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1961 Films Shown In February Welsh National Opera The Battle Mar 6th La Boheme Mar 7th Nabucco Mar 8,10th Madame Butterfly Mar 9,11th Il Trovatore Mar 11th Carousel Mar 13th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society The Geese Are Getting Fat Mar 20th Jane Eyre Mar 27th Brides Of March Apr 3rd Roots Apr 10th Murder Delayed Apr 17th The More The Merrier Apr 24th Peg O’ My Heart May 1st This Year Next Year May 8th Cat And The Canary May 15th Pools Paradise May 22nd A Clean Kill May 29th The Shining Hour Jun 5th Peril At End House Jun 12th Rebecca Jun 19th Crystal Clear Jun 26th Piccadilly Alibi Jul 3rd Small Hotel Jul 10th Wuthering Heights Jul 17th Off With The Motley Jul 24th Night Must Fall Jul 31st Bed Board And Romance Aug 7th Witness For The Prosecution Aug 14th Saturday Night At Aug 21st The Crown The Seventh Veil Aug 28th Happy The Bride Sep 4th The Bargain Sep 11th The Aspern Papers Sep 18th Watch It Sailor Sep 25th Time To Kill Oct 2nd The Hostage Oct 9th Pygmalion Oct 16th The Bride Comes Back Oct 23rd Alibi Oct 30th Welsh National Drama Week Nov 6th French For love Nov 13th Celebration Nov 20th Settled Out Of Court Nov 27th The Perfect Woman Dec 4th Little Women Dec 11th Swansea Little Theatre |
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1962 Films Shown In February Welsh National Opera Week Mar 5th William Tell Nabucco The Marriage Of Figaro One Week Of Films London City Ballet: Mar 19th Giselle Light Fantastic Swan Lake (Act II) Night And Silence Rentcontre Shindig Les Sylphides Eaters Of Darkness Peepshow The Fair Maid White Horse Inn Mar 26th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society Doctor In The House Apr 2nd Someone Waiting Apr 9th The Miracle Worker Apr 16th Simple Spyman Apr 23rd Two Faces Of Murder Apr 30th The Irregular Verb To Love May 7th Those Damn Joneses May 14th The Gazebo May 21st Don’t Tell Father May 28th Murder By Accident Jun 4th Billy Liar Jun 11th The Extraordinary Seaman Jun 18th Hocus Pocus Jun 25th Ghost Squad Jul 2nd A Guardsman’s Cup Of Tea Jul 9th The Big Killing Jul 16th School For Spinsters Jul 23rd Murder At The Vicarage Jul 30th Pillar To Post Aug 6th The Amorous Prawn Aug 13th Doctor At Sea Aug 20th Towards Zero Aug 27th The Man In Grey Sep 3rd The Deep Blue Sea Sep 10th The Keep Sep 17th A Murder Has Been Arranged Sep 24th A Jolt For The Joneses Oct 1st The Glass Menagerie Oct 8th Becket or The Honour Of God Oct 15th Guilty Party Oct 22nd Write Me A Murder Oct 29th The Keep (revival) Nov 12th The Doctor And The Devils Nov 19th Life With Father Nov 26th The Rough And The Ready Dec 3rd Welsh Theatre Company The Miser Dec 6th Welsh Theatre Company |
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1963 Welsh National Opera Week Lohengrin Mar 4,8th Escape From The Harem Mar 5th La Traviata Mar 6,9th William Tell Mar 9th London Ballet Company Mar 11th Giselle and The Nutcracker Suite with Paula Hinton On week commencing Mar 18th the film ”Only Two Can Play” was shown at the Theatre, filmed in Swansea starring Peter Sellers and featuring Maudie Edwards. The Merry Widow Mar 25th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society The Cadets Show Apr 1st With Bill Maynard, Donna Douglas and Dick Francis Outward Bound Apr 8th Rock A Bye Sailor Apr 15th Cry For Love Apr 22nd Photo Finish Apr 29th Turn Left For Piccadilly May 6th Trilby May 13th Two Stars For Comfort May 20th The House On The Cliff May 27th All Things Bright And Beautiful Jun 3rd Dr Joey Jun 10th She Stoops To Conquer Jun 17th The Seashell Jun 24th Breaking Point Jul 1st The Tulip Tree Jul 8th Miss Pell Is Missing Jul15th Semi- Ring Out An Alibi Jul 29th Love Locked Out Aug 5th Murder On The Nile Aug 12th Goodnight Mrs Puffin Aug 19th Signpost To Murder Aug 26th The Barretts Of Wimpole Street Sep 2nd Brush With A Body Sep 9th Come Blow Your Horn Sep 16th Policy For Murder Sep 23rd Period Of Adjustment Sep 30th The Private Ear And The Public Eye Oct 7th The Lark Oct 14th Jupiter Laughs Oct 21st How Are You, Johnnie? Oct 28th The Marriage Go Round Nov 4th Trap For A Lonely Man Nov 11th Maiden Ladies Nov 18th The Hot Tiara Nov 25th David Copperfield Dec 2nd A Party For Christmas Dec 9th Swansea Little Theatre |
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1964 Welsh National Opera Week Barber Of Seville Mar 2,7th Il Trovatore Mar 3,6th Marriage Of Figaro Mar 4th La Boheme Mar 5,7th Welsh National Opera Week Macbeth Mar 9,14th La Traviata Mar10, 12th Il Seraglio Mar 11,13th Marriage Of Figaro Mar 14th Annie Get Your Gun Mar 16th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society All In Good Time Mar 30th Go Back For Murder Apr 6th Home And The Heart Apr 13th Where Angels fear To Tread Apr 20th The Shot In Question Apr 27th Bachelors Gay May 4th Key Witness May11th Flat Spin May 18th Woman In A Dressing Gown May 25th The Proof Of The Poison Jun 1st The Rivals Jun 8th Waiting For Yesterday Jun 15th No Time For Love Jun 22nd And Sat Down Beside Her Jun 29th Druid’s Rest Jul 6th Licence To Murder Jul 13th The Trouble With Dad Jul 20th The Maid Of Cefn Ydfa Jul 27th The Dream House Aug 10th Rule Of Three Aug 17th The Patient The Rats Afternoon At The Seaside Welcome Little Stranger Aug 24th Rattle Of A Simple Man Aug 31st The Sleeping Prince Sep 7th Bachelor Flat Sep 14th Amber For Anna Sep 21st Mary Mary Sep 28th By Whose Hand? Oct 5th The Heiress Oct 12th The Queen And The Welshman Oct 19th The Wishing Well Oct 26th Portrait Of Murder Nov 2nd Man Alive Nov 9th Suspect Nov 16th Never Too Late Nov 23rd One For The Pot Nov 30th The Kingdom Of God Dec 7th Swansea Little Theatre |
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1965 Welsh National Opera Week Fidelio Mar 15th Madame Butterfly Mar 16,19th Tosca Mar 17th Macbeth Mar 18,20th Rose Marie Mar 22nd Swansea Amateur Operatic Society Western Theatre Ballet Mar 29th Olde Time Music Hall Apr 5th With Marie Lloyd Junior and Duggie Chapman The Reluctant Peer Apr 19th Merry Murder Go Round Apr 26th The Sacred Flame May 3rd Ten Little Niggers May 10th I love You Mrs Patterson May 17th The Wind Of Heaven May 24th Busman’s Honeymoon May 31st The Diplomatic Baggage Jun 7th East Lynne Jun 14th Murder Murder Quite Contrary Jun 21st Return Ticket Jun 28th Past Imperfect Jul 5th Make Me A Widow Jul 12th The Night Of The Iguana Jul 19th Plunder Jul 26th The Unexpected Guest Aug 2nd Hot And Cold In All Rooms Aug 9th Busybody Aug 16th According To The Doctor Aug 23rd High Temperature Aug 30th A Shot In The Dark Sep 6th A Public Mischief Sep 13th Dangerous Corner Sep 20th Stranger In My Bed Sep 27th The Girl Who Couldn’t Quite Oct 4th Wings Of The Dove Oct 11th Poor Bitos Oct 18th The Late Christopher Bean Oct 25th Travelling Light Nov 1st Person Unknown Nov 8th Doctor At Sea Nov 15th Spider’s Web Nov 22nd Second Honeymoon Nov 29th The Bronte’s Dec 6th Swansea Little Theatre |
