When:
Friday, 20th January
Where:
Hoxton Hall, 130 Hoxton Street, London N1 6SH
From Wilton’s to Hoxton Hall, for upcoming show on 20th January
In the true fashion of music hall artistes who traversed from one venue to another, taking their “turns” all over London, the World Famous Players’ Theatre Club – who have just celebrated their 75th Anniversary of recreating Victorian Music Hall performances – are currently touring London venues to widen their availability to appreciative audiences.
In November the Players’ held their diamond anniversary gala at Leicester Square Theatre, followed in December by their sold-out fundraiser for Wilton’s, the UK’s oldest surviving music hall.
Now the Players’ are heading for historic Hoxton Hall. This Grade II listed building, was first constructed in 1863 as MacDonald’s Music Hall and survives largely in its original form. An atmospheric venue which boasts red velvet curtains and gold décor, a balcony and a high multi-tiered stage, it evokes the history of music hall turns done on its boards by performers such as East-End girl-turned superstar Marie Lloyd who reputedly performed there.
“When I did my show about Marie Loyd’s lifestory at Hoxton Hall in April, 1979, I definitely felt a sense of her, watching” reveals Jan Hunt, The Producer/Director as well as performer for the Players’, Jan will perform her Marie Lloyd medley in the upcoming Hoxton Hall show.
Marie was famously saucy and Jan, as noted by The Times, does routines which “proved that risqué jokes did not start with Julian Clary”. The Times also applauded “Jan Hunt’s brisk production, complete with traditional audience singalongs, mixes sentimental ballads with earthy humour.” The Players’ show, featuring splendid artistes from the Players’ roster ranging in age from 14 to 80+, will offer song, dance, music, magic and the all-important audience singalong.
“Music Hall has always been about involving the audience” says Johnny Dennis, the Players’ Chairman who was praised for “dispensing genial Pickwickian humour “ (The Times). Johnny was also a regular on BBC TV’s long-running show The Good Old Days, whose Chairman Leonard Sachs co-founded The Players’ in 1936. (Johnny is also an announcer at the Lord’s Cricket Grounds, and an authority on this game).
Other artistes on the bill will include
- Magician/comedian MichaelEllie Bamber, the youngest of the Players’ artistes (only 14)
- Pearse, who “stole the show with his brisk, Frank Carson style gags, all delivered amid impressive balancing tricks” (The Times);
- Loraine Hart
- Peter John
- Robert Meadwell
- Helen Watson and Johnny Dennis as the Chairman who will helm this show.
At Hoxton Hall on a January night warmed by mulled wine and camaraderie, The Players’ Theatre Club will bring their own incarnation of Music Hall days gone by to enliven and enlighten a new audience.
Information
The Players’ Theatre Club
Friday, 20th January, 7:30 PM (doors open at 7:00)
Tickets: £15.00 (£12.50 concession, and for Players’ Theatre Club Members)
Reservations
To book, call 0207 684 0600.
See footage from our 75th Anniversary here . Also available on YouTube .
