Coventry Theatre – Birthday and Spring Shows

 

Coventry Theatre – Birthday and Spring Shows.

by Pete Clemons

When it opened in 1937 the Coventry theatre was one of the most modern and best equipped theatres in the country. Many improvements were made but, certainly during the 1960s, could still make the boast of being 'Britain's finest theatre'.

It opened soon after a period of difficult conditions for theatre's in general which, in many ways, form a parallel to the present time.

The advent of talking pictures during the early 1930s had much the same effect as television in the 1950s, DVD in the 1990s and downloading/streaming today. Audiences had dwindled and theatres were closing or converted to cinemas.

However the directors of Coventry theatre had the belief that live theatre could be revived and audiences would return.

It was once mentioned by theatre managing director S.H. Newsome that the birthday show had been a popular event that began in 1931 at the previous theatre. The tradition of observance then continued in the new art deco venue. The first birthday show at the Coventry theatre was in 1938 to celebrate the first anniversary of the opening of the new theatre.

So successful was that first show that it managed to continue through the war. By all accounts, during 1940 and with bombs dropping, Evelyn Laye, Nat Jackley and the Two Leslie's were on stage !!. I'm sure there is an element of vivid local story telling in there somewhere.

Given what happened to the majority of the city centre during the bombing, Coventry theatre was almost miraculously spared from destruction. It was penetrated by several incendiary bombs and at least one high explosive bomb which failed to detonate. A small price given what happened elsewhere in the city centre. As such the theatre was able to play its part in maintaining morale in the city during those difficult days as well as raising substantial funds for various war time appeals.

Since those days the birthday celebration grew from a week long variety show to a full scale production lasting six weeks for which script writers, orchestras, choreographers etc prepared for several months in advance

At its height the birthday show figures were phenomenal. It attracted upwards of 100,000 people and saw audiences buying tickets before the announcement of a cast. The Glastonbury of its day if you like.

The Spring show was announced during 1959 and first opened Easter Monday April 18 1960 by a galaxy of stars that included Shirley Bassey and Ken Dodd. The show ran for a whole season duration between several months or even months.

The Spring show had been encouraged by the phenomenal success of the Birthday show. Audience pressure demanding similar shows of such magnitude made it an easy decision to make and thus expanding the theatre's reach.

Both the Spring show and Birthday show ran till 1976. Mr Newsome had a love for the variety production and without doubt it were those shows, along with the star studded pantomimes, that made the theatre prosperous and famous. But, in hindsight and with changing times, it could possibly have been at the beginning of the theatres downfall.