Royal Variety Performance

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For the record label, see Command Performance Records.

The Royal Variety Performance is a gala evening held annually in the United Kingdom, which is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family, normally the reigning monarch. The performance showcases a variety of family entertainment, including comedy, singing, dance, circus and other speciality acts, with many of the performers being popular celebrities. The event is organised on behalf of, and all proceeds are donated to the Entertainment Artistes Benevolent Fund.

The performance is televised to the public and is considered by many to be a tradition of the Christmas season, being held late in November, or early in December. The responsibility of producing and broadcasting the performance is shared alternately between the BBC and ITV and it is becoming a tradition for the BBC to stage the performance in London's West End and for ITV to stage it in regional theatres outside of London.

The performance is a New Year's tradition in Norway, where it is broadcast at 00:00 on January 1.

Contents

[edit] First show

The first performance, on July 1, 1912, was called the Royal Command Performance, and this name has persisted informally for the event. This was held in the Palace Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, in the presence of King George V and Queen Mary. The king said he would attend a once-yearly variety show, provided the profits went to the Variety Artistes' Benevolent Fund, as the EABF was then known. This first staging was a lavish occasion, and the theatre was decorated with 3 million roses draped around the auditorium and over the boxes[1].

The organisers did not invite Marie Lloyd, one of the most famous music hall artists of the time, because of a professional dispute. She held a rival performance in a nearby theatre, which she advertised was "by command of the British public". The name of the event was changed to prevent possible royal embarrassment. It became an annual event at the suggestion of King George V from 1921.

[edit] Further performances

The show was frequently staged in the London Palladium theatre, and in the 1950s and 1960s a television show based on the same idea, called Sunday Night at the London Palladium and hosted by many entertainers including Bruce Forsyth, ran for over 20 years. Television coverage of the royal show itself traditionally alternates each year between the BBC and ITV.

Almost every conceivable sort of act has at one time or another been presented to the monarch at the Royal Command Performance, including The Beatles in 1963, The Supremes in 1968 and The Blue Man Group in 2005. At the Beatles' show on November 4, 1963, John Lennon delivered a line to the well-heeled audience which has passed into legend: "For our last number I'd like to ask your help: Will the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands? And the rest of you, if you'll just rattle your jewelry ... "

The money raised by the Royal Variety Performance provides most of the funding for Entertainment Artistes Benevolent Fund and its home, Brinsworth House, a home for retired members of the entertainment profession and their dependents.

[edit] List of performances

Date Location Compère Guests Comments
3 July 1958 Alhambra Theatre Glasgow Scotland's first Royal Variety Performance
22 May 1960 Victoria Palace, London Bruce Forsyth Max Bygraves, Nat King Cole, Russ Conway, Billy Cotton and his Band, The Crazy Gang, Sammy Davis Jr, Lonnie Donegan, Diana Dors, Jimmy Edwards, Adam Faith, Bud Flanagan, Benny Hill, Robert Horton, Frankie Howerd, Hattie Jacques, Liberace, Vera Lynn, Bob Monkhouse, Cliff Richard and The Shadows, the Tiller Girls, Norman Wisdom and Harry Worth Held in the presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Jack Hylton presented it. ATV television presentation by Bill Ward.
12 November 1961 Prince of Wales theatre Bruce Forsyth Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball and the Temperance Seven bands, Shirley Bassey, Jack Benny, George Burns, Lionel Blair, Max Bygraves, Maurice Chevalier, The Crazy Gang, Sammy Davis Jr, Arthur Haynes, The McGuire Sisters, Morecambe and Wise, Nina & Frederik, Andy Stewart and Frankie Vaughan Held in the presence of the Queen and the Queen Mother. ATV television presentation by Bill Ward.
29 April 1962 London Palladium Norman Vaughan The Black and White Minstrels, Rudy Cardenas, Rosemary Clooney, Dickie Henderson, Bob Hope, Edie Adams, Frank Ifield, Eartha Kitt, Cleo Laine, Johnny Dankworth, Cliff Richard and The Shadows, Harry Secombe, Andy Stewart, Sophie Tucker and Mike and Bernie Winters Held in the presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. BBC television presentation by Duncan Wood.
4 November 1963 Prince of Wales theatre The Beatles, The Clark Brothers, Harry H Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell, Marlene Dietrich, Michael Flanders, Donald Swann, Buddy Greco, Dickie Henderson, Joe Loss, Susan Maughan, Nadia Nerina, Los Paraguayos, Pinky and Perky, Harry Secombe, the cast from the stage play Pickwick, Tommy Steele and the cast from the stage play Half a Sixpence, Eric Sykes and Hattie Jacques Held in the presence of the Queen and the Queen Mother. ATV television presentation by Bill Ward.
8 November 1964 London Palladium David Jacobs The Bachelors, Cilla Black, Tommy Cooper, Gil Dova, Gracie Fields, Lena Horne, Kathy Kirby, Brenda Lee, Millicent Martin, Morecambe and Wise, Bob Newhart, Ralph Reader's Gang Show, Cliff Richard and The Shadows, Dennis Spicer, Jimmy Tarbuck and The Tiller Girls Held in the presence of the Queen. BBC television production by Duncan Wood.

