Rushden Research Group: Music 1960 Teenbeat

Teenbeat - Music in 1960

Did you go to the Teenbeat shows at the Royal Variety Theatre in 1960?
Would you share your memories with us?
Do you have any photographs of these events?

Rushden Echo, March 18th 1960, by Jill O'Connor

Teenbeat show at Rushden
THERE were no films at Rushden's Royal Theatre on Saturday afternoon—but the theatre wasn't dead—in fact it had new-life .

It was branching out with the presentation of the first live teenagers own Saturday afternoon show—and manager Mr. Bryan Enoch thinks his is the first cinema in the country to put on such a show in the afternoon.

Afternoon fling
Rushden teenagers have long been asking for their own show. The Royal Junior Club catered for the children on Saturday mornings. Bind now Mr. Enoch has decided to let the teenagers have their fling in the afternoons.

Just to be on the safe side he has had the stage extended so there is no fear of any energetic rhythm group going through his expensive screen. Special hi-fi equipment has also been installed.

Rushden Echo, March 25th 1960

Rushden's second performance of 'Teenbeat'
—at the Royal Theatre on Saturday—was more popular than the first held a week earlier.

Queues started at 12.30 pm for the 2 pm start and the teenage audience was 250 more than the first "Teenbeat".

The manager, Mr. Bryan Enoch said "Teenbeat" would probably develop into a regular show.

After the show about fifty girls surrounded the players of the two local rock ’n roll bands to get autographs—and one girl who had her arm autographed said she would never wash it again.

The opinion of her parents is unknown.

Northampton Chronicle & Echo, 21^st July 1960, by Alexander Gordon

'Teenbeat' shows pack the Royal

Market-Day in Rushden, Saturday, September 23, 1911: crowds were flocking in from, the surrounding villages; and this market day there was an added attraction—a brand new cinema was being opened opposite the Queen Victoria Hotel.

This was "one of the finest cinemas in the country," the Royal Electric Theatre. So, right from the very start, the Royal, built by the late Mr. Albert Franklin, who was determined that the cinema should be one of the best that skill and money could provide, played to packed houses. On the opening night all 500 seats were taken, and many people were standing.

Patrons who cared to pay the extra price for a seat in the circle were delighted with the comfortable tip-up armchairs "of the latest and most comfortable type."

The Stage of the new cinema was one of the largest in the country, measuring 53ft. by 29ft. This was ample room for the many acts which appeared at the Royal's popular variety nights. It is claimed that even an elephant has performed on the stage. Now the stage has had to be blocked off behind the screen, to prevent draughts. A small stage has been built in front of the screen for the performers at the cinema's fortnightly "Teenbeat" show.

The Royal was modernised four years ago, and new projection equipment was installed, to show Cinemascope films. The cinema now seats 860 people, but, unfortunately, packed houses are rare. In common with most other cinemas the Royal has been hit by the slump in picturegoing. However, under the guidance of manager Mr. J. W. Enoch, the cinema is packed every other Saturday for the "Teenbeat" shows. These are "rock" shows aimed directly at the teenage customer.

Every "Teenbeat" night, there are different local "beat" groups starring, and so far this has proved very successful.

More about 1960s music

Royal Variety Theatre - Mainpage