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1966 Welsh National Opera Week La Traviata Mar 21st The Bartered Bride Mar 22,26th Die Fledermaus Mar 23rd Moses Mar 24th Fidelio Mar 25th The Student Prince Mar 28th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society Olde Time Music Hall Apr 4th Duggie Chapman presents Ivor Owen with Smart and Tracy Come On Jeeves Apr 11th The Hollow Apr 18th When We Were Married Apr 25th Maigret And The Lady May 2nd The Family Upstairs May 9th The Touch Of Fear May 16th By candle Light May 23rd The Good Old Summertime May 30th The Right Honourable Gentleman Jun 6th The Full Treatment Jun 13th The Creeper Jun 20th Fools Rush In Jun 27th Accolade Jul 4th As Black As She’s Painted Jul 11th Breakfast In Bed Jul 18th Hostile Witness Jul 25th The Cat And The Canary Aug 1st Verdict Aug 8th Wolf’s Clothing Aug 15th The Whole Truth Aug 22nd Morgan And Moses Aug 29th The Letter Sep 5th Pyjama Tops Sep 12th The Lodger Sep 19th Traveller’s Joy Sep 26th Dead On Nine Oct 3rd The Rehearsal Oct 10th Barefoot In The Park Oct 17th A Friend Indeed Oct 31st One For The Pot Nov 7th A Severed Head Nov 14th Murder Mistaken Nov 21st Cat On The Fiddle Nov 28th Treasure Hunt Dec 6th Swansea Little Theatre |
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1967 Welsh National opera Week Mar 13th Don Giovanni Mar 13,15th La Boheme Mar 14,18th Don Pasquale Mar 16th Moses Mar 17th Olde Time Music Hall Mar 20th Duggie Chapman Presents Dorothy Squires Show Mar 27th Here is an excerpt from the personal diary of Vivyan Ellacott, “Monday 27th March 1967 Dorothy Squires Show This was an old- Dot is an amazing character. I was confidently expecting an old has- Guys And Dolls Apr 3rd Swansea Amateur Operatic Society Snow White and the Apr 10th Seven Dwarfs Charlie Cairoli. What a great Clown he was! And suddenly it’s,,,,,,,,,,,, Apr 17th Sandy Powell The Chris Shaw Show Apr 24th In April the Council agreed to provide a guarantee against loss up to a maximum of £2,000 for the forthcoming rep season. This was the lifeline that enabled John Chilvers rapidly to put together a rep season to open a month later. Harlequin Ballet May 1st In a programme of ballet excerpts Mendelssohn Variations Divertissements Caprice Idylle Pas De Quartre Pajo’s Circus Scene ’67 May 10th Arms And The Man May 15th Towards Zero May 22nd Boeing Boeing May 29th Home At Seven Jun 5th Dial M For Murder Jun 12th The Killing Of Sister George Jun 19th The Ghost Train Jun 26th The Winslow Boy Jul 3rd Say Who You Are Jul 10th Give Me Yesterday Jul 17th The Importance Of Being Earnest Jul 24th Blithe Spirit Jul 31st The Adventures Of Tom Jones Aug 7th Doctor In love Aug 14th Goodbye Mr Chips Aug 21st Chase Me, Comrade Aug 28th Murder For The Asking Sep 4th The Anniversary Sep 11th Arsenic And Old Lace Sep 18th Sleeping Partnership Sep 25th The Poker Session Oct 2nd Let’s Get A Divorce Oct 9th The Homecoming Oct 16th I Am A Camera Oct 30th Laura Nov 6th Northanger Abbey Nov 13th A Lily In Little India Nov 20th On Monday Next Nov 27th The Repertory company this season included: Raymond Childe, Howell Edwards, Jacqui Edwards, Vivyan Ellacott, Pat Forster, Andree Gaydon, James Jordan , Michael Kellan, Islwyn Morris, Maureen Morris, Stephanie North, John Price, James Sport, Sarat Thomas, Andrew Tourell, Beatty Walters, David Winters, Ann Winward. The Stage Manager was Tim Edwards and the Scenic Designer was Edward J. Mann |
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1968 Ballet Feb 26th Romeo And Juliet Welsh National Opera Week . Rigoletto Mar 11,16th Nabucco Mar 12,14th Carmen Mar 13,15th (Excerpt from Vivyan Ellacott’s diary) Tuesday March 12th Opening night of “Nabucco”. Rachel Roberts came to see the performance, bringing her mother. After the show she sent her Mum home in a taxi and had a long chat with me about how I could help. Rachel lives in Hollywood, but her Mum refuses to leave Swansea. Rachel pays for a taxi to collect her every day and take her and a friend to the Dragon Hotel for lunch. She would like her Mum to attend the theatre more often, and wants me to persuade Mrs Roberts to come and see more shows. The idea is, I will sort out the tickets and arrange the transport, and then Rachel will send me regular payments from Hollywood! Very grand. And very thoughtful of Rachel. Of course, I have said yes. Saturday, March 16th Rachel Roberts came back into the theatre tonight, this time bringing her husband, Rex Harrison. She wanted Rex to stand at the back to hear the audience singing the Welsh National Anthem before tonight’s “Nabucco”. He heard the singing, but wasn’t over impressed. We then took them to the bar for a drink and a chat since he had no desire to see the opera. He is a very difficult man to talk to. He seems very arrogant and remote and definitely lacking in warmth. They are a very odd couple. She is open, warm, generous and chatty; he is a cold fish. Oklahoma! Mar 25th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society The Diana Dors Show Apr 1st Diana Dors, Denis Lotis and Wyn Calvin Excerpt from Vivyan Ellacott’s Diary at the time, “Diana Dors arrived at the theatre today. “Swept in” rather than arrived. Larger than life, outrageous, great fun, and immediately friendly. Her performance is a bit odd. She sings a little (not too well), does impersonations (not well), and delivers jokes (badly). However, in between she just talks to the audience, and they love her. She is a genuinely funny person in herself, and her warmth comes over the footlights. The supporting bill includes Wyn Calvin. He has asked me to play straight- Old Time Music Hall Apr 8th Duggie Chapman presents Billy Wells, Jean Barrington, The Flying Paulos, Stan Van, Smart and Tracy and George Whitaker Wait Until Dark Apr 15th My Three Angels Apr 22nd An Inspector Calls Apr 29th The Odd Couple May 6th She Stoops To Conquer May 13th The Promise May 20th Murder On The Nile May 27th I’ll Get My Man Jun 3rd Gaslight Jun 10th Relatively Speaking Jun 17th Jane Eyre Jun 24th In At The Death Jul 1st A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg Jul 8th Let’s All Go Down The Strand Jul 15th Pink String And Sealing Wax Jul 22nd Hay Fever Jul 29th Keeping Up With Father Aug 5th The Amorous Prawn Aug 12th Jane Steps Out Aug 19th The Unexpected Guest Aug 26th All For Mary Sep 2nd Someone Waiting Sep 9th The Bride And The Batchelor Sep 16th Sabrina Fair Sep 23rd Subway In The Sky Sep 30th Rebecca Oct 7th The School For Scandal Oct 14th Relative Values Oct 21st Dracula Nov 4th The White Liars Nov 11th Black Comedy Toys In The Attic Nov 18th Pride And Prejudice Nov 25th Candida Dec 2nd Performers appearing in the 1968 Rep season included: Arnold Beck, Nicholas Charles, Ian Clegg, Jonathan Clift, Vivyan Ellacott, Bettina Friedman, Carol Hazell, Leonora Keogh, Freddie Lees, Richmond Lenik, Amanda Lewis, Elizabeth Lynne, Islwyn Morris, Jennifer Oscard, Peter Pacey, Suzanne Peverill, Adrian Rondeau, Edward Topps, Davis Sparks, Raymond Usher |
