Way out West
Just in case you wondered about the name, there was a reason, in fact a couple of reasons why I chose it.In 1910 Arthur Stanley Jefferson performed at the Ealing Hippodrome (AKA The New Theatre/Ealing Theatre/Lyric). He was part of the Fred Karno troupe, amongst whose other luminaries was Charlie Chaplin. In his capacity as understudy to Mr Chaplin, Stan Laurel (formerly of Ulverston, Cumbria), followed the flow and went to America. The Hippodrome, incidentally, was designed by Frank Matcham (architect of the London Coliseum, Palladium, Hackney Empire and many more). It was demolished in the sixties, and an entirely unremarkable building replaced it, now occupied by WH Smiths. The only things that can be said about this unattractive structure is that it is reputed to have a haunted stockroom, where the dressing rooms used to be, and the IRA bomb managed to miss it, a wasted opportunity.
At the peak of their popularity, Laurel and Hardy visited the UK as a part of a European tour, and on their itinerary was Ealing. Not this time the Hippodrome, but rather the Walpole Cinema, converted from an Ice rink in 1912, and still functional in my childhood. Contemporary reports have the streets clogged with adoring fans.
I have never been a Laurel and Hardy fan, but the more I discover about their background, and their sheer performance intelligence gives me a great deal more respect for them than I used to have. They were genuine craftsmen and both respected and valued their audience, which I suspect is rare these days.
posted by Lampy @ 7/30/2005 10:27:00 pm
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