Music hall memories

Press, 9 November 1988, Page 27

Music hall memories

Reg Varney will bring back the old Music Hall era to the Town Hall this month. Varney, known for his television role in “On The Buses,” also plays the piano — a burst of Strauss, some ragtime he learned at his old dad’s knee, and his own version of “Night and Day.” Reg Varney will appear in the James Hay Theatre, with special New Zealand guests, on Tuesday, November 15. Varney’s first appearance on the stage was as a lad in the working men’s clubs in London. He would sit at the piano and play and sing requests for the members. He has never had a music lesson in his life. As he grew older, Varney graduated to the famed music halls, where his versatility as an entertainer soon at-

tracted many offers for pantomime and summer season. This led to small acting parts and his break finally came when he was offered a lead in “The Rag Trade,” which became an instant success with the British public. Varney followed this with his own series — “The Valiant Varneys,” “Beggar My Neighbour” and, of course “On The Buses,” one of the longest running comedy series on television. Meanwhile, he continued starring in pantomimes and summer seasons in Britain. In addition, he has starred in several films — “On The Buses,” “Mutiny On The Buses,” “Holiday On The Buses,” “The Best Pair Of Legs In The Business,” “Joey Boy,” and “The Great St Trinians Train Robbery.”