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1969 Old Time Music Hall Mar 10th Duggie Chapman presents Kitty Gillow, Billy Wells and Jean Barrington This Story Is Yours Mar17th (Welsh Theatre Company) Glyn Houston Dawn Dweud – Gift Of The Gabb Mar 22nd My Fair Lady Mar 24th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society The Theatre Owners decided to close from 30th March 1969 Swansea City Council decided to fully lease the theatre on a 10- Re- Spider’s Web Sep22nd Starring Cicely Courtneidge, her father Robert Courtneige produced many plays at The Grand in the early 1900’s It also starred Ballard Berkley who was famous as playing Major Gowen in Fawlty Towers. Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Sep 29th Woolf? With Rachel Roberts and Alan Dobie. (Alan Dobie had been married to Rachel Roberts, and they were now divorced. Her second husband – Rex Harrison – had no worries about her appearing in a play with Husband No. 1) Excerpt from Vivyan Ellacott’s Diary The second week’s show was “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” with Rachel Roberts, Alan Dobie, Paul Grist and Joanna van Gyseghem. It was a marvelous production. Rachel was brilliant and Alan Dobie, miraculously, nearly acted her off the stage. It was the finest thing I have ever seen on the stage here. We played to absolute capacity, selling standing tickets for every performance. It was a great week, particularly since Rachel is an old friend and everything was so friendly and happy. On Friday night Rachel decided to have a birthday party in the plushest suite of the Dragon Hotel. Only fourteen people were invited and we managed to consume eleven bottles of champagne and a huge quantity of food. It was a great “theatrical” evening. The Au- With Miriam Karlin and James Caffrey Swansea Drama Festival Oct 13th Lord Arthur Saville’s Crimes Black Chiffon The Sport Of My Mad Mother The Man The Queen And The Welshman Shadow In The Sun Enemy Oct 20th Dennis Waterman and Tony Selby. Dennis Waterman was famous for his parts in “The Sweeney” and as George Cole’s sidekick in the hugely successful ”Minder”. He is currently on television in “New Tricks” His Daughter is Hannah Waterman who played the part of Laura Beale in “Eastenders” and herself appeared in the 2007/08 “Dick Whittington” pantomime at the Grand Excerpt from Vivyan Ellacott’s Diary This play was set in the North African desert and had a full- Welsh Drama Festival Oct 27th Triple Bill Welsh Theatre Company Nov 4th The Constant Lover A Phoenix Too Frequent Return Journey Mistress Of The Inn Nov 11th Michael Wisher (who later became Davros the leader of the Daleks in Doctor Who) Circus Extravaganza Nov 17th With Charlie Cairoli and Company from the Tower Circus, Blackpool. The acts also included Dash’s Chimpanzees (famous for the TV Chimp’s Tea Party adverts), Phyllis Allan and her fabulous Poodle Revue, and the very bizarre novelty act, Norman Barrett and his Performing Budgies. A Christmas Carol Nov 24th Wilfrid Bramble Welsh National Opera Week Marriage of Figaro Dec 1,4th La Traviata Dec 2,5th Macbeth Dec 3,6th Hamlet Prince Of Denmark Dec 8th A Welsh Theatre Company production with John Quentin as Hamlet, Ray Smith as Claudius and Angharad Rees as Ophelia also Eynon Evans |
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1970 The Welsh Theatre Company Mar 9th How He Lied To Her Husband Don Juan In Hell Happy Days Purgatory The Maids Daniel Owen (in Welsh) Welsh National Opera The Barber Of Seville Mar 17,19th Nabucco Mar 18,20th Carmen Mar 21st Scottish Theatre Ballet Breakaway, The Lesson and Mar 24th La Ventana Beauty And The Beast Mar 26th Ten Little Niggers mar 30th With Shirley Anne Field, Michael Goodliffe and Chili Bouchier Summer Song Apr 6th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society Chapman’s Old Tyme Apr 13th Music Hall Revue Duggie Chapman introducing a bill that included Bryan Johnson (famous for the Eurovision song “Looking High High High”) Plaza Suite Apr 20th With Bill Maynard and Beau Daniels All In Good Time Apr 27th With Valentine Dyall and Andrew Ray. Also in the cast was Sue Nicholls The Caricature Theatre May 4th The Dragon Who loved Music Meet The Scribble Kids Peter And The Wolf Pilgrim’s Progress The Bride Makes Three May 11th Excerpt from Vivyan Ellacotts diary, A truly awful play, redeemed only by actors giving their all in desperation, and Dickie Henderson doing a cabaret act at the end. Midnight Variety Show May 15th A one- Doctor In The House May 18th With Dave King, McDonald Hobley (former BBC TV announcer), Ann Sidney (former Miss World), Lynne Carol (the former Martha Longhurst in “Coronation Street”) and George Lacy (a very famous pantomime Dame) A Boston Story May 25th Vanessa Lee and Peter Graves Spring And Port Wine Jun 1st The Flip Side Jun 8th Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Jun 15th Out Of The Question Jun 22nd Dead Silence Jun 29th Jean Fergusson Duet For Two Hands Jul 6th Blue Denim Jul 13th The Wrong Side Of The Park Jul 20th Alfie Jul 27th With guest star Bill Kenwright – then Gordon Clegg from “Coronation Street”. Murder Without Crime Aug 3rd Let Sleeping Wives Lie Aug 10th The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie Aug 17th Forty Years On Aug 24th Bless This House Aug 31st Rachel Thomas, E. Eynon Evans, Islwyn Morris, Jean Fergusson and Eleanor Thomas Ghost’s Sep 7th What The Butler Saw Sep 14th Private lives Sep 21st The Boys In The Band Sep 28th The Beggar’s Opera Oct 5th Somebody Waiting Oct 12th Peter Adamson (Len Fairclough from “Coronation Street”) and Alan Rothwell. Bristol Old Vic Company The Importance Oct 21st Of Being Earnest Arms And The Man Oct 22nd The cast included Sonia Dresdel as Lady Bracknell, Stephen Moore, Simon Cadell and Liza Goddard. Juno And The Paycock Oct 26th Dermot Kelly Welsh Drama Festival 1970 Nov 2nd Welsh National Opera La Boheme Nov 9th Die Fledermaus Nov 11th Cambridge Theatre Company The Recruiting Officer Nov 16th Chips With Everything Nov 20th With Ian McKellen, Trevor Peacock and Susan Fleetwood. Swansea Drama Festival Nov 23rd Under Milk Wood (SLT) The Merchant Of Venice (SLT) Billy Liar Madness Of May As Black As She’s Painted The Wooden Dish Treasure Island Dec 1st From the Mermaid Theatre, London, with Bernard Miles as Long John Silver Roar Like A Dove Dec 7th Richard Todd, Robert Beatty, Derek Bond, Chili Bouchier and Rosemary Nicols The 1970 repertory company included: Dan Brian, Roseanne Brian, Clive Cable, John Dicks, Valerie Duck, Vivyan Ellacott, Jean Fergusson, Gill Gratham, Jean Heywood, Donna Jones, James Jordan, Kenneth Keyte, David Lacey, Lisabeth Miles, Rosemary Macvie, Vivienne Moore, Islwyn Morris, Stephanie North, Rudi Patterson, Christopher Reich, Adrian Reynolds, Anthony Sherwood, Eleanor Thomas, Neil Williams, Suzannah Williams. (Jean Fergusson later became a regular cast member in “Last of the Summer Wine”) The Rep season – 19 weeks – ended on Saturday 10th October |
