WE NEED YOU!

BECOME A PARTOF THES T O R Y

CONTENTSHelp us Secure Wilton’s

THE STORYChapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3

How you can help

2

3915

19

YOUR iNviTATiON TO iNvEST iN A PiECE OF LONDON’S HiSTORY.

2

3915

19

i first came across Wilton’s Music Hall as a student while on work experience for an opera company. That was in 1998, I was climbing over piles of rubble, dodging holes in the floor and trying to clear up rubbish that was knee deep. I just hoped so much that the hall could be saved and brought back for the public. In 2004 I realised this ambition when I successfully pitched for the role of Director that has become my passion and my life.

Wilton’s atmosphere and history are unique. One hundred and fifty years of real-life drama are etched into its walls. From gaiety to despair, romance to rogues, wealth to poverty and glamour to debauchery, it’s all here.

Someone once said that Wilton’s couldn’t be saved because the only people who hung out round here were “Rippers and Krays”. Thankfully, that’s not true – any more . This area is evolving into a vibrant and hopeful community and Wilton’s is emerging from dereliction and obscurity. I have a skilled and dedicated team of six and together, we have nursed this precious old invalid of a building and built a sustainable business, winning public and critical acclaim and establishing Wilton’s as an artistic force to be reckoned with. We have also developed our presence within the local neighbourhood, helping to heal and regenerate an area decimated by two world wars and followed by extreme town planning. With the 2012 Olympics around the corner, it is vital that we preserve and promote our East End cultural heritage. It is time for Wilton’s to shine as a cultural beacon during the Olympics and beyond.

The unfortunate reality is, however, that the building is col-lapsing. Unless we raise the money to rescue it, all this will soon be lost forever. The sum of money we seek is modest compared to the scope and value of what it will achieve. The story that follows illustrates this and will, I hope, inspire you to visit us and experience, at first hand, the magic of Wilton’s.

Frances MayhewArtistic Director

The Past

John Wilton built his Grand Music Hall across the back yards of four 18th century houses off Wellclose Square. One of them was already an established gin or alehouse known, following a lavish refurbishment in the 1830s, as the Mahogany Bar. His wife, Ellen, laid the foundation stone on Thursday 9th December 1858 and it opened barely four months later on 29th March 1859. No expense was spared. Wilton’s spectacular auditorium was resplendent in salmon pink, pale blue and ivory with mouldings picked out in gold leaf and a gallery supported by gilded barley-twist pillars. Mirrors and crystal chandeliers sparkled in the gaslight and, from the ceiling, hung the very latest in new-fangled technology - the biggest ventilating, gas-fired “sunburner” lamp in London. John Wilton proclaimed his music hall “The Handsomest Room in Town” and “Peeping Tom” – the Time Out and Tatler rolled into one of its day – advised its readers that it was worth “going a pilgrimage” to witness the spectacle. A glass wall allowed patrons of the Mahogany Bar

to look directly onto Wilton’s stage and these two inextricably linked venues soon made Graces Alley the East End’s place to be and be seen.

Wilton’s location on the edge of the City drew gentlemen in search of a spicy night out and its proximity to the docks allowed it to gather a clientele from around the globe. A cosmopolitan and exotic crowd mingled in the shimmering gaslight. At the height of its success, as many as 1,500 revellers passed through Wilton’s door each evening. Folk came to eat, drink and dip in and out of a five-hour long, flamboyant and often risqué bill of entertainment. Acts covered everything from opera and ballet to comedy, conjuring, animal acts, burlesque and circus. It is rumoured that the can-can made its British début at Wilton’s and that knicker-less ladies walked the tightrope over the heads of the enthralled and appreciative throng. Famous for its flattering acoustics and the stage’s amplifying and enhancing ‘sweet spot’ (which still exists today),

Wilton’s also attracted the cream of Covent Garden’s performers. Fresh from a curtain call at the Royal Opera House, they dashed across town to entertain Mr Wilton’s more raucous and diverse audiences. There, they found themselves performing alongside popular music hall stars of the day such as George Ware (“The Boy I Love is up in the Gallery”) and Harry Clifton (“Pretty Polly Perkins of Paddington green”). The most famous, and infamous, figure on the Wilton’s stage was the charismatic bon-viveur George Leybourne. He often performed his renowned “Champagne Charlie” at Wilton’s and died at the age of only 44 as a direct result of his excessive champagne lifestyle.

