Rodney Hardcastle
As an eight year old boy, walking home from Dewsbury Empire with the balloon-modelled swan made for me by Hal Monty, the history of theatre was to become my bedrock.
My life long passion for the history of theatres is brought together in this book which focuses on the laughter, enjoyment, and ultimately the demise of ‘the music hall’ and the stars who performed there.
These theatres were entrancing places where people could travel on a magical journey with the stars of yesteryear. For an hour or two, they could escape their arduous working conditions and living spaces.
Each theatre was in its own private bubble and has many tales to tell, some sad, some funny, and some very serious stories, especially where fire was involved. Intriguing are the sections entitled ‘Did You Know?’ relating the connection of each theatre to some important factors in the lives of the performers, audiences and theatre staff.
These theatres sadly experienced devastating fires owing to their natural wooden structures being heated and lit by gas. This interesting walk through a piece of history encapsulates the magic of the individual theatres themselves, the stars who toiled in them twice nightly and yet chronicles the sad demise of some of these neighbourhood theatres.
I have now published my second book, ‘Final Curtain Call?’ A history of Vulnerable British Theatres. If you enjoy FIRE! FIRE! THE THEATRE’S ON FIRE! then I hope you will find my second one just as interesting.
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