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1971 The Constant Wife Mar 8th Gwen Watford and George Baker Caricature Puppet Theatre The Rose And The Ring Mar 15th Y Claf Di- Moliere’s “Imaginary Invalid” performed in Welsh The Good Young Man Mar 22nd Ken Platt and Nigel Humphreys Carousel Mar 29th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society Olde Tyme Music Hall Revue Apr 5th Nat Gonella Meet The Gang Apr 12th Witness For The Prosecution Apr 19th The Innocents Apr 26th With Beau Daniels and Georgina Patterson. Originally the lead was advertised as being played by Barbara Mullen (famous for Dr Finlay’s Casebook). However, she was taken ill and was forced to drop out of the Swansea week. Scottish Theatre Ballet Beauty And The Beast May 4th Giselle May 6th Welsh National Opera Boris Gudunov May10th The Magic Flute May 11th Simon Boccanegra May 12th Aida May 14th Make No Mistake May 17th Richard Greene (TV’s Robin Hood) Conduct Unbecoming May 24th Alexandra Bastedo (glamorous star of Television hit “Champions”) The Man Most Likely To May 31st The Lion In Winter Jun 15th Wuthering Heights Jun 29th Hadrian The Seventh Jul 13th The Glass Menagerie Jul 18th A Bequest To The Nation Jul 27th Not Now Darling Aug 10th Production In The Park (open air) The Dolls Of Swansea Aug 24th Myfanwy Talog, Eleanor Thomas. Mother Courage Sep 7th Oh What A Lovely War Sep 21st Romeo And Juliet Oct 5th Partners Oct 18th Peter Adamson who was Len Fairclough on “Coronation Street” and David Jason who is now a British institution, including roles as Del boy Trotter on “Only Fools And Horses”, Glanville in “Open All Hours” and “Inspector Frost” to name but a few. The Pyjama Game Oct 26th George Moon Welsh Drama Festival 1971 Nov 1st Journey’s End Nov 8th James Maxwell, Peter Egan and Harry Landis Ballet Rambert Nov 15th The Empty Suit Dark Elegies Embrace Tiger And Return To Mountain Dance and Dancers ‘Tis Goodly Sport Four According Pierre Lunaire Bertram Batell’s Sideshow A Pig In A Poke Nov 22nd With John Junkin and Murray Melvin Under Milk Wood Nov 29th Unexpectedly Vacant Dec 6th /Village Wooing Double Bill starring Michael Denison and Dulcie Gray who were married in real life. Who also both appeared in Television’s “Howard’s Way” Performers in the 1971 repertory season included: Gill Adams, Matthew Adams, Paul Alexis, Gareth Armstrong, Iona Banks, Louise Barclay, Bruce Bould, Eddie Caswell, Vivyan Ellacott, Rosemary Faith, Freda Jackson, Madge Jones, Anna Keaveney, Kenneth MacGarvie, John McNulty, Vivienne Moore, Michael Radcliffe, Stephen Riddle, Anthony Rowlands, Roger Sansom, Anthony Sherwood, Ray Smith, Roger Steel, Myfanwy Talog, Eleanor Thomas, Juliana Tudor, |
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1972 Sunday Evening Concert Feb 6th Ballet For All With Dancers Mar 13th New Moon Mar 20th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society Uncle Vanya Mar 27th Meet The Gang Apr 3rd Forget Me Not Lane Apr 10th Davy Jones of the Monkees, Dave King and James Hayter. Home On The Pig’s Back Apr 17th Jean Kent. Dermot Walsh and Sue Nicholls (later to be Audrey in “Coronation Street”) Who Killed Santa Claus Dial M For Murder Apr 24th This was advertised as starring Valentine Dyall (“The Man in Black”) but he was taken ill and was replaced with David Davenport (who had been Malcolm Ryder in “Crossroads”). Salad Days May 1st End Of Conflict May 8th With Ian Ogilvy, who had replaced Roger Moore as “The Saint” and Derek Bond Welsh National Opera Turando May 15th & 18th Rigoletto May 16th & 20th Aida May 17th & 19th Who Killed Santa Clause? May 23rd Eleanor Thomas The Investiture Jun 6th Myfanwy Talog, Islwyn Morris, Stephen Mallatratt. The Investiture Jun 20th This was taken and performed by the Grand Theatre Repertory Company to the New Theatre Cardiff. Butterflies Are Free Jun 20th Vanity Fair Jul 4th A Streetcar Named Desire Jul 18th Eleanor Thomas 75th Anniversary Celebration 23rd July 1897- The Entertainer Aug 1st She’s Done It Again Aug 15th Myfanwy Talog, Eleanor Thomas and Stephen Mallatratt. Abelard And Heloise Aug 28th Myfanwy Talog, Eleanor Thomas and Stephen Mallatratt. The Relapse Or Virtue In Danger Sep 12th Eleanor Thomas and Stephen Mallatratt. Charley’s Aunt Sep 26th Freddie Lees Adventures In The Skin Trade Oct 10th Twelfth Night Oct 23rd Robert Lang Back To Square One Nov 6th Caricature Theatre Misanthrope Nov 13th There’s A Girl In My Soup Nov 20th Grand Variety Show Nov 26th Cheshire Foundation Homes Death On Demand Nov 27th With Judy Campbell, Robert Fleming and John Barron Swansea Drama Festival Dec 5th Cock A Doodle Doo Go Bang Your Tambourine Live Like pigs One Of The Family Carry Me Back To Canning Town Performers in 1972 repertory season included Kate Aldhouse, Carl Andrews, Nic Beeby, Simon Clarke, Michael Cunningham, Suzanne Delaney, Vivyan Ellacott, Michael Fitzpatrick, Paul Foulds, Christopher Gower, Andrew King, Freddie Lees, John Leivers, Stephen Mallatratt, Vivienne Moore, Islwyn Morris, Stephanie North, Anthony O’Donnell, Clare Rees, Myfanwy Talog, Gary Taylor, Eleanor Thomas, Allan Walsh, Janet Wantling (Stephen Mallatratt went on to become a well- |
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1973 Don’t Just Lie There, Mar 19th Say Something Brian Rix, Alexandra Bastedo, Moray Watson and Leo Franklyn Fiddler On The Roof Mar 26th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society The Starving Rich Apr 2nd Roy Kinnear and Paul Rogers Butley Apr 9th With James Bolam and Richard Morant Murder Sails At Midnight Apr 16th With Valentine Dyall, Patricia Temple and David Davenport Meet The Gang 1973 Apr 23rd Scottish Theatre Ballet Apr 30th Nutcracker Act III, Ways Of Saying Bye Bye, Le Carnival, Background To A Ballet and Giselle Glasstown May 7th Cambridge Theatre Company with Robert Powell, Anne Stallybrass and Angela Dawn Lilac Time May 14th With John Hanson, Joyce Mandre, Alexandra Bridge, Eileen Farrow, Corinne Bridge and Susan Maisy Welsh National Opera Week Rigoletto May 21,24th Madam Butterfly May 23,26th Don Carlos May 22,25th The Secretary Bird May 29th Ring Round The Moon Jun 12th Great Expectations Jun 26th Getting On Jul 10th Jonathon Prince Hobson’s Choice Jul 24th Jonathon Prince Uproar In The House Aug 7th Murder On The Agenda Aug 21st Present Laughter Sep 4th With James Bolam A Voyage Round My Father Sep 18th Welsh Premiere A Man For All Seasons Oct 2nd Welsh National Opera Week The Pearl Fishers Oct 9th Idomeneo Oct 10th Die Fledermaus Oct 11,13th Don Carlos Oct 12th The Mating Game Oct 22nd With Ian Lavender, Carol Hawkins, Imogen Hassall and David Stoll Gwl Ddrama Gymraeg Oct 29th Y Pypedau, Lili Bengam, Gwraig Y Ffermwr As You Like It Nov 5th With Dilys Hamlett, Martin Potter, Perlita Neilson, John Humphry and Hugh Manning Ballet For All Nov 13th Dancers of the Royal Ballet Panache Nov 20th Caricature Puppet Theatre Tribute To Saunders Lewis Nov 24th 80th birthday celebration for the celebrated Welsh poet, Dramatist and political activist. Two performances one in English and one in Welsh Subway In The Sky Nov 26th With Pat Phoenix, Shaun Curry, Jeanne Cook, Earl Robinson, Derek Murcott and Donald Burton Swansea Drama Festival Pygmalion Dec 3rd Y.M.C.A. Theatre Group Wanted, One Body Dec 4th Briton Ferry Little Theatre Loves A Luxury Dec 5th The Provisional Players Flowing Cherry Dec 6th B.P. Refinery Drama Society The Ghost Train Dec 7th Dunvant Drama Group Loot Dec 8th Swansea Little Theatre One Night Show Dec 9th Moira Lister, Ivor Immanuel and Walter Landauer |
