Exhibition to celebrate the history of comedy in the North East

Curators appeal for more memorabilia

The rich history of comedy in North East England is to be celebrated in an exhibition this summer.

Title Not Only Sid James Died in Sunderland, the display will tell the history of local comedy and music-hall entertainment, including:

Thomas Faatus, a jester who was replaced by a monkey in Durham Cathedral
Two local comedians with links to the Beatles: Wee Georgie Wood mentioned in the song Dig It and Nat Jackley, filmed for Magical Mystery Tour but cut from the final film.
Alonzo Johnson, a Victorian comedian who was sentenced to death for being gay and who later had his sentence commuted to exile to Australia
Stand-up Anvil Springstien who used to be a ‘human anvil’ street performer who had paving slabs smashed on his chest by a sledgehammer.
Music hall star Jimmy Allender, who toured with Tom Thumb, but died in a workhouse when the music halls started to struggle.
The earliest days of Viz magazine

Local people are being asked to contribute memorabilia such as props, prints, programmes, tickets and costumes to go on display at the free exhibition, which will be staged at the Bottleworks in Newcastle on July 13 and 14.

It is being run by Felt Nowt, a co-operative of North East comedians. One of them, Lee Kyle, pictured, said: 'Felt Nowt is all about creating opportunities for the present and future of North East comedy, but we have a responsibility to preserve its past too.

‘We all know Bobby Thompson, Sarah Millican and Rowan Atkinson but lesser-known figures like Wavis O’Shave, Ella Retford and Wee Georgie Wood also played a vital role in the cultural history of our region and it’s equally vital that we preserve and recognise their contribution.

‘It’s about personal history as much as regional history – if you have a family member who contributed to North East comedy in any way, even as an audience member, this is the opportunity to preserve and showcase that contribution to the cultural life of our area forever.

‘We’d also like people to tell stories of seeing comedy or meeting comedians, local comedians, the more obscure the better. We’re after posters, flyers, articles, programmes, letters, tickets... anything honestly!’

The event’s title refers to Carry On star Sid James suffering a fatal heart attack on stage at the Sunderland Empire on April 26, 1976 while starring in a smutty comedy called The Mating Season. Co-stars originally thought he was playing a prank on them, and the audience thought it part of the show..

When the theatre manager Roy Todds phoned the show’s producer, Bill Roberton, to tell him the shocking news, Roberton is said to have thought it was a joke.

'Sid James has just died in Sunderland,’ said Todds. ‘Don’t worry, everybody dies in Sunderland,’ replied the producer.

The exhibtion is part of the Ouseburn Festival and has been developed in partnership with the Tyne & Wear Archives and the Discovery Museum.

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Published: 28 Jun 2024