Thursday, June 05, 2008

Thanet Leisure Force breathe life into Margate Entertainment




So much attention, has been focused in recent times on Margate's cultural regeneration, in relation to the Turner contemporary and the concomitant growing artistic community, that our more down to earth popular entertainment culture, is overlooked.


Since the kerfuffle over the Theatre Royal last year, performing arts, that punters like me would like to see, appear to have fallen off the public agenda. Now I was reminded by an advert placed by Thanet Leisure Force, which advertises the "remarkable psychic medium" Colin Fry as well as Paul James and Billy Nutt In " The Boys Search for a STAR" , typifies just what Margate's Winter Gardens has to offer and frankly it's rubbish (in my opinion).


It's incredible that Thanet Leisure Force are so bereft of ideas that, one of their most heavily promoted shows happens to be a psychic medium, one also wonders why they don't go the whole damn hog and just exhume an audience.


Incidentally isn't it the case, that in advertising Psychic Mediums, that the law now requires some sort of disclaimer, maybe something to effect, that this performance maybe a load of old balls?


I realise that the traditional seaside summer season show built round, the semi decent performer is long gone but really surely they can do better than this.

8 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. A few days back we had David Essex at The Winter Gardens, & within the last couple of weeks we've had 60s legends P.J. Proby, Chris Farlowe, Brian Poole & Mike Pender of The Searchers, as well as Stars in Their Eyes Winer Gary Mullen & his superb Queen Tribute...all "semi decent performers" by any stretch of the imagination. But for better or worse we also have to cater for what the public want: the 60s night (P.J. Proby etc) played to a half empty hall, yet Colin Fry sells out well in advance every time he comes here.

    Peter Checksfield (doorman at The Winter Gardens & proud of it!)

    ReplyDelete
  3. PS. Other performers within the past year or so have included Dionne Warwick, Boy George, McFly (one of the biggest sellig bands of the last couple of years), The Stylistics, Chas & Dave, Ocean Colour Scene & Alexander O'Neil; comedians Jim Davidson, Freddie Starr & Jimmy Carr; celebrity boxing events attended by legends Henry Cooper & Barry McGuigan; as well as ballet, opera, discos, gay balls, beer festivals, brass bands...it's a shame that some (though not all) events are poorly attended, as some people think we only host events by psychics or obscure family entertainers.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Can we buy fish and chips there?

    ReplyDelete
  5. I coinsider myself corrected on this one, although I still dont reckon that a tribute band however good is star material.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I must admit I'm not keen on tribute bands either.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am number one sceptic but was dragged along to the last Colin Fry show. I am still a sceptic but nevertheless he is a good entertainer and it was a sellout and that, surely, is the objective.

    ReplyDelete