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1974 London Cotemporary Dance Theatre Mar 17th Camelot Mar 25th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society Gaslight Apr 1st Pat Phoenix, Alan Browning and Norman Woodland The Tilted Scales Apr 8th Bill Simpson, Eric Lander, Patrick Barr and Valentine Dyall Meet The Gang 1974 Apr 15th Swansea Scout and Guide show directed by John Chilvers Night Fall Apr 22nd Peter Adamson and Paul Massie The Lads From Fenn Street Apr 29th David Barry, Peter Cleal and Malcolm Mcfee Welsh National Opera Company La Boheme May 6th L’Elisir D’Amore May 7th The Pearl Fishers May 8th The Beach Of Falesa May 9th L’Elisir D’Amore May 10th La Boheme May 11th With Sir Geraint Evans An Inspector Calls May 13th Carmel McSharry, Bill Fraser and Tony Steedman Midsummer Night’s Dream May 20th Frank Barrie, Nicky Henson, Linda Thorson, David Dodimead and Martin Potter The Sacking Of Norman Banks May 27th Michael Denison and Dulcie Gray, Anthony Nicholls and Terence Longdon Suddenly At Home Jun 3rd Simon Oates Night Must fall Jun 10th Hywel Bennett, Mary Wimbush and the Welsh Drama Company How The Other Half Lives Jun 18th Lloyd George Knew My Father Jul 2nd Audrey Leybourne and Geoffrey Brightman Say Goodnight To Grandma Jul 16th With Vivienne Moore And Anthony Homyer. Written by Colin Welland who went on to achieve an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for “Chariots Of Fire” in 1981 Hay Fever Jul 29th The Dickie Henderson Show Aug 5th With John Wade and Gillian Humphreys The Golden Years of Music Hall Aug 12th Elsie and Doris Waters, Sandy Powell, Cavan O’Connor, Eddie Molloy, Terry Doogan and Barbara Sumner That’s Life The Al Read Show Aug 19th Featuring Millican And Nesbit, Bob Andrews and Cheryl Sinclair Hylda Baker Show Aug 26th Hylda had to pull out at the last minute, and Russ Conway stepped in to save the day, with Sheila Southern, Tony Maiden and Bobby Dennis Time And Time Again Sep 2nd The Day After The Fair Sep 16th Eunice Gayson My Fat Friend Sep 30th With Freddie Lees Welsh National Opera Week The Flying Dutchman Oct 14th The Elixir of Love Oct 15th La Boheme Oct 16th Simon Boccanegra Oct 17th The Flying Dutchman Oct 18th The Flying Dutchman Oct 19th I’ll Sleep In The Spare Room Oct 21st Lesley Anne Down, Jennifer Wilson, Robin Chadwick and Brian Peck Welsh Drama Week Oct 28th Caricature Theatre Nov 4th The Scribble Kids Story Book Melodies Of The Minstrels Nov 9th A Saturday matinee performance only with John Boulter and Margaret Savage Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs Nov 11th Pantomime version with Charles Hawtrey and Bryan Johnson Hamlet Nov 18th The New Shakespeare Company Rosencrantz And Nov 25th Guildenstern are Dead The New Shakespeare Company The School For Scandal Dec 2nd The Cambridge Theatre Company Hair Dec 9th Presented for the first time in Wales Theatre Closed For Pantomime Rehearsals until Dec 26th |
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1975 Humphrey Lyttleton Mar 2nd Calamity Jane Mar 17th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society Murder At The Vicarage Mar 24th With Barbara Mullen Meet The Gang 1975 Mar 31st Macbeth Apr 8th Welsh Drama Company Godspell Apr 14th Su Pollard The New Minstrel Show Apr 21st New Faces and Ken Wood The Good Old Days Apr 28th Two And Two Make Sex May 5th Robin Stewart, Deborah Watling and Henry McGee London Contemporary Dance May 12th The Calm (1974) No- Troy Game (1974) Diversion Of Angels (1948) Hinterland (1975) Masque Of Separation (“Myth”) (1975) Charles Dickens May 19th Emlyn Williams Welsh National Opera The Grand Duchess May 27th & 31st Of Gerolstein Cosi Fan Tutte May 28th Manon Lescaut May 25th The Flying Dutchman May 30th French Without Tears Jun 3rd London Assurance Jun 17th Habeas Corpus Jul 1st Move Over Mrs Markham Jul 15th Halfway Up The Tree July 29th Freddie Davies Aug 4th (Parrot Face) Show The Dora Bryan Show Aug 11th Television Startime Aug 18th Bernie Clifton, Janet Brown Ryan Aug 25th Crown Matrimonial Sep 2nd A Swansea Family Sep 16th Jean Fergusson and Eleanor Thomas The Importance Of Being Earnest Sep 30th Swingle II Oct 5th Welsh National Opera Week Manon Lescaut Oct 13th & 16th Othello Oct 14th & 18th Jenufa Oct 15th The Grand Duchess Oct 18th Of Gerolstein Ballet For All Oct 21st Ashton And La Fille Mal Gardee Romeo And Juliet; Ballet And Play The Rainmaker Nov 3rd Marianne Faithful and Peter Gilmore Pride And Prejudice Nov 10th David Nixon Show Nov 16th David Nixon - The World Of Gilbert And Sullivan Nov 17th Aneurin Bevan Struggles Dec 1st Against The Iron Heel |
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1976 The Tempest Mar 16th Welsh Drama Company with Joseph O’Connor Hello Dolly Mar 22nd Swansea Amateur Operatic Society The Cambridge Theatre Company I Am A Camera Mar 29th - A Taste Of Honey Apr 1st – 3rd The Long And The Short Apr 5th And The Tall Christopher Beeny, William Marlowe and Doug Fielding New London Ballet Apr 12th Sleeping Beauty, Soft Blue Shadows and Othello with Andre Prokovsky and Galina Samsova Meet The Gang 1976 Apr 19th Welsh National Opera Week Albert Herring Apr 26th The Seraglio Apr 27,29th Jenufa Apr 30th Il Trovatore Apr 28th, May 1st Othello May 3rd New Shakespeare Company with Edward Fox And Robert Stephens Anna Christie May 10th Welsh Drama Company Absurd Person Singular May 18th Don’t Start Without Me May 25th Private Lives Jun 1st The Late Edwina Black Jun 8th The Glass Menagerie Jun 15th Next Time I’ll Sing To You Jun 22nd Who Saw Him Die? Jun 29th Five Finger Exercise Jul 6th Entertaining Mr Sloane Jul 13th Carmel McSharry Wait Until Dark Jul 20th The Mating Game Jul 27th Sleuth Aug 3rd Summer Variety Aug 9th Edmund Hockridge, Roger Kitter, Kim Cordell, Vic Odin and Louise Summer Variety Aug 16th The Kaye Sisters, Gordon Peters Ricky Valance and Maxello The New Vaudeville Band Aug 23rd Peter Cavanagh, Kenny Smiles, Phylis Gillingham and the Wow Girls Freddie and The Dreamers Aug 30th With Wyn Calvin, Helen Foster and The Cottle Brothers Irma La Deuce Sep 7th Ruth Madoc and Norman Comer Godspell Sep 13th Darling Mr London Sep 20th David Jason and Cheryl Hall Spiders Web Sep 27th Elizabeth Larner Welsh National Opera Week Il Trovatore Oct 6,10th Orpheus In The Underworld Oct 7th The Seraglio Oct 8th La Boheme Oct 9th The Wild Duck Oct 11th Ronald Lewis and Dawn Adams Northern Dance Theatre Oct 18th Welsh Drama Week Dedwid Briodas Oct 25,26,30th Yedi Ber Oct 27,28th Capten Harrier Oct 29,30th Nats In The Belfry Nov 1st Music Hall revue The Phantom Tollbooth Nov 8th Max Boyce Nov 13th The Murder Game Nov 15th John Bentley and Robin Stewart The Breakers (World Premiere) Nov 22nd Love’s Labour’s Lost Nov 29th New Shakespeare Company My Cousin Rachel Dec 6th Hilary Tindall and William Lucas |
