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Going Back In Time
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Following the success of West Side Story, Julie, David and Tess fancied a (well earned) break from the rigours of a full-scale musical production. With having a theatre to run during her most busiest period, the work involved in putting on a large production would have been too much for Julie to handle at the same time.
Over the few years the theatre had been open, there had been lots of requests for an Old Time Music Hall. This is an old-fashioned type of show in a variety format, usually with an MC, several speciality 'acts', lots of songs and audience participation. Whilst being very entertaining, an Old Time is relatively easy to put on, with familiar songs and dance routines, this seemed a perfect, low maintenance yet popular show to put on in the spring of 2002.
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The show was a tremendous success for both cast and audience alike. The directors endeavoured to create as an authentic representation of a traditional Music Hall as possible, and pulled it off very well, with lots of favourite songs from the Old Days and with speciality acts including a magician, a George Formby tribute and a tribute to Max Miller.
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The New Empire Players (predominantly a young cast) were somewhat cautious about putting on an Old Time prior to the show. Many were unfamiliar with the old songs and were not entirely sure what an Old Time entailed. However as it turned out they all had a great deal of fun and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. This showed in their performance as the audience soaked up the fun, and each night the finale was met with raucous applause.
In fact the Old Time Music Hall was enjoyed so much by all, the players put on another one a few months later in June, and following that have performed it as their spring show both in 2003 and 2004.
Click Here for more on the Old Time Music Hall
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