One Night Only Resurrects Dead Wood Green Cinema

Jacksons Lane Theatre has received £9,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, through their Sharing Heritage programme for an exciting project “One Night Only!”

Jacksons Lane are working with students from St Thomas More School in Wood Green to  research the history of the Wood Green Empire then work with an artist to bring the sights and sounds of the Empire back to life in a special promenade performance for One Night Only!

On the site of Matalan off the Wood Green high street the Empire was a beautifully grand theatre designed by Frank Matcham who also designed the London Palladium. The only part of this large theatre that can now be seen is the building above the front entrance of Halifax on the Wood Green High Street.

However this project will enable Jacksons Lane to bring the amazing history back to life! The St Thomas More students are visiting Bruce Castle Museum, Matalan, Alexandra Palace as well as finding out about the variety of stars who performed at the Wood Green Empire. Acts we will be recreating include Marie Lloyd, Bela Lugosi, Maria Callas, Morecambe and Wise, Shirley Bassey and even the infamous Ching Lung Soo who died after his bullet act went disastrously wrong on the Wood Green stage making headlines!

The performance will take place at the end of March 2014. Jacksons Lane would also like any local budding historians out there to get in touch with any research or photos they might have on the Wood Green Empire. Anyone who can help please email Stuart Cox at stuart@jacksonslane.org.uk

Keep up with activity at the project blog: onenightonlyheritage.tumblr.com

Get free tickets here.