Wilton’s heyday was surprisingly short-lived. Although it kept his name, John Wilton sold his music hall in 1868 and died in 1880. By that time, the rapid decline of the music halls was well underway. Polite society increasingly disapproved of the rowdy, alcohol-steeped revels and, fuelled by the growth of the Temperance movement, the genre and its venues slid into disrepute. Hardly

surprising when one considers what went on – numerous accounts of the day describe how drunkenness, prostitution and violence became commonplace. Nor was such behaviour restricted to the audience. Singer Peter Malloy was so incensed by a persistent heckler that he leapt from the Wilton’s stage and silenced the unfortunate, inebriated loudmouth by killing him. Alongside crime, scandal and outrage, more prosaic haz-ards were rife. Naked flames were everywhere and it was a miracle that Wilton’s only suffered one fire during its lifetime, in 1877. Inevitably, music halls were eventually subject to stringent fire regulations and, when the incumbent licencee was unable to afford the alterations necessary to comply, he had no choice but to close the doors on 14th August 1880. What went on within its walls during the following eight years remains something of a mystery but it would be more than a century before Wilton’s would see another public performance on its stage.

Tragic as this was, it signalled the next phase in the building’s role within its local community and it began a new life as an important social hub

and refuge. From 1888 to 1956, Wilton’s was a Methodist Mission, ministering to the needy, feeding striking dockers in 1889, offering a meeting place for anti-Fascist protestors during the events leading to the 1936 Battle of Cable Street and giving shelter to Blitz victims during WWII. Following the War, the building was included in a mass compulsory acquisition and slum clearance and the Council served notice on the Methodists. Once they had left, opportunists invaded and Wilton’s limped on for a few sad years, hijacked as a rag-sorting warehouse.

Thankfully, the heavy wheels of bureaucracy turned slowly and Wilton’s was spared a speedy demoli-tion but remained empty, silent and neglected for a decade. It still stands today, proud and defiant, thanks to the efforts of a few enthusiastic individu-als who, before the bulldozers arrived, enlisted the help of Sir John Betjeman and successfully campaigned for it to become a Grade II* listed building. Subsequently, more than one organisa-tion launched a rescue mission but without success and it deteriorated into a dangerously dilapidated state. Despite this, Wilton’s reputation as a once-great theatre lingered on within the artistic community. Many respected performers fought to save the building and resurrect it as a working venue: David Suchet, Rory Bremner, Christopher Biggins, Roy Hudd, Spike Millgan and Peter Sellers to name a few. In 1997, Fiona Shaw and Deborah Warner staged the first professional public performance since 1880: their acclaimed (since reprised) production of T S Elliot’s “The Wasteland”. In 2003, the building featured as a finalist in the BBC’s “Restoration” series and, in 2008, it was added to the World Monuments Fund Watch List, recognised as one of the 100 most endangered buildings in the world.

Since 2004, Wilton’s has been owned by the Wellclose Square Building Preservation Trust and run by the Wilton’s Music Hall Trust, both of which are registered charities. We are privileged to have as our Royal Patron HRH The Prince of Wales.

The Present

Wilton’s is now the only remaining and still functioning Grand Music Hall in the world.Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Trustees and management team, 60% of the building is in use and Wilton’s has remained solvent and open for regular public performances since 2004. We are proud to have achieved this without any public subsidy and we would like to thank our many generous donors and patrons, particularly Lady Lorna Pennock, the J Paul Getty Jr Charitable Trust, the Hilary and Stuart Williams Charitable Trust and the Sam Spiegel Foundation.

We have cultivated a truly diverse artistic programme, which has a broad public appeal and an enviable reputation amongst directors, producers and performers. We have produced every imaginable style and genre of entertainment: opera, classical music, rock concerts, theatre, comedy, variety, dance, cabaret, film, magic shows and, of course, music hall acts. It was on the Wilton’s stage that Rosamund Pike made her début and Marc Almond re-launched his performing career following a near-fatal accident. Simon Callow first staged his immensely

successful “The Mystery of Charles Dickens” and “The Man from Stratford” here and Jonathan Miller chose Wilton’s for his production of “The Beggars’ Opera”. We can boast three West End transfers and many international tours and we regularly collaborate with other well-respected theatres such as the National, Barbican and Union. We work closely with major music promoters, such as EMI and Warner Brothers and Wilton’s has been the venue of choice for album launches for artists such as Mika, Paolo Nutini and Mumford & Sons. The theatre often adopts Artists in Residence to cover film, drama, variety, classical music and opera and we are delighted to have acquired over the years such a loyal and illustrious band of followers and supporters.

Live action is not only restricted to our stage. The nature of this decaying yet charming and seductive building lends itself to imaginative set design and direction and invites exploration and exploitation of its mysterious nooks and crannies. Wilton’s has seen inspired dramatic use of almost all its safely accessible areas, from the bar to back-of-house, Graces Alley and even the fire escape.

Wilton’s is also now a much sought-after location for TV, film and photographic shoots, as well as a romantic and atmospheric venue for weddings and functions. The building features in the BBC’s “Tipping the Velvet” and “Nicholas Nickleby”, Richard Attenborough’s “Chaplin”, Neil Jordan’s “Interview with a Vampire”, Oliver Parker’s “Dorian Gray” and the yet to be released John Landis’ film “Burke and Hare”. In addition, Wilton’s has proved a popular location for music video shoots by artists such as Annie Lennox and Bryan Ferry and for fashion shoots for publications such as Vogue, Tatler and The Telegraph.

