Have attended shows a quite a few times in a theatre or cinema and found the atmosphere rather flat.If the stage was seated it wasn't too bad but if if it was only seated one side in the permanent seats it was an eerie sort of atmosphere.If there was a balcony it was usually too far away to make any difference.However,there were possibly plenty of places where it was a great success.Your thoughts please.
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Although not a theatre Newcastle City Hall was a noted concert venue and the ring was on the stage, the best seats near the action were actually the choir steps at the back of the stage you were close to the action and level with the ring. They probably sat 200 or maybe a few more and were always my preferred place to watch the action. It also added to the atmosphere as sitting in the stalls or balcony I thought you were detached from the action .
Although it held 2500 and the wrestling drew decent numbers for a long time it wasn't the same atmosphere wise as St James Hall.
i attended many shows at The Gaiety Theatre in Rhyl in the early 1970s. The promoter was local councillor Roy Turner who also acted as M.C. and the booker was Martin Conroy for Wryton Promotions. Most of the TV stars of the day appeared there including Les Kellett, The Royal Brothers, Count Bartelli, Kendo Nagasaki, Jackie "Mr.TV" Pallo, Steve Veidor, Tibor Szakacs, Gwynn Davies and Albert "Rocky" Wall. Regulars on the undercard included "Judo" Al Marquette, Jack Robinson, Bobby Ryan, Jim Moser and Kevin Conneely.
These shows were on a Saturday and they staged their own summer shows during the week. The big shows in Rhyl were at The Pavilion but The Gaiety had its share of names over the years including Lonnie Donegan, Hughie Green, Charles Hawtrey and Danny Ross. In later years Aubrey Phillips presented a different show every night (music hall, variety, pantomime etc).
Evidence that you can have a good atmosphere.There was probably more venues that could pull it off.Nice nostalgic reply Anglo.Thanks.
It worked very nicely at the White Rock Pavilion in Hastings. Three rows of ringside seats far side of the ring; with the rest of us in the stalls and circle. Our side we had a 10 feet drop. I vividly remember Roach and Nagasaki in bodyslam position, astride the middle rope, for about five minutes of nail biting tension. Over twenty feet from Nagasaki's toes to the ground. Plus we had all the benefits of a theatre with plush carpets, albeit officious usherettes (spotted me moving to a pricier seat...) and "Prince McBride on the Organ" who played from Door Open and through the interval.
The Granada Tooting had no stage seating, just a straightforward ring on stage. I was very young when I used to go there and, not yet a wrestling nerd, I really felt it as downgrade venue because it didn't resemble the tv set-up. Years later I would understand what top quality wrestlers I had seen - as well as Crusher Verdu!