Page 12 - Colin Wheeler's Memories

Redditch Heritage My Palace Theatre and other Memories

I was first involved as a performer at the age of 14 years in 1944 and appeared

as a tap dancer with the Show of Shows Company, This was the Elsie Siddele
Downing’s Redditch Stage School, during the 1940s she presented a week long

show every August and an original pantomime, written by her, every January.
The profits were given to charity and she probably put more bums on seats during

that period than anyone else in the history of the theatre.

During my teenage years and also well into the fifties, I spent time visiting many

theatres to see the stars of the rapidly disappearing variety era, this was partly
due to the advent of television and also audience tastes in entertainment, my late

father used to say he had seen far better talent at the Palace, than is seen on
television, and agreed with him because the old acts had a lifetime to hone their
skills.

The photograph shows Colin's Tap Dancing Class

Page: 12 © Redditch Heritage 2018