Download Part of Morecambe and wise from this show http://rapidshare.com/files/66732488/Royal_var_Nov_1964.mp3
14 November 1965 London Palladium Shirley Bassey, Tony Bennett, Jack Benny, Max Bygraves, The Carmenas, The Dave Clark Five, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, Ken Dodd, Johnny Halliday, Arthur Haynes, Hope and Keen, Frank Ifield, The Kaye Sisters, Neville King, Spike Milligan, Peter, Paul and Mary, Peter Sellers, Dusty Springfield and Sylvie Vartan Held in the presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. ATV television presentation was by Bill Ward.
20 November 1966 London Palladium Des O'Connor The Bachelors, Bal Caron Trio, Gilbert Bécaud, Sammy Davis Jr, Jack Douglas, Hugh Forgie, Christopher Gable, Nadia Nernia, Juliette Greco, Frankie Howerd, Jerry Lewis, Kenneth McKellar, Henry Mancini, Marvo and Dolores, Matt Monro, Wayne Newton, The Pietro Brothers, Gene Pitney, The Seekers and Tommy Steele Held in the presence of the Queen and the Queen Mother. BBC television presentation by Bill Cotton Jr. Introduction by David Jacobs.
19 November 1967 London Palladium The Bluebell Girls, Vikki Carr, Tommy Cooper, Ken Dodd, Val Doonican, Rolf Harris, Dickie Henderson, Bob Hope, Tom Jones, Lulu, Mirelle Mathieu, The Rockin' Berries, The Rumanian National Dance Company, Harry Secombe, Sandie Shaw and Tanya the elephant Held in the presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. ATV television presentation by Albert Locke.
24 November 1968 London Palladium Des O'Connor Arthur Askey, Lionel Blair, Petula Clark, The Czechoslovakian State Song and Dance Ensemble, Sacha Distel, Val Doonican, Engelbert Humperdinck, The London Irish Girl Pipers, Aimi McDonald, Ron Moody, Morecambe and Wise, Manitas de Plata, Ted Rogers, Diana Ross and the Supremes, André Tahon, Valente Valente and Mike Yarwood Held in the presence of the Queen and the Queen Mother. BBC television presentation by Stewart Morris.
16 November 1969 London Palladium Des O'Connor Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Moira Anderson, Cilla Black, Roy Castle, Ronnie Corbett, Frankie Howerd, Tom Jones, Danny La Rue, Shari Lewis, Mireille Mathieu, The Buddy Rich Orchestra, Ginger Rogers, the cast of the stage show Mame from Drury Lane, Harry Secombe and The Veterans Held in the presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. LWT television presentation by Albert Locke.
15 November 1970 London Palladium Max Bygraves Leslie Crowther, The Pamela Davis Dancers, Marty Feldman, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits, The Syd Lawrence Orchestra, Sandy Powell, Rostal and Schaefer, Freddie Starr, Caterina Valente, Dionne Warwick and Andy Williams Held in the presence of the Queen and the Queen Mother. BBC television presentation by Yvonne Littlewood.
21 November 1971 London Palladium Shirley Bassey, Norman Collier, Tommy Cooper, Sasha Distel, Stephane Grappelli, Bruce Forsyth, Ken Goodwin, Hughie Greene, The Little Angels of Korea, The New Seekers, The Stupids, Lovelace Watkins and The Young Generation Held in the presence of the Queen. LWT television presentation by Albert Locke.
5 November 1972 London Palladium Dickie Henderson Carol Channing, Los Diablos Del Bombo, Ken Dodd, Rod Hull and Emu, The Jackson Five, Elton John, Jack Jones, Danny La Rue, Liberace, the cast from Till Death Us Do Part, Mike Yarwood Held in the presence of the Queen Mother. BBC television presentation by Michael Hurll.
