For several decades until the early 1980s, the clubs of Britain were a breeding ground for talent in the entertainment world. Countless household names are known to have developed and honed their acts on the club circuit before moving on to radio, television and then performing in larger venues, such as theatres. In fact, many aspiring artists used the clubs as a stepping stone if not to television, then to a higher level of cabaret. Once you had ‘paid your dues’ on the local scene, you might – if you were good enough – move on to work on cruise ships or some of the great variety clubs of Yorkshire, such as Jesters or Batley Variety Club.
“
It was a start for a lot of stand-up comedians. They all cut their teeth in working men’s clubs. If they could get over in a working men’s club, then they could do it anywhere, because if they were no good, they would be booed off stage. 55
”
The club audiences were not always easy to please, and it took talent, nerve and determination for any aspiring performer to stand up on a regular basis and bare their soul. One fledgling comedian of the 1960s – who still wishes to remain anonymous – had his career cut short when he performed at Thorpe Marsh Power Station Club. Unbeknown to him, there were lots of contract workers from Scotland and the North East on site that week. His repertoire of gags about Scots and Geordies fell on stony ground to say the least, and he often reminisces about this being the final night of his brief foray into the treacherous world of clubland comedy.
“
There was some great entertainment in them days. Some of then finished up on telly. Marti Cane came in for an audition at Swinton Victoria, and they wouldn’t let her up, didn’t think she was 56 good enough.
“
”
They were ever so good. You can’t get that on television. Nobody knew them, and that act, they could do it in every club, but once they’d been on television 57 that was it: gone!
”
“
You get people who say, ‘Where you got these from?’ Then, the next person will say, ‘These are fantastic.’ You’re never going to get somebody that pleases everybody. You’re never going to get it. Doesn’t matter who it is, you could have Status Quo on in here and someone will say, ‘Wow, this is banging!’ Then someone else will say, ‘Ah, these are 58 crap!’
”
By the late 1960s, South Yorkshire had established itself as the heart of clubland entertainment and venues were buzzing with life. Carlsberg Lager sponsored a talent competition, and Butlin’s had a show touring the clubs called Here Come the Redcoats, with a cast of clubland entertainers who worked at the Butlin’s camps during the summer. High-quality shows were on offer across the town on every night of the week. Each club had its own character, reputation and type of entertainment, and customers would think nothing of travelling across town to see specific acts, rather than just watching what was on their doorstep. Many artists worked very hard during this period, some ‘doubling up’. This meant appearing at one club to do an early evening spot before hurrying across town to another where they would perform later in the evening. Some did a ‘Sunday Special’, which involved playing both lunchtime and evening at the same venue.
“
Yeah, I can remember the Scala Club, and it was all big bands there, all groups mainly and top acts, such as Frank Highfield - when he was on his way down. They used to double with Greaseborough Working Men’s Club. Now, the Greaseborough club had acts such as Shirley Bassey, all the big names, Bob Monkhouse, they had them all. They used to do Greaseborough first, and then they’d go to the Scala Club because they had a longer license to sell beer after 12.00, which was very unusual in them days. So they shared the bill between them. At the Greaseborough Club, there’d be one act on, a compere and then a big act on, and then all the little acts, whereas then, the big act there or the famous act would go to the Scala Club. They would finish off last there, and it was like that 59 every night.
”
46
By the late 1960s, South Yorkshire had established itself as the heart of clubland entertainment and venues were buzzing with life. Carlsberg Lager sponsored a talent competition, and Butlin’s had a show touring the clubs called Here Come the Redcoats, with a cast of clubland entertainers who worked at the Butlin’s camps during the summer. High-quality shows were on offer across the town on every night of the week. Each club had its own character, reputation and type of entertainment, and customers would think nothing of travelling across town to see specific acts, rather than just watching what was on their doorstep.