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Just eight years before Sean Connery ordered his first Martini, shaken, not stirred, he was treading the boards at Wolverhampton’s Grand Theatre.
The 77-year-old actor is best known for his role as James Bond, but in 1954 his name was languishing near the bottom of a programme for a production of South Pacific, playing Lieutenant Buz Adams.
The latest version of the musical masterpiece about a naive Navy nurse who falls in love with a middle-aged French plantation owner ended at the Grand on Saturday night.
Video journalist Victoria Hoe took a look at some of the Grand’s treasures. Watch her video.
“It would be fantastic if someone remembered coming to see South Pacific in 1954 and if they spotted Sean Connery,” revealed Grand Theatre marketing manager Iain Watkins.
“It was a Rogers and Hammerstein production and would have been one of the first showings of South Pacific since the Second World War.
“We recently managed to obtain a copy of the programme from the show, which lists the cast.”
The Grand wants to hear from people who can share their memories of trips to the Lichfield Street venue, or if they used to work backstage.
They are also hoping that people can help them fill in the gaps in the theatre’s history.
“Most people think we have a definitive list of plays that have appeared at the theatre in its 114-year history,” said Iain.
“Sadly this is not true and we have gaping holes in the timeline that need to be filled, and we are asking people in the West Midlands to help us.
“We want to hear from people who have memories of the Grand Theatre, whether they came to see a show or worked backstage.
“We are hoping to eventually collate all this information and record people’s memories, possibly creating a database of all the actors that have worked here since the theatre opened.
“These included Sir Henry Irving, the renowned Lyceum actor, and a young Charlie Chaplin who was recorded as being company call boy in 1902.
“He later starred at the Grand in one of his first acting debuts as Dr Watson’s pageboy in Sherlock Holmes.”
The Grand opened its doors on December 10, 1894 and the driving force behind it was Alderman Mander, who was at that time mayor of Wolverhampton.
It was designed by eminent theatre architect Charles J Phipps and Wolverhampton builder, Henry Gough, was appointed to carry out the construction work which cost, at that time, an estimated £10,000.
“Most of the artifacts associated with the Grand Theatre are kept in storage and we are keen to put them on display,” said Iain.
“There is still a lot of mystery surrounding some of the artifacts such as a postcard, which was posted in 1903 to an address in Waterloo Road South in Wolverhampton.
“It was advertising the play The Light That Failed and we don’t know if the theatre sent it out to advertise future plays, or if it was someone posting it to a friend.
“Also, were postcards like this printed for most plays or was it just a one-off? “I’m sure there must be other people in the West Midlands who have other postcards advertising shows.”
Iain also revealed another interesting nugget uncovered by staff.
“Another amusing item we have uncovered is correspondence sent between George Bernard Shaw and the Grand Theatr e over the performance of his play Pygmalion,” he said.
“Shaw complains to the theatre that his play is advertised as ‘the brilliant comedy by Oscar Wilde’ and he asks ‘Is Oscar’s name a bigger draw than mine?’”
“The theatre responds by saying they would not apologise for the mistake as the audience was triple the size when attributed to Wilde, which meant Shaw is going to benefit from greater royalties.
“Shaw replies saying he begs the manager of the theatre to continue attributing the play to Wilde and writes ‘I am not grumbling, I am rejoicing’”.
On the theatre’s opening night on December 10, 1894, the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company performed Gilbert & Sullivan’s Utopia Limited – they performed again at the Grand’s centenary show in 1994.
Iain says the Grand Theatre was not just a place for shows and pantomimes but also meetings and election campaigns.
“In 1909 the Grand was chosen by the president of the Board of Trade, Winston Churchill when he addressed the Budget League from the theatre’s stage,” he added.
“Nine years later Prime Minister David Lloyd George opened the Government’s General Election campaign at the theatre with a famous speech where he said he wanted ‘a country fit for heroes’.”
To contact the Grand Theatre with your memories get in touch with Louise Bent, Grand Theatre, Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1DE.
By Cathy Spencer
3 Comments
Hmmm… Where do we start?
On the Grand’s stage I saw Marlene Dietich, Ray Charles, Oscar Peterson, Peter Brough, Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson, Stanley Unwin, Honor Blackman, The D’Oyly Carte, Ballet Rambert, Barbara Windsor, James Fox, Richard Beckinsale, a young Ian McKellan and a host of stars… the list could go on and on…
The Grand could be inundated because this is a Theatre which has enjoyed a very special following and the late night socialising in the dress circle bar… (obviously with no drinks being served ahem)…. meant frequently members of the audience were able to meet up with the stars.
The gossip flowed. A good story was the argument over the pricing of dress circle seats in that final spectacular season of variety… Constance Myatt was reported as refusing to allow the manager to price seats as he chose. “I couldn’t afford to pay ten shillings!” she declared. At the time dress circle seats were 8/6d….. or so me memory suggests.
But this is not the only theatre story in Wolverhampton. Who remembers the Century Theatre? What about the Arena’s predecessor? What about the Hippodrome/Empire Palace. Perhaps the Grand should extend its remit and try to cover the entire theatrical history of Wton.
Somewhere around the early 60’s I watched a wonderful production of The Entertainer at The Grand and the talents of the lead actor impressed me so much I have never forgotten the production.
I considered that performance better than the movie of the same play when it was filmed some time later,
For years I have been trying to find out who played that role, all I know was that he had previously been a regular at The Grand and had returned to play that part.
I am not to sure but it is possible his first name was Tony.
Two other plays that ran at The Grand around that time were Look Back in Anger and Tea and Sympathy, both great productions.
About 12 years ago my cuzin done a play and the song “thank you for the music” was sang in the play, my cuzin was the one at the very front. if anyone has any video’s of this production could you get in contact as we would really like to see the,.
thanks
x