2 December 1973 London Palladium Ronnie Corbett, Les Dawson, Francis Van Dyke, Duke Ellington and his orchestra, Dick Emery, Phillippe Genty, José Luis Moreno, Nana Mouskouri, Rudolf Nureyev and Lynn Seymour, Peters and Lee, Cliff Richard and Dougie Squires' Second Generation Held in the presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. LWT presentation by Colin Clews.
16 November 1975 London Palladium Charles Aznavour, Count Basie and his orchestra, the cast of Dad's Army, Ronnie Dukes and Rikki Lee, Michael Crawford and the cast of the stage show Billy, The Kwa Zulu African Song and Dance Company, Kris Kremo, Larry Parker, The Rhos Male Voice Choir, Harry Secombe, Telly Savalas, Ruth Welting and Vera Lynn Held in the presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. LWT television presentation by John Pullen and Albert Locke.
15 November 1976 London Palladium Max Bygraves Shirley Bassey, Gilbert Bécaud, The Dance Theatre of Harlem, Dawson Chance, Roger De Courcey, Wayne King, Tom O'Connor, Los Reales Del Paraguay, Mike Yarwood, Lena Zavaroni, The Lionel Blair Dancers, The Nigel Lythgoe Dancers and the Ronnie Hazlehurst orchestra Held in the presence of the Queen and the Queen Mother. BBC television presentation by Stewart Morris. This year the show was broadcast live for the first time.
13 November 1978 London Palladium David Jacobs Arthur Askey, The Beverley Sisters, Lionel Blair, Max Boyce, Max Bygraves, Marti Caine, Wendy Craig, Leslie Crowther, Bobby Crush, Paul Daniels, Charlie Drake, Cyril Fletcher, Rolf Harris, John Inman, The Kaye Sisters, The Krankies, Danny La Rue, The National Youth Jazz Orchestra, Kenny Ball, Acker Bilk, The Nolan Sisters, Mary O'Hara, Harry Secombe, The Scottish Ballet, Anne Shelton, Showaddywaddy, Wayne Sleep and Leslie Collier, Roger Stevenson's puppets, Andy Stewart, June Whitfield and Gracie Fields Held in the presence of the Queen and the Queen Mother. Broadcast live. BBC television presentation by Stewart Morris.
2 December 1979 The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Boney M, Yul Brynner, Red Buttons, Marti Caine, Carol Channing, Berni Clifton, Gemma Craven, Jim Davidson, Les Dawson, Noel Edmonds, James Galway, Bill Haley and his Comets, Hinge and Bracket, David Kernan, Virginia McKenna, Julia McKenzie, Millicent Martin, Ned Sherrin, Amii Stewart, Elaine Stritch, Vladimir Vasilieu and Ekaterina Maximova, and Elisabeth Welch Held in the presence of the Queen. Broadcast live. LWT television presentation by David Millard. Bill Haley & His Comets performed their classic "Rock Around the Clock" at this performance, which would ultimately be the final time Haley performed the song on television (his last performances would be a few months later and he died in 1981).
23 November 1980 London Palladium Angela Rippon (Part One), Sammy Davis Jr (Part Two) Part One: Rowan Atkinson, Lionel Blair, Sheena Easton, Bruce Forsyth, Grace Kennedy, Cleo Laine, Joe Loss, Paul Squire, Una Stubbs, Wall Street Crash, Harry Worth. There is also a tribute to the Music Hall in this section featuring Chesney Allen, Arthur Askey, Charlie Chester, Billy Dainty, Charlie Drake, Arthur English, Cyril Fletcher, Stanley Holloway who was 90 at the time, the oldest star to ever appear in the show, Roy Hudd, Richard Murdoch, Sandy Powell, Tommy Trinder and Ben Warriss.

