PICTURES: Memories from the old Empire venue
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THERE was hardly a dry eye in the house when the old Empire, the most northerly variety venue in the country, staged its final performance.
To be accurate, the curtain never came down that last night in Academy Street before the theatre was demolished to make way for the BT building that is now the Penta hotel.
Retired accountant Derek Mathieson (72), then a part-time stagehand, said: “As the end of the second house approached, and the cast were assembling on stage, one by one everything including drapes and pelmets was flown up into the fly tower, and the stage was left with only bare walls and the overhead lighting as the entire company came on.
“Cleaners, box office staff, usherettes, stage hands – nobody was left out. There were many tears shed as everybody joined hands and sang Auld Lang Syne. Then Inverness’s own Mr Showbiz, John Worth the producer, came on stage to rousing applause.”
He added: “Earlier, local dance teacher Margaret Firth, a great colleague of John, surprised everyone by coming on and doing a dance which had been kept from him as a surprise.”
The Empire closed with A Festival of Final Shows. The Scottish Soldier himself, Andy Stewart, took his show in on the Thursday; Friday was the Lex MacLean Show; and Saturday was The Finale which included The Corries, Bill McCue, host Ronnie Coburn, Will Star, Johnny Bogan the Muir of Ord comedian, and a host of local amateur singers, drama groups, dancers, musicians and the Calumdon Pipe Band.
The rise of the Empire was almost accidental. The building began life in 1912 as the Central Hall Picture House, with live theatre staged at the Theatre Royal in nearby Bank Street. After the Theatre Royal was destroyed by fire in March 1931, Will Fyffe’s revue was transferred to the cinema and more shows followed.
In 1934 the owners, Caledonian Associated Cinemas, enlarged the stage and the Empire Theatre was born, with the opening show starring none less than Sir Harry Lauder.
Many big names played the Empire over the years that followed, including Sir Noel Coward, legendary Irish singer Bridie Gallagher, and Val Doonican, appearing as one of the Four Ramblers.
In 1961 three young unknown Irish lads were a support act before heading the following night to Sunday Night at the London Palladium. They were The Bachelors.
The Empire experienced some of the Swinging Sixties atmosphere of pop star adulation, with singer Graham Nash, of the Hollies, having to be rescued as fans rushed the stage, causing the orchestra pit to collapse.
Youngsters thronged to pop shows with Sound Incorporated, Due D’Monde and the Baron Knights, Eden Kane, The Checkmates, and The Dave Clark Five.
Mr Mathieson, who has a fascinating collection of Empire memorabilia, said: “Inverness Amenities Association staged pop concerts for local talent, with groups arriving with homemade electrics which blew their fuses regularly while they were on stage with their large and many amplifiers.
“Wrestling was also presented monthly, with a microphone under the ring to amplify the sounds. The wrestlers arrived in one bus from Leeds, and despite showing huge aggression in the ring, they were generally a very friendly bunch of guys. It was nearly always sold out.”
An appreciation of the Empire has to include more about impresario John Worth.
Mr Mathieson said: “He was from Nottingham but he adopted Inverness after coming here with Glasgow theatrical agents GB Bowie who leased the Empire.
“He later became the Empire manager and was to continue to present Scottish Showtime at Cummings Hotel (now Wetherspoons) for many years after the Empire closed. He also was musical director for pantomimes at Eden Court Theatre for several years prior to his death.”
The impresario was also involved in a whiff of 60s scandal when he tried to stage a show with nudity at the Empire and he was hauled before the licensing committee. Surprisingly, the show went on, provided external publicity pictures were not shown.
An accomplished music writer, he also acted as agent to many stars including the Corrie Folk Trio with Paddy Bell, later to become The Corries. Isla St Clair was also often seen at the Empire on folk evenings, long before she appeared on the Generation Game.
One of Mr Worth’s least known Empire dramas was when a flood nearly prevented the opening of a summer show.
Mr Mathieson said: “A 12ft high waterfall had been built for a spectacular finale. The water was switched on to test the effect and immediately came gushing out, flooding the stage and the orchestra pit, fusing the footlights, and soaking all of the sheet music, some of which had been specially written for the show. As musical director John had the job of rewriting the music, which he only completed minutes before curtain up on opening night.”
The National Mod was held at the Empire until TV arrived when it moved to the larger Playhouse further up Academy Street.
Mr Mathieson said: “Gaelic was very popular in Inverness, and two stars in particular could fill the building to capacity any night of the week – Calum Kennedy together with his wife Anne Gilles and sometimes his family, and Alasdair Gilles.”
When the Empire closed The Playhouse became Inverness’s main theatre until it burned down in 1972, leaving the town with just one tiny stage, in Faraline Park.
The council then began moves to create another venue and, in 1976, Eden Court opened with a main auditorium named The Empire.
The Empire is dead – long live the Empire!
