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Grand Theatre

Closed in 1955
Text reproduced by kind permission from information sheets in Brighton Museum & Art Gallery

The Grand Theatre, North Road, was opened on the site of Ginnett's Hippodrome Circus. The building had been converted into the Eden Theatre in 1894, and changed its name to the Grand Theatre in 1904. The Grand had a spacious stage (30 feet deep and 32 feet wide or apprx 9 metres by 10 metres) and seats for an audience of 2,000.

Main competition to the Theate Royal
It presented productions of all types, becoming the main competition to the Theatre Royal in the town in the years before the First World War. However it was best known for its melodramas, plays with exciting, action-packed plots involving high adventure and romance. An example of one of these melodramas was In Old Kentucky, which was playing at the theatre in November 1895. The hero had to save the heroine from a burning stable and take part in a horse race with four thoroughbreds. Its climax came when the heroine had to leap across a chasm to save the unconscious hero. She then seized a lit bomb wickedly left by the villain and hurled it away to explode with a terrific roar.

Famous for its pantomimes
The Grand was also famous for its pantomimes, which involved lavish costumes, sets and special effects to thrill the crowds. A scene from Robinson Crusoe, produced in 1905, is described in the following terms 'a fairy grotto under the sea, with stalactites and twining coral, with mysterious hollows, pale green and blue, with shells and seaweed and wondrous marine plants all in the dreamy atmosphere of the kingdom under the sea. This effect of charm is heightened by the introduction of the fairy diving bell. In glittering, shimmering silver streamers it descends, and Robinson takes his place in the bell-shaped opening. Instantly it blazes with light. The bell is framed with fairy lamps. Robinson is the centre of a blazing brilliance, and rises in light...to tumultuous applause'.

Actor manager Andrew Melville
In 1922 Andrew Melville became actor-manager of the Grand, presenting melodramas such as The Reign of Terror, Dracula and Sweeney Todd to pull in the audiences. However, the Grand found it hard to compete with the growing popularity of film, and in January 1931 it was converted into a cinema.

Forced to close in 1955
The Grand Theatre re-opened as a live performance venue in 1941, putting on pantomimes, musicals and variety shows in the late 1940s and early 1950s. However it was forced to close in 1955, this time for good, as audiences dwindled. The building subsequently became a furniture factory, and was destroyed by a fire in 1961. Today Gresham House and the North Road car park occupy the site where it once stood.

Added to the site on 01-02-05
This page was added on 22/03/2006.

Comments:

My mum and dad took me to most theatres and picture houses in Brighton but The Grand stands out in my mind. Queuing outside this very grey building, the excitement of what was to come, I must have been only 9 or 10 (circa 1952). We saw Max Miller, Arthur English, Max Wall to name but a few. My Dad always took a pair of opera glasses so he could see better as we sat up in the circle. There were also static nudes on stage at the end of the evening; they were often obscured by a gossamer curtain, not that it meant much to me at that age, is that what my Dad went for?
By John Desborough (06/02/2005)
I seem to remember going to this as a child with my mother and seeing a Jewish comedian but I can't remember his name. Do any lists of performers exist for the 50s?
By Len Williams (08/02/2005)
I too spent many happy hours watching the then star turns, Nervo and Knox (the sand dancers) among many greats. But one of the best turns was the little pipe smoking busker who performed to the queue outside, I wish I could remember his name.
By Ted Ancell (02/03/2005)
I was in a pantomime there about 1948; 'Alladin' starring Alfred Marks and Wee Georgie Wood who really was a horror. He slapped my face on stage one night which was not in the script. It was my only claim to fame - not much is it?! But good to recollect the past.
By Ray Barontini (17/04/2005)
I remember going to the Grand with my mum and brother. There was a cowboy band and trick shot artist on stage called big Bill Cambell. He asked the audience for a coin and my brother threw him a halfpenny. He tossed it in the air and fired his six shooter. After a big bang, he picked it up from the stage and tossed it to my brother. It was bent and damaged and my brother started crying!
By Harry Atkins (20/04/2006)
I think the Jewish comedian referred to by Len Williams was Issy Bonn.
By John Wall (30/08/2006)

I recall going to The Grand several times in the early 1950s. Terry Scott (of 'Carry On' and 'Terry and June' fame) was the star. My sister was in the chorus line, with I believe, a very long-legged girl called Janet Ball. If my memory serves me well, her mother Molly Ball ran a dancing school in Brighton.

