Theatre Royal 1937

Press, 2 December 1987, Page 23

Theatre Royal 1937

The eloquence of the concert advance manager was apparent in John Farrell’s advertisements for two performances of Benno Moiseiwitsch at the Theatre Royal in late July, 1937. “The poet of the piano with fingers of steel and a touch of velvet” was not considered too fanciful for those days.

So successful was this famous pianist that a return concert was announced for August, the booking sandwiched between dates for the ever-

popular wrestling; McCready v Marshall (“autograph books will not be signed at the Theatre”) and “Strangler” Lewis v Jack Spellman. Some provision was made for entertainment of a more cultural nature with the visit of General Platoff’s 30-strong Don Cossack Choir and brilliant Russian dancers who played a brief season with “special semi-stereoscopic lighting effects" to enhance their presentation.

Later the Frank Neil Revue company provided

all the novelty and surprise expected of an entertainment of this kind, from Irene Vermillion, acrobatic dancer and her Dart Girl trumpeters to the Harris Sisters, billed as “human frogs.” Two acts from famous vaudeville and variety families were also on the bill— Con Colleano, wire walking genius, and Jack and Sylvia Kellaway, with songs from musical comedy. The company played for two weeks in September with two different programmes.