Ghosts and the comics graveyard

Here’s the Sunderland Empire Theatre, built in 1907 (and opened by music hall artiste, Vesta Tilley) and full of history and ghosts.

The actor Sid James suffered a heart attack during a performance of The Mating Season on 26 April 1976 and died on the way to hospital. Later it was rumoured that his ghost was in the dressing room he occupied on the night of his death; after one experience during a gig there, the comedian Les Dawson refused to play the venue again. Whilst the ghost of James is said to haunt backstage, the spirits of Vesta Tilley and Molly Moselle are said to haunt the front-of-house areas. Molly Moselle was a stage manager for Ivor Novello's The Dancing Years in 1949. Leaving the theatre to post a letter, she disappeared down a nearby alley and was never seen again. The Empire was known as a 'comic graveyard' - rather unfortunately given the above points - because of the partisan reception of the audiences of the time.

Anyway, artists play the Sunderland Empire at their own risk.

Having had a great weekend in the north east, now back home chilling.

Hope you have enjoyed Sunday.