By David Eldridge (25/11/2006)

I recall my first visit to the Grand when I was 8 years old in 1924. I saw a show called Alf's Button; when this soldier polished his button on the uniform a genie appeared. The facade of the theatre had a circus horse each side made of stone. A Mr Ginett ran the circus there, he is buried at Woodvale Cemetry.

By Len Brown (18/02/2007)

I am very suprised by the fact that there appear to be no photographs of The Grand. Surely there must be some, somewhere in the archives?

By John Wall (23/07/2007)

My father Albert Rose ran the Grand in the 1940s. I was four when I can remember seeing pantos and shows there. My sister appeared in some of the pantos. There were some wonderful photos which were lost after my father died. I met Alfred Marks, Alma Cogan, Norman Wisdom, to name a few, in those wonderful years.

By Judy Rowland (03/02/2008)

My father Harry Allchin was the general manager of the Grand theatre in the years just after the war. We then lived in Powis Square and every Sunday morning we would walk down to watch the rehearsals for the coming weeks show. Little did we know then that some of the young people appearing would become international mega stars! Petula Clark was a huge favourite of mine when she was just into her teens. Another child only ever appeared with her parents, that of course was Julie Andrews! Monday nights was my turn to see the whole show, we always had a box and sometimes I was allowed to take a friend making me very popular at school. My father always greeted us dressed in his dinner suit, after leaving the Grand he went on to manage the Princes News Theatre in North Street. I have so many happy memories of both venues.

By Rosemary Barlow (13/03/2008)

I remember Norman Wisdom in the circle of the Grand heckling Gerry Desmond's performance. I was unaware that it was all part of his act and was astonished to then see him climb over the balcony, grab a wire and slide onto the stage. No safety net, he just did it.  The funniest episode though was in a pantomime called Dick Turpin where they used two real horses on stage. One did what horses do as a steaming pile on the stage apron and the house was brought down when the thigh slapping principle boy (always a girl) tried to avoid it during a dance number, but couldn't.

By Roy Grant (20/03/2008)

In the late 1940s I remember going to the Grand Theatre with my Uncle John, he worked there in his spare time and he used to take me back stage. I also remember the little ponies when they had the pantomime Cinderella and I was given a toy by one of the cast. I watched the girls putting on their make-up and one year, when they had a production of Jack and the Bean Stalk, Brenda Bruce (the star) fell from the top of the stalk but, like the true star that she was, finished the show. My mother used to do her washing while Brenda was in the show and it was always hanging in our basement drying. She also did the stage washing of Rene Huston and Donald Stewart. I just loved going to the Grand, it was such a magical place to go. Happy days.

By Pamela (24/07/2008)

I remember a show at the Grand sometime in the fifties called 'Tarzan comes to town'. This had all kinds of wild animals in it including an act that used about eight crocodiles/alligators; they seem to be fast asleep as the trainer just seemed to pick them up like toys. Part of this act involved placing a crocodile/alligator on a table at each end of the stage only at the performance I saw one of these creatures fell from the table, the drummer looked like he was about to do the four minute mile as it was only about six feet away from him, however the trainer just picked it up again and emplaced it on the table. This wouldn't be allowed today under health and safety regulations plus the banning of performing animals, it was an exciting show for a nine year old though.

By John Wignall (02/08/2008)

Note for David Eldridge higher up the page:  I was a pupil at the Molly Ball Ballet School and remember Janet Ball well. I believe she was the niece of Molly and went on to work in television. I only met her once when she visited our class one evening but always looked out for her when we saw her advertised to appear on TV.

By Sandra (12/12/2008)

My aunt Ronn'e Conn appeared at the Grand Theatre, Brighton in the early 1940s. Would anyone have a billing of this? I have a wonderful photo of her on stage, the drapes were amazing.

By Maxine (20/12/2008)

Maxine I have put some Grand photos on the site. Can we see your photo please?

By Jennifer Tonks nee Smith (01/01/2009)

Hi Maxine, there are some programmes from the Grand on arthurlloyd.co.uk,dated 1947. Slso Google: "Grand theatre Bighton", click on the Melville Collection in the library, Kent. There you will see a photo of the cast of the Queen of Hearts, it looks very similar to the one on this site.
Small black and white print of the stage of Grand Theatre, Brighton showing the cast of Queen of Hearts in 1929/30 season. Andrew Melville II is amongst the actors on the stage. Also featured are Sam Mayo, Beryl Riggs, Bert Elmore and Tessie O'Shea.

By Maralyn Eden (08/01/2009)

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