Sunderland Empire - A History of the Theatre and its Stars by Robinson, Alistair - 2000

TUPS Books, 2000. Hardcover. Very Good/Good. h/b 175 pages, condition is very good, a tear to the bottom RH corner of the DJ which has been taped. Charlie Chaplin, The Beatles, Laurel and Hardy, WC Fields and the ill-fated Sid James are just a few of the great stars to have stepped on to the Sunderland Empire stage in almost a century of entertainment. For most of its colourful history the Empire has been the" city's only professional theatre, and so has acquired a special place in the hearts of Sunderland people. Further afield, it has been infamous among entertainers as one of the "hardest" venues in the country. As the Empire returns to private management for the first time in 40 years, Alistair Robinson tells the story of the theatre and the stars who have made it shine.