The Early History Of The Black Grand Theatre.

The Early History Of The Black Grand Theatre.Lindo, Matheson Long and the husband and wife
The Blackpool Grand Theatre has a great historyteam of Cicely Courtneidge and Jack Hulbert
as it was opened on July 23, 1894, by Thomasappeared at The Grand in the 1920s. The theatre
Sergenson, The Grand was labeled asbegan to be used by top West End producers for
‘Matcham's Masterpiece’, as a tribute toBritish premieres and for forty years many plays
Frank Matcham, the leading Victorian theatreand musicals were seen at the Grand ‘prior
architect. The theatre was built in under 9 monthsto London’.
and cost £20,000 which Sergenson funded fromWith the success of talking pictures, the Grand in
renting 2 much smaller theatres and a circus overthe 1930s was a cinema in the winter and staged
a 5 year period.‘live’ shows during the holiday season.
With his new theatre, Sergenson packedStars included Sybil Thorndike, Marie Tempest,
performances with some of the biggest stars ofJack Buchanan and Leslie Henson. Most famous of
the era It is reported that the very firstthe 1930s' attractions was Gracie Fields, who
performance was of Hamlet with Wilson Barrett,made all her Blackpool Variety appearances from
a leading actor-manager who had often appeared1932 to 1938 at the Grand Theatre.
in Blackpool. Less than a month later, SergensonWhen the Tower Company began to build the
brought perhaps one of the biggest stars of thenew Blackpool Opera House in 1938, The Grand
age to the Grand, Herbert Beerbohm Tree.*was returned to its role as an all-year playhouse.
* **In Other earlier performances included theIn 1939 the theatre's list of stars included Sir John
musical hit of the London season, A Gaiety Girl;Gielgud, Edith Evans and Peggy Ashcroft in Oscar
the comedy hit Charley's Aunt; and a visit by theWilde's The Importance of Being Earnest; Rex
Carl Rosa Opera Company. Sergenson made anHarrison, Diana Wynyard and Anton Wallbrook in
arrangement with George Edwardes, the king ofNoel Coward's Design For Living; and Donald Wolfit
musical comedy production, to have the firstin a Shakespeare week.*
choice in Blackpool of those famous musicals from*The first summer season show was held in
the Gaiety Theatre and Daly’s Theatre,1940. In October, 1942, Noel Coward premiered
London. During his fifteen years at The Grand,and appeared in two of his plays - Present
Sergenson presented great stars like Ellen Terry,Laughter and This Happy Breed - and threw in
Madge Kendal, Sarah Bernhardt, Lillie Langtry, F RBlithe Spirit for good measure!
Benson and Dan Leno. In 1909 he sold the theatreThe Grand continued through to thrive during the
for a handsome £47,500 to the Blackpool1950s. Ralph Richardson, Michael Redgrave, Alistair
Tower Company, who ran the Grand for theSim, George Cole, Evelyn Laye and Margaret
next sixty-two years.Lockwood could be seen there, while the most
The Grand was the first Blackpool theatre tofrequent visitors were the husband and wife
present the two big musical hits of World Warteams of Jack Hulbert and Cicely Courtneidge and
One - The Maid of The Mountains and Chu ChinMichael Denison and Dulcie Gray.
Chow. In the 1920s it also become noted forThe recent history of the grand will be covered in
staging big American musicals like Rose Marie, Themy next article. Ben writes about Blackpool &
Desert Song and No No Nanette. Great stars likefinding a great Blackpool Hotel. He also writes for
Evelyn Laye, Carl Brisson, Tallulah Bankhead, Olgathe Blackpool Directory.