In a celebration of the history of Leeds’ theatres, ‘Gladys’ and ‘Ethel’ tell the stories of the Leeds of old, when there were more cinemas and more theatres than we enjoy now.
The writer of Twice Nightly, Liz Coggins, explains that just a walk from Briggate to the central bus station covers the places where there were once three theatres and four cinemas. She says: “Today, they are department stores, office blocks and car parks but to the citizens of yesteryear Leeds, they were places of dreams.”
There are great stories to tell about the places and the people who took to their stages and screens. Liz continued: “Magnificently built theatres and music halls were on almost every street corner – Leeds has a great history of entertainment and I want to share those stories with audiences young and old; I’m delighted to be able to do so at such an historic venue.” says Liz.
The production is in two parts, the second of which is Three Ships Came Sailing, telling the tale of the bombardment of Scarborough. The attack took place on Scarborough as well as Hartlepool, West Hartlepool and Whitby on 16 December 2014, but Liz focuses on Scarborough as a place close to her heart. “I have worked on its newspapers and grew up with my Grandmother telling me about the raid in December 1914. It resulted in 17 deaths and hundreds of casualties, which had a huge effect on the sleepy seaside town.”
Book online at cityvarieties.co.uk or call 0113 243 08 08
Feature photograph is Liz Coggins (l) and Carolyn Craven as Gladys and Ethel.
