Catalogue

The 1920s was a decade known in North America as the “Roaring Twenties” while in Europe the period is sometimes referred to as the “Golden Age” because of the economic boom following World War I, but all this came to an end in October 1929 with the devastating Wall Street Clash.
Provincial Cinematograph Theatres, the country’s largest cinema chain at the time with over one hundred cinemas in the UK had secured the Hanley site as early as 1925. However, with issues with other properties next door it was 1929 before the largest cinema in the Potteries was opened.
Amid all this it was the picture-house which thrived for just a few pence you could leave all the stresses behind as be transformed twice a week to a world of make-believe. This would be created not just by celluloid projected onto a silver screen, but by the sheer splendour of the ‘Picture Palace’ and the new Regent in Hanley was going to be the best in the Potteries The cinema was operating silent movies when it opened. At the same time, a debate was being held between film directors and actors if to proceed with ‘talkies’ because of the costs and wondered if they would oust the silent picture or even rival the appeal of the theatre.
It was not long after that the very first ‘Talkie’ in the Potteries was shown at the Regent in July 1929 when “The Singing Fool” starring Al Jolson took to the screen filling the 2134 seats at four performances a day. At the end of the week the demand was so great with constant queues around the block that the management decided to run the film for a further week. This meant that around 26,000 people came to see history in its making at The Regent and to witness actual words and music coming for the first time from actors. A simply magical story of our lost years. two x A4 pages

When the Theatre Royall in Hanley finally dropped the safety curtain on live in 1961 shows, it would have caused some considerable disappointment to families with young children as they would all lose out on the annual pantomime. Yet there was hope as the then Gaumont cinema practically across the road was built with full theatre facilities, dressing rooms, fly town, and a huge orchestra pit all standing empty. The thought I ponder over that for practically two generations of children would have only experienced for the twenty odd years last, Jonathan Wilkes playing the leading role at the old cinema, now greatly restored and back to its original name The Regent.
But it was the old cinema that came in and saved the annual Christmas Pantomime for the masses of children and families. With the silver screen raised high into the fly tower, productions once more commenced of the annual potteries pantomime.
Annual pantomimes at the Gaumont commenced the same year as the Theatre Royal closed to live shows.
So, with a re-decoration of dressing rooms and a general clean up, the first pantomime was staged in December 1961 with Robin Hood staring John Hanson known for his fine tenner voice and the character of the Red Shadow in the musical The Desert Song. All 2,334 seats were sold for each performance and the Sentinel report referred to it as a most colourful – well-dressed production and worth seeing if only for the singing, praising John Hanson as being on top form and engaging in fights and duels. Comedian Max Wall played the part of Martha, the children’s nurse was described as a likeable dame who showed himself as a versatile dancer.
This was just the beginning of the pantomime continues success for the potteries. The story contains stories of some of the top stars of the day, frequently playing the Dame.

Two pages x A4 Pictures