Part Two: Lillian Gish, Victor Borge, Aretha Franklin, Larry Hagman, Danny Kaye, Peggy Lee, Henry Mancini and Mary Martin

 This year was a two part tribute to the Queen Mother in honour of her 80th birthday, with Part Two being a Hollywood tribute. Held in the presence of the Queen, the Queen Mother and the Prince of Wales. Stage directors were Norman Maen and Lionel Blair. BBC television production by Yvonne Littlewood.
29 November 1981 The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Dickie Henderson Adam and the Ants, Acker Bilk, Patti Boulaye, The Clark Brothers, Lonnie Donegan, Donovan, Anita Harris, Lenny Henry, John Inman, Stephanie Lawrence, Lulu, Mireille Matthieu, Elaine Paige, Itzhak Perlman, Cliff Richard, The Shadows, Alvin Stardust, Jimmy Tarbuck, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Julian Lloyd Webber and Marty Wilde Held in the presence of the Queen. Introduced by Robert Hardy. LWT television presentation by David Millard.
14 November 1982 Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Moira Anderson, Joe Black, Joyce Blair, Bucks Fizz, Jim Casey, Roy Castle, George Cole, Lesley Collier, Kenneth Connor, Leslie Crowther, Tim Curry, Billy Dainty, Lorna Dallas, Suzanne Danielle, Anna Dawson, Wayne Eagling, Sheena Easton, Helen Gelzer, Peter Glaze, Tommy Godfrey, Billy Gray, John Hanson, Richard Harris, Vince Hill, Roy Hudd, Gloria Hunniford, John Inman, David Jacobs, Jack Jones, Karen Kay, Howard Keel, Bonnie Langford, Chris Langham, Diane Langton, Jan Leeming, Aimi Macdonald, Ruth Madoc, Millicent Martin, Ethel Merman, Pete Murray, Michael Praed, Esther Rantzen, Amanda Redman, Angela Rippon, Liz Robertson, Anton Rodgers, Isla St Clair, Peter Skellern, Don Smoothey, Victor Spinetti, Pamela Stephenson, Richard Stilgoe, Christopher Timothy, Topol, Dennis Waterman, Bernie Winters and Eli Woods Held in the presence of the Queen and the Queen Mother in a show entitled "The Magical World of Musicals". BBC television presentation by Stewart Morris.
13 November 1983 Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Gene Kelly Michael Barrymore, George Carl, Gemma Craven, Billy Dainty, Les Dawson, Bob Fosse, Grace Kennedy, Bonnie Langford, Julia McKenzie, Natalia Makarova and Anthony Fowell, Merle Parke, Clarke Peters, The Roly Polys, Leslie Sarony, Wayne Sleep, Tommy Tune and Twiggy Held in the presence of the Queen. Show them was "Gotta Dance". LWT television presentation by Alan Boyd.
25 November 1984 The Victoria Palace Eileen Atkins, Simon Callow, Ronnie Corbett, Jimmy Cricket, Leslie Crowther, Billy Dainty, Paul Daniels, Les Dennis and Dustin Gee, Robert Dherry, Charlie Drake, Paul Eddington, Frank Finlay, Tim Flavin, James Galway, Russell Grant, Keith Harris, Harvey and the Wallbangers, Roy Hudd, Howard Keel, the cast of Last of the Summer Wine, Robert Lindsay, Henry Mancini, Jean Marsh, Paul Nicholas, Angharad Rees, Emma Thompson, The Tiller Girls and Bernie Winters Held in the presence of the Queen and the Queen Mother. BBC television presentation by Yvonne Littlewood.
