Vicar of Dibley Dawn French (born October 11, 1957) is a British comedienne and actress best known as one half of the comic duo French & Saunders, the other half being Jennifer Saunders of Absolutely Fabulous fame. ... Jennifer Saunders (born July 6, 1958 in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England) is a British comedian, actress, and comedy writer. ...

The theatre was threatened with demolition, and in 1986, the actor-manager Roland Muldoon mounted a campaign to acquire the freehold and to re-open the Hackney Empire, as a permanent performance space. He remains the Artist Director and Chief Executive of the theatre. 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 2001 the Empire closed for a £17 million refurbishment project, and reopened in 2004 - returned to theatrical use on its 85th birthday. The restoration includes a 60-seat orchestra pit, to make the Empire suitable for opera performance, by companies such as the English Touring Opera. Other new facilities include a studio theatre, and educational and hospitality facilities; as well as incorporating the public house next door, into the new extension. There are also purpose built dressing rooms, as opposed to the original primeval facilities. In addition to Muldoon, the comedian Griff Rhys-Jones led the restoration appeal, with a large donation coming from local businessman Sir Alan Sugar. 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... English Touring Opera English Touring Operas mission is to present vibrant, innovative and high quality [[opera]opera]to existing and new audiences throughout the U.K. ETO seeks to stimulate new access, understanding and appreciation of this genre, whilst promoting the development of the highest performance standards and enlivening... Griff Rhys Jones (born 6 November 1953) is the comedy partner and foil of Mel Smith. ... Sir Alan Michael Sugar (born 24 March 1947) is an English businessman with an estimated fortune of £700 million. ...

The area is well served by buses to all parts of London; the nearest station is Hackney Central railway station on the North London Line. Hackney Central railway station is a railway station on the North London Line in an area of the London Borough of Hackney known as Hackney Central. ... The North London Line is a railway line through northern London. ...

Trivia

• Charlie Chaplin, WC Fields, Stan Laurel and Marie Lloyd all performed here, when the Hackney Empire was a Music hall.
• Ben Elton, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Jeremy Hardy, Mark Steel, Arthur Smith, Jo Brand, Harry Hill and Bill Bailey have all performed here, in the modern era.

For other persons named Chaplin, see Chaplin (disambiguation). ... W.C. Fields in a scene from The Bank Dick W. C. Fields W. C. Fields (January 29, 1880 – December 25, 1946) was an American comedian and actor. ... Arthur Stanley Jefferson (June 16, 1890 – February 23, 1965), better known as Stan Laurel was a comic actor, writer and director, famous as part of the comedy double act Laurel and Hardy, whose career stretched from the silent films of the early 20th Century until post-World War II. // Early... Matilda Alice Victoria Wood (February 12, 1870 - October 7, 1922), was a British music-hall singer . ... Music Hall is a form of British theatrical entertainment which reached its peak of popularity between 1850 and 1960. ... Benjamin Charles Elton (born May 3, 1959) is an English comedian and writer. ... Dawn French in The Vicar of Dibley Dawn French (born October 11, 1957) is a British comedienne and actress best known as one half of the comic duo French & Saunders, the other half being Jennifer Saunders of Absolutely Fabulous fame. ... Jennifer Saunders (born July 6, 1958 in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England) is a British comedian, actress, and comedy writer. ... Jeremy Hardy (born 17 July 1961) is a British alternative comedian. ... Mark Steel (born 1961) is an English socialist columnist and comedian. ... This article is about the British comedian. ... Jo Brand on Comic Relief does Fame Academy Joanne Jo Brand (born May 3, 1957) is a British feminist comedian. ... Harry Roy Hill is the stage name of Matthew Hall (born October 1, 1964 in Woking, Surrey and educated at Cranbrook School, Kent), a stand-up comedian who has graduated to being a star of British television by way of a BBC radio series Harry Hills Fruit Corner. ... Bill Bailey Mark Bill Bailey, (born 1965, Bath, England. ...

See also

• Hackney Central

The Hackney Empire is one of the oldest surviving music halls in Britain. ...

References

• Art and Architecture Hackney Empire.