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1977 Song Of Norway Mar 21st Swansea Amateur Operatic Society King Lear Mar 28th Welsh Drama Company Dial M For Murder Apr 4th James Ellis, Douglas Fielding and Ingrid Pitt Meet The Gang 1977 Apr 11th Double Edge Apr 18th With Kate O’Mara, Nicholas Courtney and Peter Byrne On April the 22nd not long after his pantomime run at the Grand, and during a family holiday to New York, Ryan Davies, a true icon in the history of the Grand Theatre died of heart failure brought on by a severe asthma attack. He was just 40 years old. The Chiltern Hundreds Apr 25th With Clive Dunn who was asked if he could replace Ryan in the next Pantomime at The Grand. He agreed. Absent Friends May 2nd Anne Aston, Robin Chadwick, Claire Clifford and Ellis Jones Welsh National Opera Week The Barber Of Seville May 10,12th Orpheus In The Underworld May 11th Albert Herring May 13th I Masnedieri May 14th Joseph And The Amazing May 16th Technicolor Dreamcoat Boeing Boeing May 23rd David Roper and Andrew Knox Porter Must Go May 30th Peggy Mount and Hugh Lloyd The following three plays were a trilogy written by Alan Ayckbourn Table Manners Jun 6th Freddie Lees and Sonia Fox Living Together Jun 20th Freddie Lees and Sonia Fox Round And Round The Garden Jul 5th Freddie Lees and Sonia Fox There Goes The Bride Jul 19th Leslie Randall Children’s Puppet Theatre Jul 21st Charlie Drake Aug 1st With Henry McGee, The Karlins, John Wade and Frank Leyton The Thoughts Of Aug 8th Chairman Alf Cilla Black Aug 10th With Steve Tracey, Ivor Wyn and The Cottle Brothers Harry Worth Aug 15th With Guy Kent, Lorna Dallas and The Clivells The New Seekers Aug 22nd With Joanna Carlin and Leapy Lee The Late Christopher Bean Aug 29th With Rachel Thomas Shades Of Laughter Sep 13th Eleanor Thomas, Glyn Houston and Sean Mathias Blithe Spirit Sep 27th Welsh National Opera Week The Pearl Fishers Oct 11,14th Rigoletto Oct 12,15th The Barber Of Seville Oct 13th Northern Ballet Company Oct 17th Mixed Classical and Modern Ballet Gwyl Ddrama Gymraeg 1977 Oct 24th Sleeping Partner Oct 31st With Bill Simpson and Sheila White The Snow Queen Nov 7th Caricature Puppet Theatre Vince Hill Nov 12th With Norma Leon, Nicholas and Nickelby and Richard Cromwell Jimmy Tarbuck Nov 14th With Kenny Lynch and Trilogy Time To Kill Nov 21st With Paula Wilcox, Simon Oates, Ron Drinkwater, Donald Burton and Lisa Daniely Flarepath Nov 28th With Diana Coupland, Rula Lenska and Christopher Strauli In Praise Of Love Dec 5th Richard Todd and Margaret Stride |
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1978 Doctor In The House Mar 20th Jimmy Edwards, Lionel Blair Meet The Gang 1978 Mar 27th Showboat Apr 3rd Swansea Amateur Operatic Society Donkey’s Years Apr 10th Liz Fraser, George Layton and Nicholas Courtney Under Milk wood Apr 17th Theatre Cymru Wales The Unexpected Guest Apr 24th Peter Byrne Welsh National Opera Week A Midsummer Night’s Apr 2,5th Dream La Boheme Apr 3,6th The Marriage Of Figaro Apr 4,6th Hair May 8th The Adventures Of A Bear May 15th Called Paddington Otherwise Engaged May 22nd Ian Hendry The Grand then staged no shows until it re- Just Between Ourselves Jul 11th Roy North, Richard Frost, Menna Trussler and Jennifer Claire The Bed Before Yesterday Jul 25th Ben Travers The Frankie Vaughan Show Aug 7th Keith O’Keefe, Joyce Howard The Peters and Lee Show Aug 14th Freddie Stewart, Chris North and Jill and Diane Cousins Frankie Howerd Laughter Show Aug 21st With Madame Rogers at the Piano, Stirling Silver, Adam Daye and Barry Daniels A Touch Of Spring Aug 29th Funny Peculiar Sep 12th Equus Sep 26th With John Bentley Welsh National Opera Week Il Trovatore Oct 10,13th La Boheme Oct 11th The Barber Of Seville Oct 12,14th Ballet For Dancers of the Royal Ballet Tchaikofski and Oct 16,17,20,21st His Ballet’s Ashton: The Oct 18,19,21st Dream Era Gwyl Ddrama Gymraeg 1978 Oct 23rd Pygmalion Oct 30th Pippi Longstocking Nov 6th Caricature Theatre Windsor Davies And Nov 11th Don Estelle Windsor had to pull out due to illness and was replaced by Norman Vaughan Sextet Nov 13th Jack Watling, Eunice Gayson, Hilary Pritchard A Murder Is Announced Nov 20th Dulcie Gray How To Succeed In Nov 28th Business Without Really Trying The Abbey Players with their first appearance at The Grand Theatre The Man Most Likely To Dec 4th Bryan Mosley and Ingrid Pitt |
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1979 Richard III Mar 13th Theatr Clwyd Witness For The Prosecution Mar 19th South Pacific Mar 26th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society with Leo Andrew Welsh National Opera Week The Magic Flute Apr 3,6th Turandot Apr 4.7th With Rita Hunter The Turn Of The Screw Apr 5th Mzumba Apr 9th African Music Max Boyce Apr 16th Your Place Or Mine? Apr 23rd Trevor Bannister and Deborah Watling The Mikado And Apr 30th HMS Pinafore Jumpers May 7th Who Killed Agatha Christie? May 14th George Sewell and Lewis Jones Blithe Spirit May 21st Henry McGee, Judy Carne – who was once married to Burt Reynolds and was a star of “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In” a huge comedic success on American Television The Desert Song May 28th John Hanson Rebecca Jun 5th Busybody Jun 19th Breezeblock Park Jul 3rd Bedroom Farce Jul 17th Eleanor Thomas Leslie Crowther Jul 30th Featuring Arthur Askey Roger De Courcey And Aug 6th Nookie Bear Featuring Los Zafiros Lennie Bennet Aug 13th With Coco, Eurovision entry in 1978, this included Cheryl Baker pre Bucks Fizz, who came back to the Grand in 1992/93 in the Pantomime “Robinson Crusoe” Faith Brown Show Aug 20th With Johnny Caesar and Solomon King Joseph And The Amazing Aug 28th Technicolor Dreamcoat Mike Holoway, Leo Andrew The Gingerbread Lady Sep 11th Side By Side By Sondheim Sep 25th Sian Hopkins, Richard Frost and Menna Trussler Welsh National Opera Week The Pearl Fishers Oct 9,12th The Makropoulos Case Oct 10th La Traviata Oct 11,13th Coppelia Oct 16,17th Northern Ballet Giselle Oct 18,19,20th Northern Ballet Festival Of Welsh Drama Oct 22nd Godspell Oct 29th Anthony and Cleopatra and Nov 5th Caesar and Cleopatra Theatr Clwyd Ten Times Table Nov 12th Malcolm Hobley Jet Set Nov 19th Ralph Bates, Hilary Tindall and Ewen Solon The Pyjama Game Nov 27th The Abbey Players Fings Ain’t Wot They Used To Be Dec 3rd |
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1980 Monkey Walk Mar 10th Lionel Blair and Katy Manning Dylan And Liz Mar 17th Ronald Lacey and Kate Harper in a World Premiere Tour Brigadoon Mar 24th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society Rookery Nook Apr 1st Theatr Clwyd Big Bad Mouse Apr 7th Eric Sykes and Jimmy Edwards Hinge And Bracket Apr 16th The Krankies Apr 19th Welsh National Opera Week Ernani Apr 22,26th Eugene Onegin Apr 23,25th The Coronation Of Poppea Apr 24th Jasper Carrot Apr 28th Night And Day May 5th Spring Thaw May 12th Johnny More and Linda Lou Allen and Swansea’s own Lyn Lawrence(now known as Lyn Mackay) who would later write and produce “Swansea Girls” at The Grand in 2008 Kismet May 20th Gendros Catholic Amateur Operatic Society with Anthony Lyn A Bed Full Of Foreigners May 27th Roy Barraclough Whose Life Is It Anyway? Jun 10th With Freddie Lees Black Coffee Jun 24th Desmond Barrit Joking Apart Jul 8th Heather Wright Privates On Parade Jul 22nd Barry McGinn Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Dyffryn Lliw Y Gwenyth Gwyn Aug 4,5th Canandol Dan Aug 6,7th Un O’r Teulu Aug 8,9th Patti Boulaye Show Aug 11th Brotherhood Of Man Aug 18th Summer Spectacular Aug 25th With Don McLean, Paul Melba and Rosemary Squires Joseph And The Amazing Sep 3rd Technicolor Dreamcoat You’re A Good Man, Sep 23rd Charlie Brown Welsh National Opera Week Tosca Oct 7,9th Rigoletto Oct 8,11th The Servant (world premiere) Oct 10th Alexandra Roy Oct 15th London Ballet Theatre Culhwch And Olwen Oct 20th Caricature Puppet Theatre Mary O’Hara Oct 25th Welsh Drama Festival 1980 Oct 27th Dirty Linen and Nov 3rd New Found Land Derren Nesbitt, Carol Cleveland and Anthony Morton The Happy Apple Nov 10th Lorraine Chase and Geoffrey Davies Gwyl 80 Nov 17th Theatre Cymru Charley Girl Nov 25th The Abbey Players With Anthony Lyn Further Adventures Of Dec 1st A Window Cleaner Robin Askwith |