1 December 1985 Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Don Ameche, Michael Aspel, Lauren Bacall, Simon Bowman, Sarah Brightman, Geoffrey Burridge, Danielle Carson, Roy Castle, Joan Collins, Patrick Duffy, Alice Faye, Rolf Harris, Russell Harty, Celeste Holm, Michael Howe, Gloria Hunniford, Stephanie Lawrence, Jan Leeming, Rula Lenska, Ron Moody, Anna Neagle, Paul Nicholas, Sarah Payne, Su Pollard, Beryl Reid, Liz Robertson, Martin Shaw, Jean Simmons, Frankie Vaughan, the cast of the play 42nd Street, Dennis Waterman, Elisabeth Welch, Gary Wilmot and Norman Wisdom Held in the presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. The show was themed "The World of Film Musicals". LWT television show presentation by Alan Boyd.
29 November 1986 Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Bluebells, Victor Borge, Rory Bremner, Max Bygraves, Marti Caine, Frank Carson, Cyd Charisse, Petula Clark, Lesley Collier, Ronnie Corbett, Tyne Daly, Paul Daniels, Ken Dodd, Val Doonican, Sharon Gless, Stephane Grappelli, Simon Howe, The Huddersfield Choral Society, Gloria Hunniford, Aled Jones, Lulu, Vera Lynn, Paul McCartney, Ruth Madoc, Valerie Masterson, Bob Monkhouse, Nana Mouskouri, Paul Nicholas, Nicholas Parsons, Carolyn Pickles, Su Pollard, Alan Randall, Angela Rippon, Peter Ustinov, Marti Webb, Kit and The Widow, and Victoria Wood Held in the presence of the Queen and the Queen Mother. BBC television presentation by Yvonne Littlewood.
29 November 1987 London Palladium Michael Barrymore, Shirley Bassey, Sarah Brightman, Alan Brind, Cannon and Ball, George Carl, Rosemary Clooney, Bobby Davro, Les Dawson, Five Star, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, James Galway, Evelyn Glennie, Peter Goodwright, Dolores Gray, Hale and Pace, Tom Jones, Eartha Kitt, Johnny Logan, Ron Lucas, Jessica Martin, the cast of the stage play Les Misérables, Anthony Newley, Hilary O'Neil, Vladimir Ovchinikov, Johnnie Ray, The Roly Polys, Harry Secombe, George Shearing, Alan Stewart, Jimmy Tarbuck, Mel Tormé, Gary Wilmot and Mike Yarwood Held in the presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. LWT television presentation by Alasdair Macmillan.
26 November 1988 London Palladium Ronnie Corbett and Bruce Forsyth A-Ha, Russ Abbot and Bella Emberg, Rick Astley, Bananarama, the cast of Bread, The Chong Qing Troupe, Brian Conley, Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee, Michael Feinstein, the cast of The Golden Girls, Julio Iglesias, Jackie Mason, Ann Miller, Kylie Minogue, Bob Monkhouse, the cast of Neighbours, Cliff Richard, Mickey Rooney, Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones Held in the presence of the Queen and the Queen Mother. BBC television presentation by Michael Hurll.
25 November 1989 London Palladium Michael Ball, Chris de Burgh, Lance Burton, the cast of Coronation Street, Wayne Dobson, David Essex, Janet Jackson, Nigel Kennedy, Jerry Lewis, Julian Lloyd Webber, Joe Longthorne, George Marshall, John Mills, Paul Nicholas, The Northern Ballet Theatre, Freddie Starr and Tina Turner Held in the presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. LWT television presentation by Ian Hamilton.
30 November 1991 Victoria Palace Michael Ball, Simon Bowman, Linda Mae Brewer, Beverley Craven, Jim Dale, Les Dawson, Mike Doyle, Rosemarie Ford, David Frost, Roy Hudd, Gloria Hunniford, Eric Idle, Julia McKenzie, Jackie Mason, Elaine Paige, Billy Pearce, Frances Ruffelle, Lea Salonga, Wayne Sleep and Marti Webb Held in the presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. LWT television presentation by Alasdair Macmillan.
26 November 2001 Victoria Palace Sir Elton John, Charlotte Church, Jackie Mason, The Full Monty,

