Entertainment in the Three Towns Area

[Trojan]

A Soul All Nighter from 1986 at the legendary CeeJs nightclub (i.e the Dixieland with a new coat of paint)

 L0L

[DaveR]

Inside the Palace in 1981 (courtesy of Ian Grundy on Flickr):


PalaceConway by stagedoor, on Flickr

[Trojan]

Six people from the audience standing on a man lying on a bed of nails, Fakir performance At Colwyn Bay October 1947. (Theatre unknown)

[Fester]

Silly Fakir....

[DaveR]

I was just looking at the entry on 'Cinema Treasures' for the Palace. Have to say that the bit about 'The front of the building was originally a Georgean house which had been in use as a bank for many years' was news to me...

Located in the North Wales town of Conwy (originally known as Conway, Carnarvon). The Palace Cinema opened on 6th January 1936 with Hugh Williams in "Lieutenant Daring R.N.".

It was designed by architect Sydney Colwyn Foulkes for independent operator Mr H. Christmas Jones. The front of the building was originally a Georgean house which had been in use as a bank for many years. It was built of grey weather-worn stone, fitting in nicely with the old townscape. Behind this was built the modern cinema's auditorium block. Inside the auditorium was rather plain, but there was a reason for this. The lighting was by Holophane, which was able bathe the audiorium in over 400 tints and hues of colour. There are six silvered columns on each side of the proscenium opening which reflected the lighting. Across the top of the proscenium were panels in silver, which showed the faces of leading film stars of the 1930's. The ceiling was a plain 'dome' which had the Holophane lighting 'played' onto it. There was a cafe located in the balcony foyer which provided refreshments to patrons.

Of all the cinemas that were built in the U.K. in 1936, the Palace Cinema received the title 'Cinema of the Year' and the architect was given a 'special design award'.

In the 1970's occasional stage shows were included in the programming. The proscenium was 28 feet wide and two dressing rooms had been provided. The Palace Cinema closed in the early 1980's and was converted into an independently operated bingo club, which remains in use today.

The former Palace Cinema is a Grade II Listed building.

Contributed by Ken Roe http://cinematreasures.org/theater/22947/

[Waffagolf]

James Alexander Barr & Louis Parker used to go out with their mobile disco called "The Disco Roadshow". Louis used to DJ at Penrhyn Old Hall with his then wife Val, they were known as "King Louis & Val". Louis went on to form a Management company in London that used to manage major acts including Boyzone, and he was responsible for bringing many big name boy bands / groups / singers to the Rhyl Pavillion Theatre. I don't think he made a huge amount of money from doing that. I phoned him one day at his office and he said it gave him an excuse to come 'home'. Louis used to buy records from me back in the 1970s.

The major act that didn't turn up was, and I may be wrong, Robert Knight of 'Love On A Mountain Top' fame...Or it may have been George McCrae in around 1974/5.

As for the Palace, back in 70s it was Gilbert Gillan and Robert Redhead who brought Sweet Sensation there. They used to have a record shop in Madoc Street, Llandudno on the upper floor of the catring shop I think.

[Llechwedd]

There was a review in "The Guardian" last week for a dvd - "Here's a Health to the Barley Mow: A Century of Folk Customs and Ancient Rural Games", 0ut July 18th and produced byBFI.
Apparently it has dances, songs, in the form of news reports from regional tv etc.  "So alongside raw 1927 footage of the Llandudno May Queens there are childrens' games etc etc.  Hmm?