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1981 Close Of Play Mar 10th Theatre Clwyd with Edward Clayton, Sheridan Ball and Matthew David Romeo And Juliet Mar 17th Theatre Clwyd The King And I Mar 23rd Swansea Amateur Operatic Society with Catherine Zeta Jones Murder Mistaken Mar 30th Liz Fraser, Joyce Blair, Mcdonald Hobley and Chilli Bourchier The Marquis Apr 6th Moira Stewart, Michael Craig and Derek Waring The Caine Mutiny Apr 13th Court Martial Ian Cuthbertson Ipi Tombi Apr 20th Leo Sayer Apr 29th Hot Gossip May 1st Danny Grossman Dance Company May 5th Tommy Steele May 12th During a performance he asked a little girl from the audience to come on stage to dance with him. After which he turned to her and said “when you tell your friends at school tomorrow that you danced with Tommy Steele they probably won’t believe you” that girl was Catherine Zeta Jones. Kiss Me Kate May 19th Gendros Catholic Amateur Operatic Society Beyond A Joke May 25th Arthur Lowe and Deborah Watling Welsh National Opera Week La Traviata Jun 3,5th The Barber Of Seville Jun 4,6th Loot Jun 9th The Dresser Jun 23rd Freddie Lees and David King Once A catholic Jul 7th Peril At End House Jul 21st Desmond Barrit Iris Williams Aug 3rd With The Dallas Boys Bob Monkhouse Aug 10th Pam Ayres Aug 17th The Boyfriend Aug 25th Outside Edge Sep 8th The Rocky Horror Show Sep 22nd Welsh National Opera Week Fidelio Oct 7,9th Madame Butterfly Oct 8,10th Midsummer Night’s Dream Oct 13th Northern Ballet with an appearance from a nine- Dracula Or a Pain The Neck Oct 19th New Vic Theatre Welsh Drama Festival 1981 Oct 26th Johnny Myfanwy, Can Mlwydd, Help Llaw (Chwyth) Playing The Game Nov 3rd Theatr Clwyd Hansel And Gretal Nov 10th Star Puppets produced by Barry Stacey Fur Coat And No Knickers Nov 16th Joyce Blair Little Me Nov 24th The Abbey Players with Anthony Lyn and Kathryn Rice The Hitch Hikers Guide Dec 1st To The Galaxy Theatr Clwyd |
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1982 A Tribute To John Chilvers Feb 14th Deathtrap Mar 8th Richard Johnson The Crucible Mar 15th Theatr Clwyd Company My Fair Lady Mar 22nd Swansea Amateur Operatic Society.Ria Jones appeared in this show Hinge And Bracket Mar 30th Caught In The Act Apr 5th Simon Cadell and Prunella Gee Stage Struck Apr 12th With Melvyn Hayes Grease Apr 19th Twelfth Night was played on 21st and 22nd April at 10 am for schools The Hollow Apr 26th Jennifer Wilson Anyone For Dennis? May 3rd Casanova’s Last Stand May 10th With Robin Askwith The Sound Of Music May 17th Gendros Catholic Amateur Operatic Society with a young Catherine Zeta Jones, Anthony Lyn and Richard Mylan Duet For One May 25th With Menna Trussler and Alan Trowner The Gentle Hook Jun 8th The Elephant Man Jun 22nd Middle Age Spread Jul 6th Welsh National Eisteddfod Jul 20th Larry Grayson And Friends Aug 9th Des O’Connor Aug 18th Cilla Black Aug 23rd Godspell Sep 1st The Last Of The Sep 21st Red Hot Lovers She Stoops To Conquer Oct 12th The Nutcracker Oct 19th Northern Ballet Welsh Drama Festival 1982 Oct 26th The Night They Raided Minsky’s Nov 1st Sweeny Todd Nov 8th Brian Murphy and Liz Fraser Sleuth Nov 15th The Wizard Of Oz Nov 23rd The Abbey Players with Ria Jones Cards On The Table Nov 29th |
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1983 The Grand closed after the pantomime “Jack And The Beanstalk” which ended on 22nd Feb. This was to start the first phase of refurbishment of the theatre, thanks to a £600.000 grant from the Arts Council Of Great Britain. The following shows were staged by the Grand Theatre but at the Dylan Thomas Theatre in Gloucester Place. Educating Rita May 31st With John Bentley And Mandy Moore at Dylan Thomas Theatre Tomfoolery Jun 14th The music and wit of Tom Lehrer at Dylan Thomas Theatre California Suite Jun 28th At Dylan Thomas Theatre Abigail’s party Jul 12th At Dylan Thomas Theatre Can You Here Me Jul 26th At The Back Directed By John Chilvers at Dylan Thomas Theatre 84 Charing Cross Road Aug 9th Directed by Des Barritt at Dylan Thomas Theatre Same Time, Next Year Aug 23rd With Neil West And Rosemary Faith at Dylan Thomas Theatre The Theatre re- |
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1984 Steaming Mar 12th Rattle Of A Simple Man Mar 19th With Geoffrey Hughes and Dilys Watling Guys And Dolls Mar 26th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society Verdict Apr 2nd Ronald Leigh- The Selfish Shellfish Apr 10th Whirligig Children’s Theatre Dear Ivor Apr 16th The words and music of Ivor Novello Another Country Apr 23rd Play of the year 1981 Forget Me Not Lane May 1st Theatre Wales The Sleeping Beauty May 15th Northern Ballet Company Oliver May 21st Gendros Catholic Amateur Operatic Society with Catherine Zeta Jones and Richard Mylan Welsh National Opera Week May 29th La Boheme May 29th & Jun 1st La Traviata May 30th & Jun 2nd Jenufa May 31st Jesus Christ Superstar Jun 6th Midsummer Night Dream Jun 26th Black Comedy & Harlequinade Jul 10th Wait Until Dark Jul 24th Run For Your Wife Aug 6th With Paul Henry, Melvyn Hayes and John Clegg Lulu Aug 18th With Guests Fiddlygig Frankie Vaughan Aug 20th Ken Dodd Aug 22nd Cabaret Aug 29th Cider With Rosie Sep 18th London Contemporary Dance Oct 2nd Welsh National Opera Week The Merry Widow Oct 9th, 11th Ernani Oct 10th La Boheme Oct 12th The Greek Passion Oct 13th Masterclass Oct 15th With Anthony Bate Paul Daniels Magic Show Oct 22nd Children Of A Lesser God Oct 29th Policy For Murder Nov 5th With George Sewell, Annette Andre and William Marlowe. I remember this show, not because I saw it, but because at the time I worked in Collingwood Jewellers in Oxford Street, Swansea. One afternoon George Sewell came in to replace a battery on his watch. He was very nice and chatty and invited us all out to lunch, obviously we couldn’t all go. He did however come back every day of the play’s run. I now realise that life on the road could be a lonely experience, and he was just glad to have someone to talk to. No No Nanette Nov 12th Noele Gordon was cast to play in this, although she was taken ill. Her Place was taken by Moira Lister. Sadly Noele Gordon never recovered and died on April 18th 1985 The Magic Of Doyly Carte Nov 20th Oklahoma Nov 27th The Abbey Players Max Boyce Dec 2nd The Paper town Paperchasers Dec 4th |
