The Old Bedford Music Hall  by Walter Sickert, c.1885

Music hall is a form of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to Image File history File links Download high resolution version (763x1000, 98 KB) Summary Walter Sickert, painting of the Old Bedford Music Hall 1880s. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (763x1000, 98 KB) Summary Walter Sickert, painting of the Old Bedford Music Hall 1880s. ... Walter Sickert Walter Richard Sickert (May 31, 1860 in Munich (Germany) – January 22, 1942) was an English impressionist painter. ... Music Hall in Cincinnati, Ohio was built in 1878 with private funds from what is believed to be the nations first matching grant fund drive. ... A stilt-walker entertaining shoppers at a shopping centre in Swindon, England Entertainment is an activity designed to give pleasure or relaxation to an audience (although in the case of a computer game the audience may be only one person). ...

1. A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts. British music hall was similar to American vaudeville, featuring rousing songs and comic acts, while in the United Kingdom the term vaudeville referred to more lowbrow entertainment that would have been termed burlesque.
2. The theatre or other venue in which such entertainment takes place;
3. The type of popular music normally associated with such performances.

A variety show is a show with a variety of acts, often including music and comedy skits, especially on television. ... This article is about the musical variety theatre. ... For other uses, see Burlesque (disambiguation). ...

Origins and Development

The Eagle Tavern in 1830

Music hall in London had its origins in entertainment provided in the new style saloon bars of public houses in the 1830s. These venues replaced earlier semi-rural amusements provided at traditional fairs and suburban pleasure gardens such as Vauxhall Gardens and the Cremorne Gardens. These latter became squeezed out by urban development and lost their former popularity.^[1] This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Pub redirects here. ... A prospect of Vauxhall Gardens in 1751. ... Cremorne Gardens was the name of two pleasure gardens established in England and Australia in the mid 19th century by James Ellis. ...

The saloon was a room where for an admission fee or a higher price at the bar, singing, dancing, drama or comedy was performed. The most famous London saloon of the early days was the Grecian Saloon, established in 1825, at The Eagle (a former tea-garden), 2 Shepherdess Walk, off the City Road in north London.^[2] According to John Hollingshead, proprietor of the Gaiety Theatre, London (originally the Strand Music Hall), this establishment was "the father and mother, the dry and wet nurse of the Music Hall". Later known as the Grecian Theatre, it was here that Marie Lloyd made her début at the age of 14 in 1884. It is still famous because of an English nursery rhyme, with the somewhat mysterious lyrics: City Road is a road in central London, usually referred to by Londoners as the City Road. At its western extremity it starts at the Angel, Islington, as the continuation of Pentonville Road and continues roughly south-east till it passes Moorfields Eye Hospital, when it bears closer to south... John Hollingshead as imagined by a contemporary cartoonist. ... The Gaiety Theatre, London was a musical theatre in Londons Strand area. ... Matilda Alice Victoria Wood (February 12, 1870 - October 7, 1922), was a British music-hall singer . ...

Up and down the City Road
In and out The Eagle
That's the way the money goes
Pop goes the weasel.^[3] This article is about the nursery rhyme. ...

Another famous "song and supper" room of this period was Evans Music-and-Supper Rooms, 43 King Street, Covent Garden, established in the 1840s by W.H. Evans. This venue was also known as 'Evans Late Joys' - Joy being the name of the previous owner. Other song and supper rooms included the Coal Hole in The Strand, the Cyder Cellars in Maiden Lane, Covent Garden and the Mogul Saloon in Drury Lane^[1]. Covent Garden is a district in London, located on the easternmost parts of the City of Westminster and the southwest corner of the London Borough of Camden. ... Strand, May 2001 St. ... Drury Lane is a street in the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. ...

The music hall as we know it developed from such establishments in the 1850s and were built up in and on the grounds of public houses. Such establishments were distinguished from theatres by the fact that in a music hall you would be seated at a table in the auditorium and could drink alcohol and smoke tobacco whilst watching the show. In a theatre, by contrast, the audience was seated in stalls and there was a separate bar-room. A strange exception to this rule was the Britannia Theatre, Hoxton (1841) which somehow managed to evade this regulation and served drinks to its customers. Though a theatre rather than a music hall, this famous establishment later hosted music hall variety acts.^[4] Britannia Theatre was located in Hoxton an area in the London Borough of Hackney, immediately north of the financial district of the City of London. ... Hoxton Square. ...

The first music halls

Interior of the Canterbury Hall, opened 1852 in Lambeth

The establishment often regarded as the first true music hall was the the Canterbury, 143 Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth built by Charles Morton, afterwards dubbed "the Father of the Halls", on the site of a skittle alley next to his pub, the Canterbury Tavern. It opened on 17 May 1852: described as "the most significant date in all the history of music hall".^[5] The 1852 hall looked like most contemporary pub concert rooms, but its replacement in 1854 was of then unprecedented size. It was further extended in 1859, later rebuilt as a variety theatre and finally destroyed by bombing in 1942.^[6] Image File history File links 1856_CanterburyHall. ... Image File history File links 1856_CanterburyHall. ... Lambeth is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth. ... Lambeth North tube station on Westminster Bridge Road. ... Lambeth is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth. ... is the 137th day of the year (138th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1852 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

Another early music hall was The Middlesex, Drury Lane (1851). Popularly known as the 'Old Mo', it was built up on the site of the Mogul Saloon. Later converted into a theatre it was demolished in 1965. The New London Theatre stands on its site.^[7] Drury Lane is a street in the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. ... The New London Theatre is a theatre located on the corners of Drury Lane and Parker Street in the Covent Garden area of London. ...

The East End saw the building of several large music halls. These included the London Music Hall aka The Shoreditch Empire, 95-99 Shoreditch High Street, (1856-1935). This theatre was rebuilt in 1894 by Frank Matcham, the architect of the Hackney Empire.^[8]Another in this area was the Royal Cambridge Music Hall, 136 Commercial Street (1864-1936). Designed by William Finch Hill (the designer of the Britannia theatre in nearby Hoxton), it was rebuilt after a fire in 1898.^[9] The term East End is most commonly used to refer to the East End of London. ... Shoreditch Town Hall Shoreditch is a place in the London Borough of Hackney. ... Commercial Street is road in central London that runs north to south from Shoreditch to Aldgate. ...

The construction of Weston's Music Hall, High Holborn (1857), built up on the site of the Six Cans and Punch Bowl Tavern by the licensed victualler of the premises, Henry Weston, signalled that the West End was fruitful territory for the music hall. In 1906 it was rebuilt as a variety theatre and renamed as the Holborn Empire. It was closed as a result of enemy action in the Blitz on the night of 11-12 May 1941 and the building was pulled down in 1960.^[10]Significant West End music halls include: Westons Music Hall was a music hall and theatre that opened on 16 November 1857 on the site of the Six Cans and Punch Bowl Tavern. ... Holborn Bars, built as the headquarters of the Prudential Assurance Company, is one of the most striking buildings on High Holborn. ... // West End most commonly refers to: West End of London West End theatre West End may also refer to: West End, Queensland in Brisbane West End, Queensland (Townsville) in Townsville West End, Vancouver of Vancouver, British Columbia West End of New Westminster, in British Columbia West End, Winnipeg of Winnipeg... Westons Music Hall was a music hall and theatre that opened on 16 November 1857 on the site of the Six Cans and Punch Bowl Tavern. ... ‹ The template below (Citations missing) is being considered for deletion. ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ...

• The Oxford, 14/16 Oxford Street (1861) - built up on the site of an old coaching inn called the Boar and Castle by Charles Morton, the pioneer music hall developer of The Canterbury, who with this development brought music hall to the West End. Demolished in 1926.^[11]
• The London Pavilion (1861). Facade of 1885 rebuild still extant.^[12]
• The Alhambra, Leicester Square (1860), in the former premises of the London Panopticon. This sophisticated venue was noted for its alluring corps de ballet and was a focal point for West End pleasure seekers. It was demolished in 1936.^[13]

Other large suburban music halls included: Oxford Street, with Centre Point in the background Oxford Street in 1875, looking west from the junction with Duke Street. ... The interior of Covent Garden Market in the West End The West End of London is an area of Central London, England, containing many of the citys major tourist attractions, businesses, and administrative headquarters. ... Facade of the London Pavilion in 2002 The London Pavilion is a building located on the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue and Coventry Street in the northeast of Piccadilly Circus in London. ... In 1874 Leicester Square was dominated by Londons Alhambra Theatre. ...

• The Old Bedford, 123-133 High Street, Camden Town (1861). Built on the site of the tea gardens of a pub called the Bedford Arms. The Bedford was a favourite haunt of the artists known as the Camden Town Group headed by Walter Sickert who featured interior scenes of music halls in his paintings, including one entitled 'Little Dot Hetherington at The Old Bedford'. The Old Bedford was demolished in 1969.^[14]

The Oxford Music Hall, ca. 1875

• Collins', Islington Green (1862). Opened by Sam Collins, in 1862, as the Lansdowne Music Hall, converting the pre-existing Lansdowne Arms public house, it was renamed as Collins' Music Hall in 1863. It was colloquially known as 'The Chapel on the Green'. Collins was a star of his own theatre, singing mostly Irish songs specially composed for him. It closed in 1956, after a fire, but the street front of the building still survives (see below).^[15]
• Deacons in Clerkenwell (1862).

A noted music hall entrepreneur of this time was Carlo Gatti who built a music hall, known as Gatti's, at Hungerford Market in 1857. He sold the music hall to South Eastern Railway in 1862, and the site became Charing Cross railway station. With the proceeds from selling his first music hall, Gatti acquired a restaurant in Westminster Bridge Road, opposite The Canterbury music hall. He converted the restaurant into a second Gatti's music hall, known as "Gatti's-in-the-Road", in 1865. It later became a cinema. The building was badly damaged in the Second World War, and was demolished in 1950. In 1867, he acquired a public house in Villiers Street named "The Arches", under the arches of the elevated railway line leading to Charing Cross station. He opened it as another music hall, known as "Gatti's-in-The-Arches". After his death his family continued to operate the music hall, known for a period as the Hungerford or Gatti's Hungerford Palace of Varieties. It became a cinema in 1910, and the Players' Theatre in 1946.^[16] For other uses of Camden, see Camden. ... The Camden Town Group was a group of English Post-Impressionist artists. ... Walter Sickert Walter Richard Sickert (May 31, 1860 in Munich (Germany) – January 22, 1942) was an English impressionist painter. ... Islington Green looking south. ... Clerkenwell Green and St James church Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. ... Carlo Gatti Carlo Gatti (1817-1878) was a Swiss entrepreneur in the Victorian era. ... Hungerford Market was a market in London, near Charing Cross on the Strand, housed in two different buildings on the same site from around 1680 to 1862. ... The London and Greenwich Railway (LGR) and the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway (CWR) in East Kent were the earliest railways to serve the then county of Kent: eventually both became parts of the South Eastern Railway (SER). ... Charing Cross Charing Cross railway station is a central London railway terminus. ... Lambeth North tube station on Westminster Bridge Road. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Pub redirects here. ... The building on Villiers Street off the Strand in London where Kipling rented rooms from 1889 to 1891. ... For the nearby theatre of the same name, see Charing Cross Theatre. ... The history of the Players is a microcosm of British theatrical history, and many famous names have appeared on its stage. ...

By 1865 there were thirty-two music halls in London seating between 500 to 5000 people plus an unknown, but large, number of smaller venues. In 1878 numbers peaked, with seventy-eight large music halls in the metropolis and 300 smaller venues. Thereafter numbers declined due to stricter licensing restrictions imposed by the Metropolitan Board of Works and LCC, and because of commercial competition between popular large suburban halls and the smaller venues, which put the latter out of business.^[17] The Metropolitan Board of Works (MBW) was the principal instrument of London-wide government from 1855 until the establishment of the London County Council in 1889. ... LCC may refer to, among other things: Lithuania Charts Company Lakewood Cultural Center Launch commit criteria Launch control center (at Kennedy Space Center) Launch control center (ICBM) Leadless chip carrier Leinster Cricket Club Library of Congress Classification Lisburn Cricket Club Loboc Childrens Choir Local C compiler aka Little C...

Variety theatre

A new era of 'variety theatre' was signalled by the rebuilding of the London Pavilion in 1885. Contemporary accounts noted : A variety show is a show with a variety of acts, often including music and comedy skits, especially on television. ...

One of the most iconic of these new palaces of pleasure in the West End was the Empire, Leicester Square, built as a theatre in 1884 but acquiring a music hall licence in 1887. Like the nearby Alhambra this theatre appealed to the man about town by featuring alluring ballet dancers and had a notorious promenade which was the resort of courtesans. Another spectacular example of the new variety theatre was the Tivoli in the Strand built 1888-90 in an eclectic neo-Romanesque style with Baroque and Moorish-Indian embellishments. The Tivoli became a brand name for music-halls all over the British Empire.^[18]In 1892 an unsuccessful opera house in Shaftesbury Avenue applied for a music hall license and was converted into the Palace Theatre of Varieties. Denied by the newly created LCC permission to construct the promenade, which was such a popular feature of the Empire and Alhambra, the Palace compensated in the way of adult entertainment by featuring apparently nude women in tableau vivants, though the concerned LCC hastened to reassure patrons that the girls who featured in these displays were actually wearing flesh toned body stockings and were not naked at all.^[19]One of the grandest of these new halls was the Coliseum Theatre built by Oswald Stoll in 1904 at the bottom of St Martin's Lane.^[20] This was followed by the London Palladium (1910) in Little Argyll Street. Both were designed by the prolific Frank Matcham.^[21] As Music Hall grew in popularity and respectability, and as the licensing authorities exercised ever firmer regulation,^[22] the original arrangement of a large hall with tables at which drink was served, changed to that of a drink-free auditorium. The acceptance of Music Hall as a legitimate cultural form was sealed by the first Royal Variety Performance before King George V in 1912 at the Palace Theatre. However, in keeping with this new respectability the greatest music hall star of the day, Marie Lloyd, was not invited, being deemed too 'saucy' for the eyes and ears of monarchy.^[23] Empire Leicester Square The Empire is a large cinema on the north side of Leicester Square, in the City of Westminster, a London Borough. ... Strand, May 2001 St. ... Shaftesbury Avenue is a major London street, named after Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, that runs in a north-easterly direction from Piccadilly Circus to New Oxford Street, crossing Charing Cross Road at Cambridge Circus. ... The Palace Theatre, London, is an imposing red-brick building that dominates the west side of Cambridge Circus, and is located near the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road. ... LCC may refer to, among other things: Lithuania Charts Company Lakewood Cultural Center Launch commit criteria Launch control center (at Kennedy Space Center) Launch control center (ICBM) Leadless chip carrier Leinster Cricket Club Library of Congress Classification Lisburn Cricket Club Loboc Childrens Choir Local C compiler aka Little C... The London Coliseum The Coliseum Theatre is one of Londons largest and best equipped theatres, opening in 1904. ... Sir Oswald Stoll (20 January 1866 – 9 January 1942) was a British theatre manager and the co-founder of the Stoll Moss Group theatre empire. ... St. ... The London Palladium in 2004 The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. ... Frank Matcham (born 22 November 1854, Newton Abbot, Devon - died 17 May 1920, Southend-on-Sea, Essex) was a famous English theatrical architect // Matcham and two architects he helped to train, Bertie Crewe and W.G.R. Sprague, were together responsible for the majority - certainly more than 200 - of the... An auditorium is the area within a theatre, concert hall or other performance space where the audience is located in order to hear and watch the performance. ... For the record label, see Command Performance Records. ... George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was the first British monarch belonging to the House of Windsor, which he created from the British branch of the German House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. ... Matilda Alice Victoria Wood (February 12, 1870 - October 7, 1922), was a British music-hall singer . ...

'Music Hall War' of 1907

The rise of syndicates controlling a number of theatres, such as the Stoll circuit, led to increased tensions between employees and employers. On 22 January 1907, a long brewing dispute between artists, stage hands and managers of the theatres came to a head at the Holborn Empire. Strikes in other London and suburban halls followed, organised by the Variety Artistes' Federation. The strike lasted for almost two weeks and was known as the Music Hall War.^[24] It became extremely well known, and was enthusiastically supported by the main spokesmen of the trade union and Labour movement - Ben Tillett and Keir Hardie for example. The strike ended in arbitration, which saw most of the main demands satisfied, including a minimum wage and maximum working week for musicians. is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Westons Music Hall was a music hall and theatre that opened on 16 November 1857 on the site of the Six Cans and Punch Bowl Tavern. ... Ben Tillet (September 11, 1860 - January 27, 1943) was a British socialist, trade union leader and politician. ... James Keir Hardie (15 August 1856 - 26 September 1915) was a Scottish socialist and labour leader, and one of the first two Labour Party Members of Parliament (MPs) elected to the UK Parliament after the establishment of the Labour Party. ...

1907 poster from the Music Hall War between artists and theatre managers

Several music hall stars such as Marie Lloyd, Arthur Roberts Joe Elvin and Gus Elen were strong supporters of the strike, though they themselves earned enough not to be personally concerned in a material sense.^[25] Lloyd explained her support: Music from Robertss song in Robinson Crusoe Arthur Roberts (21 September 1852 - 27 February 1933) was an English comedian, music hall entertainer and actor. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

The pressure for greater rewards for music hall songwriters led to the application of copyright law to musical compositions. This in turn boosted the music publication industry, and the sale of music in printed form. The term Tin Pan Alley, for the music publication industry gained currency from the practice of rival publishers of banging together pots and pans in order to disrupt their competitors' musical auditions. The music publishers at the time (Feldman, Francis and Day...) were large, extremely profitable companies. They sold the right to sing songs to particular artists, and no other person had the right to sing the songs in public. The copyright symbol is used to give notice that a work is covered by copyright. ... This article deals with contemporary popular music publishing. ... Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City-centered music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century. ...

Recruiting

May 1915 poster by E. V. Kealey, from the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee

See also Recruitment to the British Army during World War I

World War I is considered by many to have been the high-water-mark of music hall popularity. Music hall artists and composers threw themselves into rallying public support and enthusiasm for the war effort. Patriotic music hall compositions like Keep the Home Fires Burning (1914), Pack up Your Troubles (1915), It's a Long Way to Tipperary (1914) and We Don't Want to Lose You (but we think you ought to Go), were sung both by audiences at home and the soldiers in the trenches. Singers like Marie Lloyd went even further, singing lyrics like I didn't like you much before you joined the army, John, but I do like yer cockie now you've got your khaki on (1914).^[28] A World War I recruitment poster featuring Kitchener. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Matilda Alice Victoria Wood (February 12, 1870 - October 7, 1922), was a British music-hall singer . ...

Many songs were aimed at recruitment (All the boys in khaki get the nice girls, 1915); others satirized particular elements of the war experience. What did you do in the Great war, Daddy (1916) criticized profiteers and slackers; Vesta Tilley's I've got a bit of a blighty one (1916) showed a soldier delighted to have a wound just serious enough to be sent home. The forced rhymes give a sense of black humour (When they wipe my face with sponges/ and they feed me on blancmanges/ I'm glad I've got a bit of a blighty one).^[29] Tilley's popularity reached its all-time high point at this time, when she and her husband, Walter de Frece, ran a military recruitment drive. In the guise of characters like Tommy in the Trench and Jack Tar Home from Sea, Tilley performed songs like The army of today's all right and Jolly Good Luck to the Girl who Loves a Soldier. This is how she got the nickname Britain's best recruiting sergeant - young men were sometimes asked to join the army on stage during her show. She also performed in hospitals and sold War Bonds. Her husband was knighted in 1919 for his own services to the war effort, with Tilley becoming Lady de Frece.^[30] A basic blancmange. ... Categories: Stub ... A statue of an armoured knight of the Middle Ages For the chess piece, see knight (chess). ...

Possibly the most notorious of music hall songs from the First World War was Oh! It's a lovely war (1917), popularised by male impersonator Ella Shields. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... Oh! What a Lovely War is a stage musical and 1969 musical film. ... A drag king performance troupe NYC Drag King Alliance Switch NPlay photo:Jenny Norris Drag kings are mostly female-bodied or -identified performance artists who dress in masculine drag and personify male gender stereotypes as part of their performance. ... Ella Shields (September 27, 1879 – August 05, 1952[1]) was a music hall singer and male-impersonator. ...

Decline

Music hall continued in the inter-war period, but no longer as the single dominant form of popular entertainment in Britain. The arrival of radio, and the cheapening of the gramophone damaged it enormously. It now had to compete with Jazz, Swing and Big Band dance music, as well as with cinema. Licensing restrictions also changed its character. In 1914 the LCC enacted that drinking be banished from the auditorium into a separate bar and in 1923 even the separate bar was abolished by parliamentary decree. The exemption of the theatres from this latter act prompted some critics to denounce this legislation as an attempt to deprive the working classes of their pleasures, as a form of social control, whilst sparing the supposedly more responsible upper classes who patronised the theatres.^[31]Even so, the music hall gave rise to such major stars as George Formby, Gracie Fields, Max Miller, and Flanagan and Allen during this period. For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... Swing music, also known as swing jazz, is a form of jazz music that developed during the 1920s and had solidified as a distinctive style by 1935 in the United States. ... A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late 1940s, although there are many big-bands around nowadays. ... LCC may refer to, among other things: Lithuania Charts Company Lakewood Cultural Center Launch commit criteria Launch control center (at Kennedy Space Center) Launch control center (ICBM) Leadless chip carrier Leinster Cricket Club Library of Congress Classification Lisburn Cricket Club Loboc Childrens Choir Local C compiler aka Little C... George Formby, OBE (26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English singer and comedian who became a major star of both cinema and music hall. ... Dame Gracie Fields, DBE (January 9, 1898–September 27, 1979), born Grace Stansfield, was an English/Italian singer and comedienne who became one of the greatest stars of both cinema and music hall. ... Max Miller, the Cheeky Chappie, was a 1930s English music hall comedian famous for his daringly risqué (for the period) repertoire (see Censorship), and gaudy suits. ... Flanagan and Allen were a British singing and comedy double act popular during World War II. Its members were Bud Flanagan (1896 - 1968) and Chesney Allen (1893 - 1982). ...

After World War II, competition from television and other musical idioms, including Rock and Roll, led to the slow demise of the British music halls, despite some desperate attempts to retain an audience by putting on striptease acts. In 1957, the playwright John Osborne delivered this elegy^[32]: Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... For other uses, see Striptease (disambiguation). ... John James Osborne (December 12, 1929 – December 24, 1994) was an English playwright, screenwriter, and critic of the Establishment. ...

The final blows came when Moss Empires, the largest British Music Hall chain, closed the majority of its theatres in 1960, closely followed by the death of music hall stalwart Max Miller in 1963, prompting one contemporary to write that: "Music-halls...died this afternoon when they buried Max Miller".^[33][34]Stage and film musicals, however, continued to be influenced by the music hall idiom. Oliver!, Dr Dolittle, My Fair Lady, and many other musicals continued to retain strong roots in music hall. The BBC series The Good Old Days, which ran for thirty years, recreated the music hall for the modern audience, and the Paul Daniels Magic Show allowed several speciality acts a television presence from 1979 to 1994. Aimed at a younger audience, but still owing a lot to the music hall heritage, was the late '70s series The Muppet Show.^[35] Moss Empires was a British company formed from the merger of the theatre empires owned by Sir Edward Moss and Sir Oswald Stoll in 1898. ... Max Miller, the Cheeky Chappie, was a 1930s English music hall comedian famous for his daringly risqué (for the period) repertoire (see Censorship), and gaudy suits. ... Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theater combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue. ... This article is about the musical. ... Doctor Dolittle is the central character of a series of childrens books by Hugh Lofting. ... My Fair Lady is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, based on George Bernard Shaws Pygmalion. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... The Good Old Days was a popular BBC television light entertainment television programme which ran from 1953 to 1983. ... Paul Daniels (born Newton Edward Daniels, 6 April 1938) is a British magician and television performer. ... The Muppet Show was a television program featuring a cast of Muppets (diverse hand-operated puppets, typically with oversized eyes and large moving mouths) produced by Jim Henson and his team from 1976 to 1981. ...

History of the songs

The musical forms most associated with music hall evolved in part from traditional folk song and songs written for popular drama, becoming by the 1850s a distinct musical style. Subject matter became more contemporary and humorous, and accompaniment was provided by larger house-orchestras as increasing affluence gave the lower classes more access to commercial entertainment and to a wider range of musical instruments, including the piano. The consequent change in musical taste from traditional to more professional forms of entertainment arose in response to the rapid industrialisation and urbanisation of previously rural populations during the industrial revolution. The newly created urban communities, cut off from their cultural roots, required new and readily accessible forms of entertainment^[36]. Pianoforte redirects here. ... A factory in Ilmenau (Germany) around 1860 Industrialisation (also spelt Industrialization) or an Industrial Revolution is a process of social and economic change whereby a human group is transformed from a pre-industrial society (an economy where the amount of capital accumulated per capita is low) to an industrial one... Urbanization is the degree of or increase in urban character or nature. ... A Watt steam engine, the steam engine that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. ...

Music halls were originally bar rooms which provided entertainment, in the form of music and speciality acts, for their patrons. By the middle years of the nineteenth century the first purpose-built music halls were being built in London. The halls created a demand for new and catchy popular songs that could no longer be met from the traditional folk song repertoire. Professional songwriters were enlisted to fill the gap. This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Folk music, in the original sense of the term, is music by and of the people. ...

The emergence of a distinct music hall style can be credited to a fusion of musical influences. Music hall songs needed to gain and hold the attention of an often jaded and unruly urban audience. In America from the 1840s Stephen Foster had reinvigorated folk song with the admixture of Negro spiritual to produce a new and vibrant form of popular song. Songs like Old Folks at Home (1851)^[37] and Golden Slippers (James Bland, 1879)^[38] spread round the globe, taking with them the idiom and appurtenances of the minstrel song. Other influences on the rapidly-developing music hall idiom were Irish and European music, particularly the jig, polka, and waltz. For other persons named Stephen Foster, see Stephen Foster (disambiguation). ... Spiritual as a noun is used to denote songs created by American slaves, and the style in which they were sung. ... Old Folks at Home as sung by Christys Minstrels in 1851. ... Detail from cover of The Celebrated Negro Melodies, as Sung by the Virginia Minstrels, 1843 The minstrel show, or minstrelsy, was an American entertainment consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, performed by white people in blackface or, especially after the American Civil War, African Americans in blackface. ... Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic politically divided between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. ... The jig (sometimes seen in its French language or Italian language forms gigue or giga) is a folk dance type as well as the accompanying dance tune type, popular in Ireland and Scotland. ... Street musicians in Prague playing a polka Polka is a fast, lively Central European dance, and also a genre of dance music. ... For other uses, see Waltz (disambiguation). ...

Typically a music hall song consists of a series of verses sung by the performer alone, and a repeated chorus which carries the principal melody, and in which the audience is encouraged to join. The structures or musical forms of songs in popular music are typically sectional forms, such as strophic form. ... A refrain (from the Old French refraindre to repeat, likely from Vulgar Latin refringere) is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the chorus of a song. ... Look up melody in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In Britain, the first music hall songs often promoted the alcoholic wares of the owners of the halls in which they were performed. Songs like Glorious Beer^[39], and the first major music hall success, Champagne Charlie (1867) had a major influence in establishing the new art form. The tune of Champagne Charlie became used for the Salvation Army hymn Bless His Name, He Sets Me Free (1881). When asked why the tune should be used like this, William Booth is said to have replied, Why should the devil have all the good tunes?. The people the Army sought to save, knew nothing of the hymn tunes or gospel melodies used in the churches, but "the music hall had been their melody school"^[40]. Champagne Charlie is a popular music hall song from the 1800s made famous by George Leybourne featured in the play Champagne Charlie and the film Champagne Charlie featuring Tommy Trinder and Stanley Holloway. ... Shield of The Salvation Army The Salvation Army is a non-military evangelical Christian organisation. ... For other persons named William Booth, see William Booth (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Hymn. ...

By the 1870s the songs had cut themselves free from their folk music roots, and particular songs also started to become associated with particular singers, often with exclusive contracts with the songwriter, just as many pop songs are today. Towards the end of the style the music became influenced by ragtime and jazz, before being overtaken by them. This article is about the genre of popular music. ... Look up ragtime in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ...

Music hall songs were often unashamedly aimed at their working class audiences, reflecting the experiences and humour in their daily lives. Songs like My Old Man (Said Follow the Van), Knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road, and Waiting at the Church, expressed in melodic form situations that the urban poor were very familiar with. Music Hall songs could be romantic, patriotic, humorous or sentimental, as the need arose^[36]. The most popular Music Hall songs became the basis for the Pub songs of the typical Cockney "knees up". My Old Man is an old music hall song written by Fred W. Leigh and Charles Collins, made popular by Marie Lloyd. ... In English popular culture, the traditional pub songs typified by the Cockney knees up mostly come from the classics of the Music Hall, along with numbers from film, the stage and other forms of popular music. ... St Mary-le-Bow The term cockney is often used to refer to working-class people of London, particularly east London, and the slang used by these people. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wikisource. ...

Famous Music hall songs

For a fuller list see Music hall songs

• "Any Old Iron" (Charles Collins; Terry Sheppard) sung by Harry Champion.
• "Boiled Beef and Carrots" (Charles Collins and Fred Murray) sung by Harry Champion.
• "The Boy I Love is up in the Gallery" (George Ware) sung by Nellie Power and Marie Lloyd.
• "Burlington Bertie from Bow" (William Hargreaves) sung by Ella Shields.
• "Daddy Wouldn't Buy Me a Bow Wow" (Joseph Tabrar) sung by Vesta Victoria.
• "Daisy Bell" (Harry Dacre) sung by Katie Lawrence.
• "Down at the Old Bull and Bush" (Harry von Tilzer; Andrew B. Sterling) sung by Florrie Forde.
• "Goodbye, Dolly Grey" (Paul Barnes; Will. D. Cobb) sung by George Lashwood.
• "Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly?" (C.W. Murphy and Will Letters) sung by Florrie Ford.
• "Hello, Hello, Who's Your Lady Friend?" (Harry Fragson; Worton David and Bert Lee) sung by Mark Sheridan.
• "Hold Your Hand Out, Naughty Boy" (C.W. Murphy and Will Letters) sung by Florrie Ford.
• "Honey Pie" (Lennon/McCartney), sung by Paul McCartney, a piece from The White Album.
• "I'm Henery the Eighth, I Am" (1911) [1] (Fred Murray and Bert Weston) sung by Harry Champion.
• "I Live in Trafalgar Square" (C.W. Murphy) sung by Morny Cash.
• "If It Wasn't For The 'Ouses In Between" (George Le Brunn; Edgar Bateman) sung by Gus Elen.
• "It's a Bit of a Ruin That Cromwell Knocked About a Bit" (Harry Bedford; Terry Sullivan) sung by Marie Lloyd.
• "It's a Long Way to Tipperary" (1914) [2] (Jack Judge and Harry Williams) sung by John McCormack.
• "Let's All Go Down the Strand" (Harry Castling and C.W. Murphy) sung by Charles R. Whittle.
• "My Old Man (Said Follow the Van)" (Charles Collins and Fred W. Leigh) sung by Marie Lloyd.
• "Oh! It's a lovely war" sung by Ella Shields.
• "Oh, Mr. Porter" (George Le Brunn; Thomas Le Brunn) sung by Marie Lloyd.
• "Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay" (Harry J. Sayers) sung by Lottie Collins.
• "Where Did You Get That Hat?" (James Rolmaz) sung by J.C Heffron.
• "Waiting At The Church" [3] (Henry E. Pether; Frank W. Leigh) sung by Vesta Victoria.

This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Charles Edwin Collins was an independent candidate for President of the United States in the 1996 presidential election and sought unsuccessfully to run again in 2000. ... William Crump (1866–1942), better known by the stage name Harry Champion, was a famous British Music Hall composer and star. ... Boiled Beef and Carrots is a comedic musical hall song published in 1909, and composed by Charles Collins and Fred Murray. ... Frederick Fred Murray (born May 22, 1982 in Clonmel, Ireland) is an Irish footballer, currently playing for Stafford Rangers. ... The Boy I Love is up in the Gallery is a music-hall song written for Nellie Power by George Ware in 1885, and made famous by Marie Lloyd. ... Matilda Alice Victoria Wood (February 12, 1870 - October 7, 1922), was a British music-hall singer . ... Ella Shields (September 27, 1879 – August 05, 1952[1]) was a music hall singer and male-impersonator. ... Daddy Wouldn’t Buy Me a Bow Wow was written in 1892 by prolific English songwriter Joseph Tabrar. ... Joseph Tabrar (1857 - 1931), son of George Tabrar. ... Vesta Victoria (November 26, 1873 – April 7, 1951) was an English music hall singer and comedienne. ... Daisy Bell is a popular song whose lyrics (Daisy, Daisy, Give me your answer do. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Harry Von Tilzer (July 8, 1872 - January 10, 1946) was a very popular United States songwriter. ... Andrew B. Sterling, born on August 26, 1874 in New York City was a U.S. lyricist. ... Florrie Forde (August 27th 1876 - 1940), born Florence Mary Flannagan, was an Australian popular singer and entertainer. ... This article contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Clarence Wainwright Murphy, also known as Charles William Murphy, C.W. Murphy and C. Murphy, (1875 – 1913) was a prolific British composer of music hall and musical theatre tunes, perhaps best known for the song Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly? with lyrics by Will Letters (1908). ... Harry Fragson was a British music hall singer and comedian, born 2 July 1869 in Soho, London, and died in Paris, 31 December 1913. ... Bert Lee (1881 - January 23, 1946) was an English songwriter. ... Honey Pie is a song by The Beatles, from their 1968 album The Beatles (the White Album). Although credited to Lennon-McCartney, it was composed entirely by Paul McCartney. ... The songwriting partnership of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, usually referred to as Lennon/McCartney (sometimes McCartney/Lennon), is one of the best-known and most successful musical collaborations of all time. ... Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, poet, entrepreneur, painter, record producer, film producer, and animal-rights activist. ... The self-titled double album The Beatles, released by the Beatles in 1968 at the height of their popularity, is often hailed as one of the major accomplishments in popular music. ... Im Henery the Eighth, I Am (also Im Henery the VIII, I Am or Im Henery VIII, I Am) is a 1910 British music hall song by Fred Murray and R. P. Weston. ... Frederick Fred Murray (born May 22, 1982 in Clonmel, Ireland) is an Irish footballer, currently playing for Stafford Rangers. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Henry Harry Bedford (born October 15, 1899 in Grassmoor; died June 24, 1976 in Derby) was an English professional football player. ... Terry Sullivan was a fictional character in the British Soap opera Brookside, played by Brian Regan. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Jack Judge (1878-1938) was born in Oldbury, Worcestershire and is possibly best remembered for the song: Its a Long Way to Tipperary, a song that he allegedly wrote for a 5 shilling bet in Stalybridge, Cheshire on the 30 January 1912 and performed the next night at the... Harry Hiram Williams (August 23, 1879 – May 15, 1922) was an American composer, lyricist, and publisher of popular music from 1903 until his death in 1922. ... Clarence Wainwright Murphy, also known as Charles William Murphy, C.W. Murphy and C. Murphy, (1875 – 1913) was a prolific British composer of music hall and musical theatre tunes, perhaps best known for the song Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly? with lyrics by Will Letters (1908). ... My Old Man is an old music hall song written by Fred W. Leigh and Charles Collins, made popular by Marie Lloyd. ... Charles Edwin Collins was an independent candidate for President of the United States in the 1996 presidential election and sought unsuccessfully to run again in 2000. ... Oh! What a Lovely War is a stage musical and 1969 musical film. ...

Music hall songwriters

• Harry Dacre, composer of "Daisy Bell"
• Noel Gay, writer of "Lambeth Walk", "There's Something About a Soldier", "Leaning on a Lamppost"
• Fred Gilbert, composer of "The Man that Broke the Bank At Monte Carlo"
• Harry Lauder, writer of "Stop your Tickling Jock", "I Love A Lassie"
• George Le Brunn, writer of "Oh! Mr Porter!"
• Fred W Leigh, composer of "Don't Dilly Dally" and "The Army of Today"
• Arthur Lloyd, over 100 songs.
• Lionel Monckton, composer of "Moonstruck", "Soldiers in the Park", "The Pipes of Pan"
• C.W. Murphy, composer of "Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly?"
• Felix Powell, writer of "Pack up Your Troubles"
• Joseph Tabrar, writer of "Daddy Wouldn't Buy Me a Bow Wow"
• Harry Wincott, writer of "The Old Dun Cow"
• George Alex Stevens, writer of "Mother I Love You", "Chump Chop and Chips" and "When the Harvest Moon is Shining".

Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Daisy Bell is a popular song whose lyrics (Daisy, Daisy, Give me your answer do. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... Sir Harry Lauder, KBE (4 August 1870 - 26 February 1950) was a very famous Scottish entertainer, described by Sir Winston Churchill as Scotlands greatest ever ambassador! // Early Years Born Henry Lauder at 4 Bridge Street Portobello, the residence of his mother’s father, he was the eldest son of... Arthur Lloyd (1839-1904) was a comedian, music hall artist, musician and songwriter in the UK. He wrote literally hundreds of music hall songs. ... Lionel Monckton (December 18, 1861 - September 15, 1924) was a British writer and composer of musical theatre. ... Clarence Wainwright Murphy, also known as Charles William Murphy, C.W. Murphy and C. Murphy, (1875 – 1913) was a prolific British composer of music hall and musical theatre tunes, perhaps best known for the song Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly? with lyrics by Will Letters (1908). ... Felix Powell (died 1942) was a British Staff Sergeant most famous for writing the music for marching song Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile in 1915. ... Joseph Tabrar (1857 - 1931), son of George Tabrar. ... Daddy Wouldn’t Buy Me a Bow Wow was written in 1892 by prolific English songwriter Joseph Tabrar. ... Harry Wincott was a song writer born, as Alfred James Walden, the first day of 1867 in London. ...

Music hall comedy

The typical music hall comedian was a man or woman), usually dressed 'in character',to suit the subject of the song, or sometimes in attired in absurd and eccentric style. Until well into the twentieth century the acts were essentially vocal, with songs telling a story, accompanied by a minimum of patter. They included a variety of genres, including:

• Lions Comiques: essentially, men dressed as a 'toff', who sang songs about drinking champagne, going to the races, going to the ball, womanising and gambling, and living the life of an Aristocrat.
• Male and female impersonators, perhaps more in the style of a pantomime dame than a modern drag queen. Nevertheless these included some more sophisticated performers such as Vesta Tilley, whose male impersonations communicated real social commentary.

'Stand up', spoken wisecracking acts and double acts with one performer being prompted and interrupted by a 'straight' partner, belong to later developments, derived partly from pantomime and partly from the importation of American comedy styles. The phrases 'I don't wish to know that!' and 'kindly leave the stage!' and some of today's habits, such as finishing on a song, belong to this later period. Inter-war radio programmes such as Band Waggon adapted the music hall and variety traditions to the new medium, while, more recently, 'The Goon Show' took radio comedy into the surreal. Early television variety shows picked up some of the pieces, but this was at a time when music hall was already on its last legs. Nearer to today, the spirit of music hall genre has enjoyed a new kind of life in television's The Muppet Show. Drag queens are performers - usually gay men, sometimes transgendered women - who dress in drag, clothing associated with the female gender, usually highly exaggerated versions thereof. ... A pantomime dame is a traditional character in British Panto. ... Drag artist Lypsinka. ... Vesta Tilly (May 13, 1864 – September 16, 1952) was an English male impersonator. ... Band Waggon was a comedy radio show broadcast by the BBC from 1938 to 1940. ... A variety show is a show with a variety of acts, often including music and comedy skits. ... The Muppet Show was a television program featuring a cast of Muppets (diverse hand-operated puppets, typically with oversized eyes and large moving mouths) produced by Jim Henson and his team from 1976 to 1981. ...

Speciality acts

The vocal content of the music hall bills, was, from the beginning, accompanied by many other kinds of act, some of them quite weird and wonderful. These were known collectively as speciality acts, which, over time, have included:

Jules Léotard - The Daring Young man on the Flying Trapeze

• Aerial acts, of the sort usually seen at the Circus
• Adagio: essentially a sort of cross between a dance act and a juggling act, consisting usually of a male dancer who threw a slim, pretty young girl around. Some aspects of modern dance choreography evolved from Adagio acts^[41].
• Magic acts and escapologists, such as Harry Houdini.
• Cycling acts: again, a development of a Circus act, consisting of either a solo or a troupe of trick cyclists. There was even seven-piece a cycling band called Seven Musical Savonas, who played fifty instruments between them, and Kaufmann's Cycling Beauties, a troupe of girls in Victorian swim wear.
• Ventriloquists, or Vent acts as they were called in the business.
• Electric acts, using the newly discovered phenomena of static electricity to produce tricks such as lighting gas jets and setting fire to handkerchiefs through the performers fingertips.
• Knife throwing and sword swallowing. The most spectacular of its time was the Victorina Troupe, who swallowed a sword fired from a rifle.
• Juggling and plate spinning acts. Another variation was the Diabolo.
• Feats of strength by both strongmen and strongwomen.
• Fire eaters and other eating acts, such as eating glass, razor blades, goldfish etc.
• Wrestling and jujitsu exhibitions were both popular specialty acts, forming the basis of modern professional wrestling.
• Mentalism acts. Commonly a male mentalist, blindfolded on stage, and an attractive female assistant passing among the audience. The assistant would collect objects from the audience, and the mentalist would identify each by 'reading' the assistants mind. This was usually accomplished by a clever system of codes and clues from the assistant.
• Mime artists and impressionists.
• Trampoline acts.
• Animal acts: Talking dogs, Flea circuses, and all manner of animals doing tricks.
• Stilt walkers.
• Puppet acts, including human puppets and living doll acts.
• Comic pianists, such as John Orlando Parry and George Grossmith.
• Cowboy/Wild West acts.
• And shadow Puppit acts.

Image File history File links Jules_Léotard2. ... Image File history File links Jules_Léotard2. ... The French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard (1839? - 1870), was the man who inspired the 1867 song The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze (with lyrics by George Leybourne). ... Trapeze artists, in lithograph by Calvert Litho. ... “Illusionist” redirects here. ... Harry Houdini, a famous escapologist and magician. ... For the Batman villain, see Ventriloquist (comics). ... Static electricity is a class of phenomena involving the net charge present on an object; typically referring to charged object with voltages of sufficient magnitude to produce visible attraction, repulsion, and sparks. ... // Impalement arts are a type of performing art in which a performer plays the role of human target for a fellow performer who demonstrates accuracy skills in disciplines such as knife throwing and archery. ... Sword swallowing is a dangerous performance art, in which the performer inserts a sword into his mouth and down his esophagus towards his stomach. ... Juggling is a form of skillful, often artful, object manipulation. ... Plate spinning is a circus manipulation art where a person spins plates, bowls and other flat objects on poles, without them falling over. ... The diabolo (commonly misspelled as diablo, formerly also known as the devil on two sticks) is a juggling prop consisting of a spool which is whirled and tossed on a string tied to two sticks held one in each hand. ... Feats of strength are acts strongmen exhibit to showcase their great strength. ... In the 19th century, the term strongman refers to an exhibitor of strength (before strength sports were codified into weightlifting, powerlifting etc. ... Piccolo Junior Saga List of Dragon Ball episodes The Fire-Eater is the 150th episode of the anime, Dragon Ball. ... Ancient Greek wrestlers (Pankratiasts) Wrestling is the act of physical engagement between two unarmed persons, in which each wrestler strives to get an advantage over or control of their opponent. ... Jujutsu (also jujitsu, ju jitsu, ju jutsu, or jiu jitsu; from the Japanese 柔術 jūjutsu gentle/yielding/compliant Art) is a Japanese martial art. ... For the NES video game, see Pro Wrestling (video game). ... This article is about the performing art. ... This article is about the theatrical medium and those who practice it. ... An impressionist is a performer whose act consists of giving the impression of being someone else by imitating the other persons voice and mannerisms. ... A flea circus refers to a circus sideshow attraction in which fleas were attached to miniature carts and other items, and encouraged to perform circus acts within a small housing. ... This article is about the poles. ... A puppet is a representational object manipulated by a puppeteer. ... George Grossmith, as illustrated in The Idler magazine, 1897 George Grossmith (December 9, 1847 - March 1, 1912) was an English actor and comic writer, best remembered for his work with Gilbert & Sullivan. ... Great Basin region, typical American West The Western United States has played a significant role in history and fiction. ...

Music hall performers

1867 Poster from the National Standard Theatre, Shoreditch. Not strictly a Music hall, but a theatre where many of these artists performed their Music hall acts.

• Arthur Askey (1900–1982)
• Joséphine Baker (1906–1975)
• Fred Barnes (1885-1938)
• Herbert Campbell (1844-1904)
• Kate Carney (1869–1950)
• Harry Champion (1866–1942)
• Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977) - more famous as a silent film star
• Sydney Chaplin (1885–1965)
• Albert Chevalier (1861–1923)
• G. H. Chirgwin
• Charles Coborn (1852–1945)
• The Cox Twins (1920-)
• Ken Dodd (1927-)
• Daisy Dormer (1883–1947)
• Leo Dryden (1864-1939)
• Clive Dunn (1920-)
• Gus Elen (1862-1940)
• Norman Evans (1901–1962)
• Gracie Fields (1898–1979)
• Flanagan and Allen (1896-1968) and (1893-1982).
• Florrie Forde (1875–1940)
• George Formby Senior (1876-1921)
• George Formby (1904–1961)
• Harry Fragson (1869-1913)
• Will Hay (1888–1949)
• Will Hammer (1887–1957) - more famous as the founder of Hammer Films
• Jenny Hill
• Fred Karno (1866-1941)
• Marie Kendall (1873–1964)
• Hetty King (1883–1972)
• Harry Lauder (1870-1950)
• Stan Laurel (1890–1965) - more famous as a Hollywood star
• Katie Lawrence d. 1913
• Dan Leno (1860-1904)

1910 Hetty King - sheet music cover.

• Jules Léotard (1839-1870)
• George Leybourne (1842–1884)
• Cecilia Loftus (1876–1943)
• Violet Loraine (1886–1956)
• Little Tich (1867-1928)
• Arthur Lloyd (1839-1904)
• Marie Lloyd (1870–1922)
• G. H. McDermott
• Max Miller (1894–1963)
• Lily Morris (1882–1952)
• Denise Orme (1885–1960)
• Arthur Roberts (1852-1933)
• George Robey (1869–1954)
• Ronnie Ronalde (1923-)
• Ella Shields (1879–1952)
• Mark Sheridan
• Stainless Stephen (1892-1971)
• Eugene Stratton (1861–1918)
• Harry Tate (1872-1940)
• Vesta Tilley (1864–1952)
• Peter Ustinov (1921–2004)
• Alfred Vance (1839–1888)
• Vesta Victoria (1873–1951)
• Vulcana (1875–1946) - main attraction of the Atlas and Vulcana Group of Society Athletes
• Max Wall (1908–1990)
• H. Vernon Watson (performing under the sobriquet Nosmo King)
• Daisy Wood (and the Sisters Lloyd)
• Billy Williams (1878-1915)
• Wilson, Keppel and Betty

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (700x913, 149 KB)[edit] Summary 1867 National Standard Theatre Poster. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (700x913, 149 KB)[edit] Summary 1867 National Standard Theatre Poster. ... Shoreditch Town Hall Shoreditch is a place in the London Borough of Hackney. ... Arthur Askey (June 6, 1900 - November 16, 1982) was a prominent British comedian. ... Josephine Baker (or Joséphine Baker in francophone countries) (June 3, 1906 – April 12, 1975)[1] was an American-born entertainer, most noted for her singing career, while in her early career she was a celebrated dancer and noted actress. ... Fred Barnes (1885-1938) was an English music hall artist . ... Kate Carney was an English singer & comedian who played the Music Halls in London. ... William Crump (1866–1942), better known by the stage name Harry Champion, was a famous British Music Hall composer and star. ... Charles Chaplin redirects here. ... Sydney Chaplin (1885-1965) was the elder half-brother of Charlie Chaplin and the half-uncle of the actor Sydney Chaplin (1926- ), who was born as Sydney Earle Chaplin. ... Albert Chevalier Albert Chevalier (March 21, 1861–July 10, 1923) was an English comedian and actor. ... British music hall singer and comedian, born in Stepney, East London, on 4 August 1852, and died in London on 23 November 1945. ... The Cox Twins are twins brothers, Frank and Fred, born 1927, and are British entertainers in the Music Hall tradition. ... Kenneth Arthur Dodd OBE (born 8 November 1927, in Knotty Ash, Liverpool), better known as Ken Dodd, is a veteran English comedian and singer, famous for selling over 100 million records, his buck teeth, frizzy hair, feather duster (or tickling stick), and his catchphrases, often playing on the tickled motif... Daisy Dormer (born Kezia Beatrice Stockwell, 1883 - 1947) was an English music hall singer born in Portsmouth. ... Clive Robert Dunn OBE (born 9 January 1920) is a retired English actor, singer and entertainer best known for his role as Lance-Corporal Jack Jones in the BBC sitcom Dads Army, and Sam Cobbett in the Yorkshire Television sitcom My Old Man. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Norman Evans (1901-1962) was a variety and radio artiste, born in Rochdale, Lancashire, who developed an act as a toothless hatchet faced woman gossiping over a fence, an act copied by Les Dawson. ... Dame Gracie Fields, DBE (January 9, 1898–September 27, 1979), born Grace Stansfield, was an English/Italian singer and comedienne who became one of the greatest stars of both cinema and music hall. ... Flanagan and Allen were a British singing and comedy double act popular during World War II. Its members were Bud Flanagan (1896 - 1968) and Chesney Allen (1893 - 1982). ... Florrie Forde (August 27th 1876 - 1940), born Florence Mary Flannagan, was an Australian popular singer and entertainer. ... George Formby (now known as George Formby Senior) (1875 - 1921) was the father of ukulele playing star George Formby, and a star in his own right. ... George Formby, OBE (26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English singer and comedian who became a major star of both cinema and music hall. ... Harry Fragson was a British music hall singer and comedian, born 2 July 1869 in Soho, London, and died in Paris, 31 December 1913. ... William Thomson Hay (6 December 1888 – 18 April 1949) was an English comedian, actor and amateur astronomer. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... New company logo as introduced in May 2007 A poster for Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966). ... Fred Karno - the stage name of Frederick John Westcott (March 26, 1866 - September 18, 1941) - was a theatre impressario. ... Winifred Emms (1883 in Shoreditch, London - September 28, 1972), was an English entertainer who played on the Music Halls over a period of 70 years. ... Sir Harry Lauder, KBE (4 August 1870 - 26 February 1950) was a very famous Scottish entertainer, described by Sir Winston Churchill as Scotlands greatest ever ambassador! // Early Years Born Henry Lauder at 4 Bridge Street Portobello, the residence of his mother’s father, he was the eldest son of... Stan Laurel (born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) was an English 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. // Stan Laurel... Dan Leno (born George Wild Galvin, (December 20, 1860 - October 31, 1904) was an English music hall comedian whose act typically revolved around cockney humour and dressing up as a pantomime dame. ... Image File history File links King,_Hetty_-_1910_(male_impersonator). ... Image File history File links King,_Hetty_-_1910_(male_impersonator). ... Winifred Emms (1883 in Shoreditch, London - September 28, 1972), was an English entertainer who played on the Music Halls over a period of 70 years. ... The French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard (1839? - 1870), was the man who inspired the 1867 song The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze (with lyrics by George Leybourne). ... Joe Sanders (1842–1884), better known as George Leybourne, was an English music hall performer. ... Cecilia (Cissie or Cissy) Loftus (October 22, 1876 – July 12, 1943), in Glasgow, Scotland. ... Violet Loraine (26 July 1886 – 18 July 1956) was an English musical theatre actress and singer. ... Little Tich (1867-1928) in his Big Boot routine, about 1890 Harry Relph, known on the stage as Little Tich, (July 21, 1867-February 10, 1928) was an English music hall comedian. ... Arthur Lloyd (1839-1904) was a comedian, music hall artist, musician and songwriter in the UK. He wrote literally hundreds of music hall songs. ... Matilda Alice Victoria Wood (February 12, 1870 - October 7, 1922), was a British music-hall singer . ... Max Miller, the Cheeky Chappie, was a 1930s English music hall comedian famous for his daringly risqué (for the period) repertoire (see Censorship), and gaudy suits. ... Denise Orme - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Music from Robertss song in Robinson Crusoe Arthur Roberts (21 September 1852 - 27 February 1933) was an English comedian, music hall entertainer and actor. ... George Edward Wade (20 September 1869 – 29 November 1954), better known by his stage name, George Robey, was a British music hall star. ... Ronnie Ronalde (born Ronald Charles Waldron, 1923, London) is a British music hall singer and siffleur. ... Ella Shields (September 27, 1879 – August 05, 1952[1]) was a music hall singer and male-impersonator. ... Arthur Clifford Baines (November 30, 1892- 1971) was a teacher from the steel making city of Sheffield, [[Yorkshire[[. He performed under the stage name Stainless Stephen. ... Eugene Stratton (May 8, 1861 - on September 15, 1918), was an Anerican-born dancer and singer, whose career was mostly spent in Britain. ... Harry Tate (4 July 1872 - 14 February 1940) was a Scottish comedian who performed both in the music halls and in films. ... Vesta Tilly (May 13, 1864 – September 16, 1952) was an English male impersonator. ... Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov, CBE (IPA: ; April 16, 1921 – March 28, 2004), born Peter Alexander Baron von Ustinov, was an Academy Award-winning English actor, writer, dramatist and raconteur of French, Italian, Swiss, Russian, German and Ethiopian ancestry. ... Alfred Peek Stevens (1839 – December 26, 1888), best known by his stage name Alfred Vance, was an English singer in the 19th Century music halls. ... Vesta Victoria (November 26, 1873 – April 7, 1951) was an English music hall singer and comedienne. ... Vulcana in 1900 Kate Williams (1875 – 1946), sometimes called Kate Roberts, better known by her stage name Vulcana, was a Welsh strongwoman born in Abergavenny. ... Max Wall (March 12, 1908 - May 21, 1990) was a British comedian, born in Brixton, London son of the successful music-hall entertainer Jack (Jock) Lorimer. ... H. Vernon Watson (1886-1949) was a popular variety artist touring the music halls before WWI, but he remained relatively obscure until several years after the war when he shot to fame with his character Nosmo King. ... Daisy Violet Rose Wood (September 15, 1877 in Hoxton, London – October 19, 1961), was an English Music hall singer. ... Richard Isaac Banks (1878 - March, 1915), who changed his name to Billy Williams after leaving his birthplace of Australia, was one of the most recorded popular entertainers of his and indeed of all time. ... Wilson, Keppel and Betty were a popular British music hall act who capitalised on the trend for Egyptian imagery following the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. ...

Music hall in literature, drama, and screen

The music hall has been evoked in many films, plays, TV series and books.

• About half of the film Those Were The Days (1934) is set in a music hall. It was based on a farce by Pinero and features the music hall acts of Lily Morris, Harry Bedford, the gymnasts Gaston & Andre, G.H. Elliott, Sam Curtis and Frank Boston & Betty.
• A music hall with a 'memory man' act provides a pivotal plot device in the classic 1935 Hitchcock thriller The 39 Steps^[42].
• The Arthur Askey comedy film I Thank You (1941) features old time music hall star Lily Morris as an ex-music hall artiste now enobled as "Lady Randall". In the last scene of the film, however, she reverts to type and gives a rendition of "Waiting at the Church" at an impromptu concert at Aldwych tube station organised by Askey and his side-kick Richard "Stinker" Murdoch.
• The Victorian era of music hall was celebrated by the 1944 film Champagne Charlie^[43].
• Charlie Chaplin's 1952 film Limelight, set in 1914 London, evokes the music hall world of Chaplin's youth where he performed as comedian before he achieved world-wide celebrity as a film star in America. The film depicts the last performance of a washed-up music hall clown called Calvero at The Empire theatre, Leicester Square. The film premiered at the Empire Cinema, which was built on the same site as the Empire theatre^[44].
• The Good Old Days (1953 to 1983) was a popular BBC television light entertainment programme recorded live at the Leeds City Varieties which recreated an authentic atmosphere of the Victorian–Edwardian music hall with songs and sketches of the era performed by present-day performers in the style of the original artistes. The audience dressed in period costume and joined in the singing, especially the singing of Down at the Old Bull and Bush which closed the show. The show was compered by Leonard Sachs who introduced the acts. In the course of its run it featured about 2000 artists. The show was first broadcast on July 20, 1953. The Good Old Days was inspired by the success of the Ridgeway's Late Joys at the Players' Theatre Club in London: a private members' club that ran fortnightly programmes of variety acts in London's West End^[45].
• John Osborne's play The Entertainer (1957) portrays the life and work of a failing third-rate music hall stage performer who tries to keep his career going even as his personal life falls apart. The story is set at the time of the Suez Crisis in 1956, against the backdrop of the dying music hall tradition, and has been seen as symbolic of Britain's general post-war decline, its loss of its Empire, its power, and its cultural confidence and identity. It was made into a film in 1960 starring Laurence Olivier in the title role of Archie Rice^[46].
• J. B. Priestley's 1965 novel Lost Empires also evokes the world of Edwardian music hall just before the start of World War I; the title is a reference to the Empire theatres (as well as foreshadowing the decline of the British Empire itself). It was recently adapted as a television miniseries, shown in both the UK and in the U.S. as a PBS presentation. Priestley's 1929 novel The Good Companions, set in the same period, follows the lives of the members of a "concert party" or touring "Pierrot troupe".
• The parodic film Oh! What a Lovely War (1969), based on the stage play by Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop, featured the music hall turns and songs that had provided support for the British war effort in World War I^[47].
• The popular British television series Upstairs, Downstairs (1971-1975) and its spin-off Thomas & Sarah (1979) each dealt frequently with the world of the Edwardian music hall, sometimes through references to actual Edwardian era performers such as Vesta Tilley or to characters on the show attending performances, and other times through the experiences of the popular character Sarah Moffat, who left domestic service several times and often ended up going on stage to support herself when she did.
• Between 1978 and 1984 BBC television broadcast two series of programmes called The Old Boy Network^[48]. These featured a star (usually a Music Hall performer, but also some younger turns like Eric Sykes) performing some of their best known routines while giving a slide show of their life story. Artistes featured included Arthur Askey, Tommy Trinder, Sandy Powell, and Chesney Allen.
• The modern Players' Theatre Club provides a brief impression of contemporary music hall in the film The Fourth Angel, where Jeremy Irons' character creates an alibi by visiting a show^[49].
• Sarah Waters's book Tipping the Velvet (1998) revolves around the world of music halls in the late Victorian era, and in particular around two fictional "mashers" (drag kings) named Kitty Butler and Nan King^[50].

Those were the Days (1934) is a film primarily remembered as Will Hays first major film role. ... Henry Harry Bedford (born October 15, 1899 in Grassmoor; died June 24, 1976 in Derby) was an English professional football player. ... Hitchcock can refer to: People Alfred Hitchcock, the film director. ... The 39 Steps is a 1935 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, based on the adventure novel The Thirty-nine Steps by John Buchan. ... Aldwych tube station is a disused station formerly on the Piccadilly Line of the London Underground. ... Richard Stinker Murdoch (1907-1990) was a British comedian. ... Champagne Charlie was a 1944 musical film directed by Alberto Cavalcanti based on an 1860s play that, in turn, was based on the real life rivalry of George Leybourne, who wrote the song of that name and Alfred Vance. ... Limelight is a 1952 film written, directed by and starring Charles Chaplin, co-starring Claire Bloom, with a guest appearance by Buster Keaton. ... The Good Old Days was a popular BBC television light entertainment television programme which ran from 1953 to 1983. ... The Leeds City Varieties is a Grade II* listed Music Hall in Leeds, U.K. It was built in 1865 as an adjunct to the White Swan Inn in Swan Street and the interior is largely unaltered. ... Leonard Sachs (born 26 September 1909 in Roodeport, Transvaal, died 15 June 1990) was a British actor. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The history of the Players is a microcosm of British theatrical history, and many famous names have appeared on its stage. ... John James Osborne (December 12, 1929 – December 24, 1994) was an English playwright, screenwriter, and critic of the Establishment. ... Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM, (IPA: ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and four-time Emmy winning English actor, director, and producer. ... John Boynton Priestley, OM (born 13 September 1894, Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, died 14 August 1984, Warwickshire) was an English writer and broadcaster . ... Lost Empires is a 1986 television adaptation of J.B. Priestleys novel of the same name, and starred Colin Firth, John Castle and Laurence Olivier. ... Moss Empires was a British company formed from the merger of the theatre empires owned by Sir Edward Moss and Sir Oswald Stoll in 1898. ... The Good Companions is a novel by the English author J. B. Priestley. ... Oh! What a Lovely War is a stage musical and 1969 musical film. ... Joan Maud Littlewood (6 October 1914 - 20 September 2002) was a theatrical director, famous for her work in developing the left-wing Theatre Workshop. ... Theatre Workshop is a theatre group most notable for their devised pieces that included Oh, what a lovely war, and their leader, Joan Littlewood. ... Upstairs, Downstairs was a BAFTA and Emmy award-winning British drama set in a large townhouse in Edwardian London that depicted the lives of the servants downstairs and their masters upstairs. It ran on ITV for five series from 1971 to 1975. ... Thomas & Sarah was the only spin-off from the popular LWT drama series Upstairs, Downstairs. ... Vesta Tilly (May 13, 1864 – September 16, 1952) was an English male impersonator. ... Sarah Moffat (born Clémence Moffat in July 1882), also known as Sarah Delice and Clémence Dumas, was a fictional character in the ITV drama Upstairs, Downstairs and its spin-off Thomas & Sarah. ... BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which began in 1932. ... Eric Sykes in the Sykes TV series (DVD) The Plank (DVD cover) Eric Sykes, CBE (born May 4, 1923 in Oldham, Lancashire) is a British comedic writer and actor. ... Arthur Askey (June 6, 1900 - November 16, 1982) was a prominent British comedian. ... Cover of Tommy Trinders publicity pamphlet for his 1952 Australian tour Tommy Trinder (24 March 1909 - 10 July 1989) was an English stage, screen and radio comedian. ... Sandy Powell (30 January 1900 - 26 June 1982) was an English comedian best known for his radio work of the 1930s and for his catchphrase Can You Hear Me, Mother? Born Albert Arthur Powell in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, he attended Whites school in Masbrough where he helped his... Chesney Allen (April 5, 1893 _ November 13, 1982) was a popular British entertainer of the Second World War period. ... The history of the Players is a microcosm of British theatrical history, and many famous names have appeared on its stage. ... Jeremy John Irons (born September 19, 1948) is an Academy Award, Tony Award, Screen Actors Guild, two-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award-winning English film, television and stage actor. ... Sarah Waters is a British novelist. ... Tipping the Velvet is a novel written by Sarah Waters and published by Virago. ... Drag kings are female-bodied or female-identified persons who either temporarily attempt to pass as men, usually off-stage, or perform male characters in often ostentatious mens clothes on stage, often with hilariously exaggerated macho attitudes, or show and/or perform a mixture of male and female characteristics, both...

Surviving music halls

The Hackney Empire, August 2005

London was the centre of Music Hall with hundreds of venues, often in the entertainment rooms of public houses. With the decline in popularity of Music Hall, many were abandoned, or converted to other uses, such as cinemas and their interiors lost. There are a number of purpose built survivors, including the Hackney Empire, an outstanding example of the late Music Hall period (Frank Matcham 1901). This has been restored to its moorish splendour and now provides an eclectic programme of events from opera to "Black Variety Nights". A mile to the south is Hoxton Hall an 1863 example of the saloon-style. It is unrestored but maintained in its original layout, and currently used as a community centre and theatre^[51]. In the neighbouring borough, Collins Music Hall (built about 1860) still stands on the North side of Islington Green. The hall closed in the 1960s and currently forms part of a bookshop^[52]. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (640x632, 135 KB) The Hackney Empire, Mare Street, Hackney, London. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (640x632, 135 KB) The Hackney Empire, Mare Street, Hackney, London. ... Hackney Empire The Hackney Empire is a theatre on Mare Street, Hackney. ... Frank Matcham (born 22 November 1854, Newton Abbot, Devon - died 17 May 1920, Southend-on-Sea, Essex) was a famous English theatrical architect // Matcham and two architects he helped to train, Bertie Crewe and W.G.R. Sprague, were together responsible for the majority - certainly more than 200 - of the... Hoxton Hall is a community centre and performance space in Hoxton, at 130 Hoxton Street, Hackney. ... For other uses, see Islington (disambiguation). ...

In Clapham, The Grand, originally the 1900 'Grand Palace of Varieties', has been restored, but its interior reflects its modern use as a music venue and nightclub^[53]. The Greenwich Theatre was originally the 'Rose and Crown Music Hall' (1855), and later became 'Crowder's Music Hall and Temple of Varieties'. The building has been extensively modernised and little of the original layout remains^[54]. For other places with the same name, see Clapham (disambiguation). ... The Greenwich Theatre is a local theatre located in Crooms Hill close to the centre of Greenwich in south-east London. ...

In the nondescript Grace's Alley, off Cable Street, Stepney stands Wilton's Music Hall. This 1858 example of the giant pub hall survived use as a church, fire, flood and war intact, but was virtually derelict, after its use as a rag warehouse, in the 1960s. The Wilton's Music Hall Trust has embarked on a fund-raising campaign to restore the building^[55]. In June 2007 the World Monuments Fund added the building to its list of the world's "100 most endangered sites".^[56] Stepney is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. ... Wiltons Music Hall is a grade II* listed building, a former Music hall and performance space in Graces Alley, off Cable Street in Stepney, London, England. ... The World Monuments Fund (WMF) is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic art and architecture worldwide through fieldwork, advocacy, grantmaking, education, and training. ...

Many of these buildings can be seen as part of the annual London Open House event. London Open House is an annual event where buildings are opened to the public (most are usually not). ...

1904 London Coliseum, Matcham theatre with London's widest proscenium arch

There are also surviving music halls outside London, a notable example is the Leeds City Varieties (1865) with a preserved interior. This was used for many years as the setting for the BBC television variety show, based on the music hall genre, The Good Old Days. The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford was built in 1914 for theatre impresario Frank Laidler, and later owned by the Stoll-Moss Empire'. It was restored in 1986, and is a fine example of the late Edwardian style. It is now a receiving theatre for touring productions, and opera^[57]. Download high resolution version (500x666, 77 KB)The London Coliseum, Home of the English National Opera, following refurbishment in 2004. ... Download high resolution version (500x666, 77 KB)The London Coliseum, Home of the English National Opera, following refurbishment in 2004. ... The Leeds City Varieties is a Grade II* listed Music Hall in Leeds, U.K. It was built in 1865 as an adjunct to the White Swan Inn in Swan Street and the interior is largely unaltered. ... The Good Old Days was a popular BBC television light entertainment television programme which ran from 1953 to 1983. ... The Bradford Alhambra is a theatre in Bradford, West Yorkshire. ... Sir Oswald Stoll (20 January 1866 – 9 January 1942) was a British theatre manager and the co-founder of the Stoll Moss Group theatre empire. ... Sir Horace Edward Moss (1852–25 November 1912) was a British theatre impresario and the founder of the Moss Empires theatre company (now known as the Stoll Moss Group). ... The Edwardian period or Edwardian era in the United Kingdom is the period 1901 to 1910, the reign of King Edward VII. It is sometimes extended to include the period to the start of World War I in 1914 or even the end of the war in 1918. ...

In Northern Ireland, the Grand Opera House (Belfast). Frank Matcham 1895, was preserved and restored in the 1980s^[58].The Gaiety Theatre, Isle of Man is another Matcham design from 1900^[59] that remains in use after an extensive restoration programme in the 1970s. In Glasgow, the Britannia Music Hall (1857), by architects Thomas Gildard and H.M. McFarlane remains standing, with much of the theatre intact but in a poor state having closed in 1938. There is a preservation trust attempting to rescue the theatre^[60]. Northern Ireland (Irish: , Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a constituent country of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... The Grand Opera House The Grand Opera House is a theatre in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ...

One of the few fully functional music hall entertainments, is at the Brick Lane Music Hall in a former church in North Woolwich. For information. The Players' Theatre Club is another group performing a Victorian style Music Hall show at a variety of venues. North Woolwich consists of two tracts of land, totalling 412 acres (1. ... The history of the Players is a microcosm of British theatrical history, and many famous names have appeared on its stage. ...

See also

The term "Music hall" is also used to describe some large musical venues, such as the Paris Olympia, Radio City Music Hall, and Music Hall in Cincinnati, Ohio (see Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra). The Olympias entrance and billboard Paris Olympia is a music hall at 28, Blvd. ... Radio City Music Hall at Christmas 2005 Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... Cincinnati redirects here. ... As the fifth-oldest orchestra in the United States, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has a legacy of fine music making as reflected in its performances in historic Music Hall, recordings, and international tours. ...

• Vaudeville
• Players' Theatre
• Shrewsbury Music Hall

This article is about the musical variety theatre. ... The history of the Players is a microcosm of British theatrical history, and many famous names have appeared on its stage. ... The Music Hall in Shrewsbury, England, is a large Victorian building owned by Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council and currently houses the boroughs theatre and tourist information centre, as well as a cafe and some council offices. ...

References

Benny Green (1927–1998) born in Leeds, Yorkshire in the UK, was a cockney accented British jazz saxophonist, who was most well known by the public for his radio shows and books. ... is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... The Theatres Act 1843 (6 & 7 Vict. ... is the 265th day of the year (266th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 – February 18, 1546) was a German monk,[1] priest, professor, theologian, and church reformer. ... Rowland Hill (1744-1833), was a popular English preacher and enthusiastic evangelical. ... For other persons named John Wesley, see John Wesley (disambiguation). ... is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... For the in-memory database management system, see In-memory database. ... For the in-memory database management system, see In-memory database. ... For the in-memory database management system, see In-memory database. ... For the in-memory database management system, see In-memory database. ... For the in-memory database management system, see In-memory database. ... is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... For the in-memory database management system, see In-memory database. ... is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... For other uses, see Guardian. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further reading

• Alexander, John, Tearing Tickets Twice Nightly:The Last Days of Variety (Arcady Press, 2002)
• Bailey, Peter, ed., Music Hall: The Business of Pleasure, (Milton Keynes, Open University Press, 1986)
• Bergen, Edgar, How To Become a Ventriloquist, (Mineola: Dover Publications, 2000)
• Bratton, J.S., ed., Music Hall: Performance & Style (Milton Keynes, Open University Press, 1986)
• Bruce, Frank, More Variety Days: Fairs, Fit-ups, Music hall, Variety Theatre, Clubs, Cruises and Cabaret (Edinburgh, Tod Press, 2000)
• Busby, Roy, British Music Hall: An Illustrated Who's Who from 1850 to the Present Day (London: Paul Elek, 1976)
• Cheshire, D.F., Music Hall in Britain, (Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1974)
• Connor, Steven, Dumbstruck: A Cultural History of Ventriloquism (Oxford University Press, 2000)
• Earl, John, British Theatres and Music Halls (Princes Risborough, Shire, 2005)
• Garrett, John M., Sixty Years of British Music Hall, (London, Chappell & Company in association with Andre Deutsch, 1976)
• Earl, John and Sell, Michael (eds.) The Theatres Trust Guide to British Theatres, 1750-1950 (A & C Black Publishers Ltd, 2000)
• Green, Benny, ed., The Last Empires: A Music Hall Companion (London, Pavilion Books Ltd. in association with Michael Joseph Ltd., 1986)
• Honri, Peter John Wilton's Music Hall, The Handsomest Room in Town (1985)
• Howard, Diana London Theatres and Music Halls 1850-1950 (1970)
• Hudd, Roy, Music Hall (London, Eyre Methuen, 1976)
• Maloney, Paul, Scotland and the Music Hall, 1850-1914 (Manchester University Press, 2003)
• Mander, Raymond, and Mitchenson, Joe, British Music Hall (London, Gentry Books, 1974)
• Mellor, G.J., The Northern Music Hall (Newcastle Upon Tyne, Frank Graham, 1970)
• Mellor, G.J., They Made us Laugh: A Compendium Of Comedians Whose Memories Remain Alive (Littleborough, George Kelsall, 1982)
• O'Gorman, Brian, Laughter in the Roar: Reminiscences of Variety and Pantomime (Weybridge, B. O'Gorman, 1998)
• Wilmut, Roger, Kindly Leave The Stage - The story of Variety 1919-1960 (London, Methuen 1985)
• The V&A Theatre Collections for Music Hall and Variety

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Music Hall

• The British Music Hall Society
• Remastered recordings of music hall artists
• The "Entertainment" section of www.victorianlondon.org
• Your Very Own Music Hall Company
• Arthur Lloyd (performer) site links to transcriptions of historical sources on performances and venues