Music Hall Days (DVD)

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Advantages:	Great DVD
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yes

Full review

Music Hall Days is a truly wonderful DVD programme. It is released through Green Umbrella and is presented by Lionel Blair. The programme was filmed at the headquarters of the Grand Order of Water Rats, at the Grays Inn Road, London.

The programme starts by shoeing some sombre shots of old closed down music halls. Crumbling ruins and demolition sites are their fate, now. The music halls, the implication was, will never come back.

But as Lionel Blair points out, "we still have the songs of music hall." And, fortunately, many of the acts were captured on film.

As Blair points out, there is more to music hall than "just" singing. Music hall encompassed all sots of acts, from "dancing to juggling."

Indeed, one of the bills displayed on the programme includes operatic arias, comedians and comediennes, a female impressionist (a lady who does impressions, in case you get the wrong idea!) male and female ballad vocalists, ballet, mimics, orchestral pieces, an eccentric comedienne, Risley performers (apparently some type of acrobatic act) and that was only an extract from the evening's packed programme of entertainment!

There are interviews with experts in the field. Especially illuminating and erudite was that with Peter Gammond, a historian of the music hall or variety, as it is also known. Indeed in the interview Gammon makes a cogent and well-argued claim that the roots of music hall/variety can be traced back as far as the 12 century.

The explanation of how the music hall developed from its distant historical starting point into the great institution of the 19 and early 20 century is extremely well realised.

There are extracts from the performances of Gus Elen, Arthur Askey, Marie Lloyd, Dan Leno, Gracie Fields, Charles Colbourne (his performance of Two Lovely Black Eyes, probably the only political music hall comedy song ever!) is a real joy to watch and hear, even though when it was recorded when he was already a very old man.

George Laybourne was famous for the song Champagne Charlie. Incidentally, there is footage of Tommy Trinder portraying Laybourne singing this song in a role in a film.

There is also film of other stars, and audio recordings of others, such as Albert Chevalier, famed for his moving song, My Old Dutch.

It has no extras, runs for 75 minutes and even if you do not have an interest in music hall, I think you will like this DVD.

It is listed on Ciao as being available at £8.99. It will make an ideal present for someone you love or for yourself.