Adam Watkiss, Julian Clary, Samantha Mumba, Donny Osmond, Jennifer Lopez, Craig David, Vinnie Jones, Al Murray, Alessandro Safina, Cirque Du Soleil, Robert Meadmore, Russell Watson, Anatoliy Zalevskyy, Cher, Jethro, Denise Van Outen, Jon Culshaw, The Corrs, Hearsay, Barbara Windsor, Cilla Black, Jimmy Tarbuck, Franco Dettori, Dale Winton, Claire Sweeney, Ruby Wax, Paul O'Grady, Emma Forbes
21 November 2005 Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Michael Parkinson and Sharon Osbourne This performance was the 77th Royal Variety Performance and had a strong Welsh flavour. Shirley Bassey with other Welsh artists also attending including Charlotte Church, Katherine Jenkins, Bryn Terfel, Dame Shirley Bassey and the Regimental Band of the Royal Welsh. Also included Cliff Richard closing the first half of the show with a medley of "Move It", "The Young Ones" and "We Don't Talk Anymore" as well as a full performance of "Miss You Nights" and "Wired For Sound". He also performed later in the show with an acoustic version of "Lucky Lips" while the sets were changed. McFly also performed on the night with their current single at the time, The Ballad of Paul K. A highlight of the event was Catherine Tate's character Lauren Cooper asking the Queen: "Is one bovvered?" Held in the presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.
2006 London Coliseum Jonathan Ross The cast of Spamalot, The Sound of Music, Jump, Wicked and Avenue Q, music by the Sugababes, Barry Manilow, James Morrison, Take That and Rod Stewart Produced and broadcast by the BBC and attended by HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. Themed around the re-opening of the Colisseum after extensive restoration work.
3 December 2007 Liverpool Empire Theatre, Liverpool Kate Thornton and Phillip Schofield Acts included: Al Murray, Big Howard Little Howard, Dany & Edina, David Jordan, Enrique Iglesias, Hairspray (West End cast), English National Ballet, James Blunt, Jimmy Tarbuck, Joan Rivers, Darcey Bussell and Katherine Jenkins (Viva La Diva), Lang Lang, Natasha Day, Paul Potts, Philip Achille, Raymond Crowe, Russell Brand, Seal, Senators Drum & Bugle Corps, Stephen K. Amos and Teatro. Headliners: Bon Jovi and Kiri Te Kanawa

Finale: "Let It Be" performed by entire cast, led by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora.

 Produced by Glen Middleham for ITV Productions. The live performance took place on Monday 3 December 2007, attended by HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The performance was screened on ITV, on Sunday December 9 at 8pm.

[edit] Notable appearances & trivia

  • Dame Shirley Bassey has appeared at the variety performance a number of times, and her 1994 performance received the show's first standing ovation in more than twenty years. She again received a standing ovation in 2005, this was only the fourth time in the shows history that this had happened.
  • Sixteen performances have been cancelled because of world conflict or the Royal Family's official mourning.

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Royal Variety Performance (London Theatre Museum accessed 24 October 2007

[edit] External links

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