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1985 Cabinet Mole Mar 18th With Amanda Barrie and Donald Hewlet Carousel Mar 25th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society Babes In Arms Apr 1st Su Pollard and Matthew Kelly Vince Hill and His Solid Apr 7th Gold Music Show Love At A Pinch Apr 8th Ruth Madoc, Norman Vaughan, Jack Douglas and Michael Knowles Joseph And The Amazing Apr 15th Technicolor Dreamcoat Why Not Stay For Breakfast Apr 22nd With John Inman and Amanda Bairstow Having A Ball Apr 29th Alan Bleasdale Play London Contemporary Dance May 7th Theatre Mr Cinders May 13th Half A Sixpence May 21st Gendros Catholic Amateur Operatic Society with Richard Mylan Welsh National Opera Week Rigoletto May 28th, 31st Norma May 30th Tosca May 29th. Jun 1st Annie Jun 5th Dave Willetts, Donna Yaeger and Rachel Blewett Hinge and Bracket Jun 9th Habeas Corpus Jul 2nd The Anniversary Jul 16th Olde Tyme Music Hall Jul 30th With Leonard Sachs (his son, the actor Robin Sachs was once married to Welsh Actress Sian Phillips and now works. successfully in America on Television and in Movies) Titter Time with Frankie Howerd Aug 12th The Basil Brush Show Aug 18th Compo Plays Stupid Aug 19th With Bill Owen The Railway Children Aug 27th With Roy Barraclough Gypsy Sep 18th Jasper Carrott Oct 6th Ballet Rambert Oct 8th An Evening With Queen Victoria Oct 13th With Prunella Scales The Lion The Witch And Oct 14th The Wardrobe Macbeth Oct 15th London City Ballet Swan Lake Oct 21,22,23rd Coppelia Oct 24,25,26th Val Doonican Oct 27th Val Doonican I remember with great fondness in my youth in the early seventies, His Saturday Night show was one of my favourites and I was ribbed many times at school for wearing similar striped cardigans and Jumpers. He still tours, although very rarely now as he is over 80. Jane Eyre Oct 28th With Tessa Wyatt and Dermot Walsh Jimmy Cricket Nov 3rd With guests Trevillion and Nine and impressionist Johnny More Romantic Comedy Nov 4th With Adelina Posta, Tim Brierly and Adrienne Corn Stardust Road Nov 10th With Georgie Fame celebrating the music of Hogy Carmichael The Gingerbread Men Nov 12th The Whirligig Children’s Theatre Pamela Stephenson Nov 16th Then known as part of the “Not The Nine O’clock News“ team, but now as the wife of comedy legend Billy Connolly Doctor In The House Nov 18th With Robin Askwith, Fraser Hines, Nicholas Smith and Brian Cant Sweet Charity Nov 26th The Abbey Players Welsh National Opera Week Dec 3rd Cosi Fan Tutte Dec 3,6th Rigoletto Dec 4th Madam Butterfly Dec 5,7th |
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1986 The Nutcracker Mar 4th Northern Ballet Company Welsh National Opera Group Othello Mar 11th, 14th Cosi Fan Tutte Mar 12th, 15th I Puritani Mar 13th The Greatest Nite Of The Year Mar 16th West Glamorgan Commonwealth Games Committee fund raising Musical evening The Grand offered its patrons a studio season while the last part of the renovations were being completed, where the audience were seated on the stage area, 300 only, and the plays would take place in the middle One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest May 27th Boys In The Band Jun 17th Directed by Peter Dayson Trafford Tanzi Jul 8th With Denise Welch, and was choreographed by the famous female wrestler Mitzi Mueller Stags and Hens Jul 29th The Fantasticks Aug 19th The Happiest Days Of Your Life Sep 9th Canterbury Tales Oct 1st The Grand Re- |
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1987 Swan Lake Mar 10th Northern Ballet Company Kings Rhapsody Mar 16th Swansea Amateur Operatic Society Noises Off Mar 23rd Peter Gilmore and Jane Freeman The Basil Brush Show Mar 29th Supergran Mar 31st A Murder Is Allowed Apr 6th Margaret Ashcroft, Dermot Walsh and Hazel Bainbridge Seven Brides For Seven Brothers Apr 14th A Gala Evening For Dr Barnado’s Apr 19th With Owen Money, Wendy Kane and the Swansea Male Voice Choir (which included my father Aubrey Parsons) Bobby Davro Apr 26th London Contemporary Dance Apr 29th Theatre Daisy Pulls It Off May 4th Andrew Lloyd Webbers Really Useful Group Presentation Beauty Is The Business May 12th With Faith Brown The Golden Fortune Jun 1st Russel Grant and Fenella Fielding The Rocky Horror Show May 18th Advertised as 16+ Fiddler On The Roof May 26th Gendros Catholic Amateur Operatic Society The Fabulous Fifties Jun 1st Clinton Ford, Wyn Calvin and Cavan O’Connor Welsh National Opera Jun 9th Carmen Le Nozze Di Figaro La Boheme Deadly Nightcap Jun 16th With Sharon Morgan (who co- Arsenic And Old Lace Jun 30th With Rachel Thomas (How Green Was My Valley) and Harriet Lewis (Pobl y Cwm) The Man Jul 14th Phillip Goodhew and Margaret John. Margaret who is Swansea born is one of a few performers that have appeared in both the 20th Century Doctor Who and the 21st Century Doctor Who series. She has also appeared in “Gavin and Stacey” and “High Hopes” for the BBC Boeing Boeing Jul 28th With Sion Probert, Neil West and Joanna Field. A free five- The Tart And The Vicars Wife Aug 10th Roy Castle Aug 18th Keith Harris and Orville Aug 21st Keith made a triumphant return to the Grand 20 years after his appearance as the puss in “Puss in Boots” in 1965/66 Free Lunchtime Concert Aug 29th Welsh National Opera The Theatre, which had only just been re- Dennis O’Neil Sep 5th Charity Concert Die Fledermaus Sep 9th Welsh National Opera Copy Cats Sep 13th London Weekend Television’s hit show hit the road, an impressionist show with Allan Stewart, Aiden J.Harvey, Andrew O’Connor, Hilary O’Neil and Mike Osman An Evening With Adelina Patti Sep 15th With Suzanne Murray as Adelina Patti Die Fledermaus Sep 17th Welsh National Opera Fidelio Sep 18th Welsh National Opera A Taste Of Wales Sep 24th Aled Jones and Friends in a Welsh National Opera presentation Fidelio Sep 25th Welsh National Opera The Cunning Little Vixens Sep 26th Welsh National Opera The Three Degrees Sep 27th Welsh National Opera Week The Cunning Little Vixens Oct 7th The Marriage Of Figaro Oct 8,10th Die Fledermaus Oct 9th HTV Wales presented the next 3 shows, which they filmed and broadcast on television An Affront To Culture Oct 13th Stefan Bednarczyk Sunrise And Shipwreck Oct 14th The Grand Style Of Jazz Oct 15th George Melly and Humphrey Lyttleton Cantabile Oct 16th Shanghai Kunju Theatre Oct 17th Danny La Rue Oct 18th In a show postponed from September 6th See How They Run Oct 19th With Kathy Staff Friends To The End Oct 25th “Opportunity knocks” winners and local boys Rosser and Davies in their own show The Rambert Dance Company Oct 27th The See Saw Tree Nov 3rd The Whirligig Theatre Company Grand Xmas Fashion Show Nov 6th Victoria Wood Nov 8th The Haunting Of Hill House Nov 9th David Moran And Carolyn Jones Twelfth Night Nov 16th Vanessa Ford Presentation with Ian Lavender, John Barron, John Curry She Stoops To Conquer Nov 19th Vanessa Ford Presentation with Ian Lavender, John Barron, John Curry (the World Ice Dancing Champion) The also did a “Macbeth”workshop at lunchtime on the 19th November South Pacific Nov 24th The Abbey Players Joseph and the Amazing Nov 30th Technicolor Dreamcoat Max Bygraves and Friends Dec 12th Bad Day At Black Frog Creek Dec 12th A morning Children’s Play Bad Day At Black Frog Creek Dec 19th A morning Children’s Play |
Swansea Grand Theatre Archive
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