Continuing Wilton’s role within the community, we involve local school children in regular workshops and productions, giving them the opportunity to write, create sets and perform. Many local children thrill to see their first play or live musical performance here at Wilton’s. We offer work experience placements to students from Tower Hamlets High Schools and collaborate on ad-hoc projects with several higher education institutions within Greater London, from Central St Martin’s to the University of East London. We have even held medical screening sessions alongside a Cinema Club to allow locals to enjoy free film screenings, whilst having medical and dental checks in a borough which is officially recognised as having one of the poorest health records in the country. Once perceived as a scourge and a social ill, our music hall now plays a positive

and creative role within its environment and crime in Graces Alley has declined as Wilton’s profile and visitor numbers have grown.

We hold regular open days and guided tours, spreading awareness not only of Wilton’s rich history and heritage but also of its role today, in its local east-end context as well as that of London and the UK as a whole. This is, after all, the world’s only remaining example of its kind and valuable, therefore, far beyond its immediate environment.

The Mahogany Bar, too, lives on. The fixtures and fittings may pale into insignificance next to the original but the spirit thrives as we welcome a growing band of regular locals as well as one-off visitors for tours, shows and live music.

We are working with the Museum of London to preserve our precious artefacts, some of which still languish in our dark and mysterious cellar, and to compile an archive that will provide a rare, rich source of Music Hall and associated history.

However fascinating Wilton’s past and how-ever impressive and worthwhile it’s present, the fact remains that its future is in jeopardy. Sadly, almost half this remarkable building stands empty, unsafe and unused, with the 60% in service seri-ously under threat from decay. Unless extensive work is carried out, Wilton’s as we know and love it today will no longer be accessible to the public or fit for purpose.

With our Trustees we have drawn up a detailed plan to secure and preserve this venerable but fragile building and the project is overseen by Tim Ronalds Architects, who were responsible for the restoration of the Hackney Empire and the Ironmonger Row Baths. The appearance of the building as it stands contributes beyond measure to Wilton’s singular atmosphere as well as to its re-markable versatility and, therefore, this will remain intact. We do not intend to restore it entirely to an original state, with all the limitations that would impose. Instead, we will preserve and repair areas and selectively restore others. Through this, we will gain: a full and varied artistic programme; photo and film studios and spaces; rehearsal and set-building facilities; a small performance or cinema studio; a public archive and history room; a second bar and dining area; a fully-equipped commercial kitchen; disabled access throughout; a comprehensive programme of heritage lectures and educational activities.

This will cost approximately £3 million and we have launched the Wilton’s Capital Appeal to raise the necessary funds. The Hilary and Stuart Williams Charitable Trust and another trust (which wishes to remain anonymous) have kindly donated £50,000 each to help us to develop a fundrais-ing campaign and to apply for a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

We aim to complete our project by the end of 2012. Wilton’s can then thrive as an inspirational source for the benefit of generations to come.

LONg LivE WiLTON’S!

The Future

What we need

We aim to raise half our £3 million Capital Appeal target through the Heritage Lottery Fund and the remaining half from a number of trusts, foundations and public bodies. We also have an established Friends scheme through which we raise smaller donations from our wider audiences. We are therefore looking for donations of £5,000 and above.

If you would like to play a leading role in the future of this national treasure, you can become a Wilton’s Capital Benefactor by making a one-off donation to this appeal. We guarantee that 100% of your donation will be used exclusively to fund the building repair project.

In return for your valued contribution towards saving the last Grand Music Hall in the world we can offer:

• A clearly visible name display in our foyer, on our websiteor in our programmes and other printed materials, where practical;

• invitations to exclusive events hosted by Wilton’s many famous supporters and patrons;

• invitations to artistic productions and community events.

Alternatively, you may prefer to donate anonymously. Either way, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have preserved a vital part of British culture and heritage for future generations.

Contact us:

Frances Mayhew – Artistic DirectorKate Mitchell – Development and Fundraising DirectorRosie Mayhew – Education and CommunityOona Patterson – Marketing and CommunicationsFilippo de Capitani – Technical DirectorJonathan Freeman – Building ManagerJohn Quigley – TechnicianCarole Zeidman – Historian and Researcher

Dedicated volunteers, ushers and bar staff, too numerous to mention by name but too important to exclude

This brochure was designed by:Lottie Taylor-Stoakeslottiets@hotmail.comMA Communication DesignWinchester School of Art

Brochure written by: Michelle Wray (email or web address). Photographs by:(name & email or web address).

Printing by ?????.

Special thanks to ???????????????

Wilton’s Music Hall graces AlleyLondonE1 8JBwww.wiltons.org.uk020 7702 9555f.mayhew@wiltons.org.uk

Find us: