The Leeds City Varieties is a Grade II* listed music hall in

Leeds Leeds () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the thi ...

, West Yorkshire, England.

History

Leeds City Varieties was built in 1865 as an adjunct to the White Swan Inn in Swan Street by architect George Smith for Charles Thornton. Along with Hoxton Hall and

Wilton's Music Hall Wilton's Music Hall is a Grade II* listed building in Shadwell, built as a music hall and now run as a multi-arts performance space in Graces Alley, off Cable Street in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is one of very few surviving musi ...

(both in London), it is a rare surviving example of a

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edward ...

music hall. The interior is a long rectangle, with cast-iron columns with foliage

capitals Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...

supporting two bow-fronted balconies, the upper tier of which received minor modifications in the 1880s. Plaster female busts, swags and medallions adorn the balconies, while a three-centred proscenium arch, surmounted by the royal coat of arms, covers the shallow stage. The theatre was founded by local pub landlord and benefactor Charles Thornton and was originally called 'Thornton's New Music Hall and Fashionable Lounge'. This followed from a 'Singing Room' above the inn. The name subsequently changed to the White Swan Varieties and then Stansfield's Varieties before becoming the City Palace of Varieties. Charlie Chaplin,

Marie Lloyd Matilda Alice Victoria Wood (12 February 1870 – 7 October 1922), professionally known as Marie Lloyd (), was an English music hall singer, comedian and musical theatre actress. She was best known for her performances of songs such as "Th ...

and

Houdini Harry Houdini (, born Erik Weisz; March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926) was a Hungarian-American escape artist, magic man, and stunt performer, noted for his escape acts. His pseudonym is a reference to his spiritual master, French magician ...

are among the artists who performed there. Between 1953 and 1983, the theatre achieved national fame as the venue for the BBC television programme '' The Good Old Days'', a recreation of old-time music hall featuring Leonard Sachs as the

alliterative Alliteration is the conspicuous repetition of initial consonant sounds of nearby words in a phrase, often used as a literary device. A familiar example is "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers". Alliteration is used poetically in various ...

Chairman and many well-known and less-well-known performers. The venue still presents live "Good Old Days" music hall events over runs of 3 weekends in the spring and 4 in the autumn, as well as pantomime and a regular programme of stand-up comedy and music concerts. The City Varieties was granted Heritage Lottery funds to help with major refurbishment and restoration. The theatre closed for refurbishment in January 2009, and re-opened in September 2011. The theatre now seats 467, and the sides of the balcony are closed to the public, now giving space to additional lighting. Leeds City Varieties - geograph.org.uk - 353579.jpg, Interior of the City Varieties City Varieties Leeds.jpg, Blue plaque

References

Bibliography

External links

City Varieties websiteThe Good Old Days at Leeds City Varieties theatre, from suchsmallportions.com
{{Authority control Theatres in Leeds Grade II* listed buildings in West Yorkshire Music venues in Leeds Listed buildings in Leeds Leeds Blue Plaques Music hall venues in the United Kingdom

History

See also

References

Bibliography

External links