Fascinating letter for those with an interest in the old Summer season seaside spectacular shows put on back in the day.

The letter is dated Monday 11th August 1980 from David Lever, Public Relations Executive and Entertainments Manager at Bournemouth nightclub Madisons to a friend, Mike, likely in a similar line elsewhere. Mentions Dennis Hall, who was Director of Leisure and Amenities at Bournemouth, travelled around other theatres looking for acts to book for Bournemouth.  Hall went to Margate, Kent to see Jim Davidson perform, didn't like him or think his act right for Bournemouth! Wanted Cannon & Ball but was too late but did get them for one day the following month already half sold out to locals.

Larry Grayson had been down the previous night for one of the All Star Sunday Concerts at the Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, two performances, one night only. Took over £6000 but producer/writer Peter Dulay took 75%! Dulay wrote and produced Grayson's popular Shut That Door series. Hall wants to book Grayson for the 1981 full Summer Season. Clayman is Barry Clayman who worked for show producing management.

Max Bygraves was in the rival All Star Sunday Concert at the Winter Gardens, Bournemouth but appears to have not gone down well!

The main weekday Summer Season show at the Winter Gardens was Little & Large, bringing in £50,000 a week on tickets at £2.90, £2.65 and £1.90.

Whilst the main weekday show at the Pavilion was magician Paul Daniels bringing in £34,000 on tickets at £2.75, £2.50 and £1.75.

The "Pier Play"  with Tim Brooke-Taylor that "wasn't doing too well at all" was the Brian Rix farce Don't Just Lie There, Say Something. To be fair it was nearly ten years old by this time first mounted in 1971 with Brian Rix and Aldred Marks, made into the 1974 film with Brian Rix and Leslie Phillips. Everyone who wanted to had seen it by 1980 despite all the cast changes. Here it starred Tim Brooke-Taylor in the Rix role of MP Barry Ovis and Hugh Paddick in the Alfred Marks/Leslie Phillips role of Sir William Mannering-Brown. Brooke-Taylor and Paddick had done the play together the previous year at Plymouth and Brooke-Taylor only agreed to do it again in Bournemouth if Paddick also returned.

Ends with highlighting a young comic at the Winter Gardens by the name of Michael Barrymore, doing very well. Barrymoee, who turned professional in 1976, was audience warm up man for Grayson on The Generation Game at this time and here was stage audience warm up man for the Little & Large stage show.

An interesting look at Summer season variety of yesteryear.

Sent by Royal Mail Tracked for safety.

See my listings for other rare vintage British comedy memorabilia.