Description
Bristol Hippodrome: A Century of Shows
Jonathan Shorney
- Lists the more than 4,300 shows staged at the Bristol Hippodrome since it opened in 1912, and the many thousands of stars who appeared in them.
- The book has two comprehensive indexes – of stars and shows – which readers can use to pinpoint the show they saw years ago.
- Full of amusing stories about the long-lost stars who trod its boards.
High-class entertainment has been the hallmark of Bristol Hippodrome for more than a century – from the legendary music hall era, through both world wars and variety’s heyday to today’s slick, fast-paced musicals.
But while this magnificent theatre focused on bringing pleasure to millions over the decades, it kept no real record of the multitude of acts who trod its boards.
This painstakingly researched book lists for the first time every show since the Hippodrome opened in 1912, a total of over 4,300, and the thousands of artistes who appeared in them – a star-studded archive that includes the Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, Rudolf Nureyev, John Gielgud, Morecambe and Wise and Paul McCartney to name but a few. Using the comprehensive indexes readers can easily find the date they saw a particular show or performer.
Generously illustrated, and full of amusing stories about many of the leading stars, it is a heart-warming tribute to one of Britain’s foremost regional theatres.
About the author
Jonathan Shorney was a journalist on local newspapers for more than 30 years, becoming regional affairs editor of the Western Daily Press. He has a keen interest in local theatre and his first book, Knightstone – The Story of Weston-super-Mare’s ‘Island’ Theatre – was published by Redcliffe Press in 2015.
