''Theatre Royal'' is a 1943 British

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by John Baxter and starring

Bud Flanagan Bud Flanagan (born Chaim Reuben Weintrop, 14 October 1896 – 20 October 1968) was a British music hall and vaudeville entertainer and comedian, and later a television and film actor. He was best known as being one half of the comedy and musi ...

Chesney Allen William Ernest Chesney Allen (5 April 1894 – 13 November 1982) was a popular English entertainer of the Second World War period. He is best remembered for his comedy and music double act with Bud Flanagan as duo Flanagan and Allen. Life ...

and Lydia Sherwood.BFI.org
/ref> The plot concerns an attempt by the staff of a

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a Stage (theatre), stage. The performe ...

to prevent its closure. The film's sets were designed by C. Wilfred Arnold.

Plot

A London theatre is threatened with closure, but its staff fight to raise funds and secure the support of an important backer. The owners Parker and Maxwell try to prevent Harding from buying it but must find money. They find a rich old American, Clement J. Earle, and try to get money out of him, but also trick him buying antique furniture in an old country house. As Flanagan and Allen sleep together in a huge ornate bed the ghosts of the old house appear. Flanagan dreams they are

Sir Francis Drake Sir Francis Drake ( 1540 – 28 January 1596) was an English Exploration, explorer and privateer best known for making the Francis Drake's circumnavigation, second circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition between 1577 and 1580 (bein ...

and

Walter Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh (; – 29 October 1618) was an English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer. One of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, he played a leading part in English colonisation of North America, suppressed rebell ...

meeting

Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...

. They audition the background helpers in the theatre to create a show including George the handyman. During the auditions they hear a wonderful female voice offstage and bring her on. She is the wonderful Welsh soprano Gwen Catley

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

. Flanagan and Allen put on

blackface Blackface is the practice of performers using burned cork, shoe polish, or theatrical makeup to portray a caricature of black people on stage or in entertainment. Scholarship on the origins or definition of blackface vary with some taking a glo ...

and sing on stage as a toff nd his chauffeur. They sing "I'll Always Have Time for You". From the stage they spot Harding in the audience. Parker and George meet Harding's representative in a bar. They spot the man drugging the drinks so they swap them. Harding falls asleep. They steal his wallet for evidence. The next protege on stage is nine-year-old Victor Feldman who drums excellently as the orchestra support him. He latterly became a proponent of modern jazz drumming in the UK and US, appearing with Ronnie Scott and Miles Davis, amongst others. Mr Earle comes back and together with an English backer, Mr Bowman, they back a new show "Shake Partner". The show starts with the soprano coming out of a huge clam shell. She is joined by twenty ballerinas. Flanagan and Allen put on top hat and tails and end the show.

Cast

References

External links

* 1943 films 1943 comedy films 1940s English-language films British comedy films Films directed by John Baxter Films set in England British black-and-white films Films shot at British National Studios 1940s British films Films scored by Kennedy Russell English-language comedy films {{1940s-UK-comedy-film-stub