Live shows at the Gaumont

[rubydazzler]

can any of you remember the coffee place down past Coles - went in after the shows

 

La Favourita?

[smary]

hubby seems to think it had another name before 'the fav'??

[rubydazzler]

hubby seems to think it had another name before 'the fav'??

 

I only ever knew it as La Fav. There was The Piccolo, but I think that was only open in the day. Roman Room on Orchard Place? The Wimpy Bar on Pinstone Street? Sidewalk on Chapel Walk?

 

Ohhh, when you start thinking, there were quite a lot of coffee bars, weren' there?

[lyn123]

i think they have got mixed up with the fiesta as my cousin was chief projectionist there at the gaumont

[manaman]

i think they have got mixed up with the fiesta as my cousin was chief projectionist there at the gaumont

 

O no we didn't.

The original Gaumont was a theatre as well as a cinema and was therefore able to stage touring pop shows, similar to those staged at the City Hall. These shows were usually only for one night, so it was more cost effective than having the same show for a week. ( It is easier to get one full house than to try and get five or six full houses ). This also allowed them to show their normal film programme the rest of the week.

 

The Fiesta was a nightclub. Nightclubs tended to have their own resident M.C. and band or group who supported the visiting artistes. The most popular/famous artistes were usually booked for the week, usually shuttling between the Fiesta and Batley Variety Club and Greasborough Working Men's Club. This was the only way these clubs could afford to pay the artistes' fees; by sharing the cost. ( They had to rely on the popularity of the artistes to try to give them a week of full houses ).