City Varieties Music Hall Student Placements
Curating an exhibition in showcase
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Interested in the history of City Varieties Music Hall?
Love exploring old theatre programmes and photographs and have an interest in how they
are displayed?
Interested in a career in research, archives or museums and looking for work experience?
Need to complete a work placement for your university or college course?
Purpose
City Varieties Music Hall are seeking a small group of dedicated students to curate an exhibition in a
showcase at the venue. The display can focus on any area of City Varieties’ rich history, but should
appeal to a range of audiences and incorporate items and documents from the venue’s archive.
Background to Project
During the restoration, a great many items and documents came to light providing a fascinating
insight into the history of the City Varieties and some have been displayed with limited
interpretation. We would now like to create a comprehensive themed exhibition, placing these
objects in their proper context.
Objects found during the restoration have been researched by archaeologists and the findings in
their report will inform the new display. To complement the objects, we also have a substantial
number of historic programmes, playbills and photographs that have been catalogued and deposited
with West Yorkshire Archive Service. As largely paper-based items these will need to be displayed
creatively to create an engaging display. The exhibition may focus on any era of the Varieties’
history, but should appeal to all ages and backgrounds and tell a cohesive story throughout.
The showcase should fit with the wider interpretation strategy at City Varieties. It should encourage
visitors to look more closely at the original design features of the building and help them to imagine
what the venue was like in the past. The display should encourage a sense of pride that this historic
venue is in Leeds, as well as a feeling that modern visitors are part of City Varieties’ on-going story.
What’s involved?
Students are expected to work as part of a team to create the showcase and allocate tasks as
appropriate. Students will:
 Research the history of City Varieties Music Hall, using our archive, conservation documents
and external sources
 Develop a theme for the showcase, focusing on one element of City Varieties’ history and
research in detail
 Select objects and archives to be displayed and decide on layout
 Write text labels to accompany objects on display
 Install new exhibition in showcase
The majority of research and other duties will take place at City Varieties Music Hall, but additional
research may be required off-site. Support and training will be provided by the Learning Team, as
required.
What’s in it for you?
 An opportunity to meet the team at City Varieties Music Hall and gain an insight into life at a
modern performance venue
 A chance to explore the extensive archives of City Varieties and input into how this material
is displayed
 Experience of research, exhibition design, layout and writing text
 Practical work experience to contribute towards university or college studies in history,
design, museum studies, project management, theatre or performing arts, amongst other
subjects
Timescales
The exact timescales of the project can be discussed with the successful students, but we anticipate
this project to take approximately 70hrs which can be completed in a 2 week block or spread across
a number of weeks. All students must agree to the same timescales.
Expression of Interest
If you are interested, please complete the attached Expression of Interest form and return it to
Catherine Callinan at the address below.
We are looking to work with a small group of students and if we receive more interest than we are
able to accommodate we will select students based on the criteria detailed in the person
specification.
Successful students will be invited to attend an introductory session at City Varieties where they will
have the opportunity to talk with the learning team, examine the brief in more detail and have a
tour of the music hall, before agreeing a schedule of activity.
Catherine Callinan
Learning Officer
City Varieties Music Hall
Swan Street
Leeds
LS1 6LW
0113 391 7783
Catherine.callinan@leedsgrandtheatre.com
Deadline for expressions of interest is Friday 28th February 2014.
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
Desirable
Basic Understanding of
City Varieties Music Hall
and our history
Understanding of the
elements required to
create an attractive and
engaging display.
Ability to work as part of a
team and on own initiative
Basic computer skills
Skills
Excellent research skills,
using primary and
secondary sources
Enthusiasm for theatre,
history, exhibition design
or museums
Reliability
Other
Accuracy and attention to
detail
Participation in project will
contribute to university or
college course
City Varieties Music Hall – A Brief History
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White Swan Inn opened on the current site of City Varieties in 1762
In 1766 a small music room was added above the pub
In 1865, Charles Thornton bought the White Swan, rebuilt the pub and music room and
rebranded the venue as ‘Thornton’s New Music Hall and Fashionable Lounge’
Music Halls were much less formal venues than theatres. People would come in their work
clothes, would eat and drink during the performance and often heckle the performers or
even throw items at the stage if they didn’t like what they saw!
As music hall became less popular, owners of the City Varieties turned to lower quality
variety performance and nude acts that were popular at the time
1953 Barney Colehan hosted a pilot show inspired by old-time music hall. ‘The Good Old
Days’ ran for 30 years and made the City Varieties famous worldwide
The Varieties has hosted a hugely popular annual pantomime since the 1960s
The Varieties is one of only 4 remaining music halls in the U.K. and is the only venue to have
continuously operated as a music hall
Famous faces that have performed on the stage include, Marie Lloyd, Lily Langtry, Charlie
Chaplin, Harry Houdini and Harry Lauder, Frankie Vaughn, Ken Dodd and Barry Cryer
More recently the stage has welcomed, Phil Jupitus, Nina Conti, Michael McIntyre, Dara
O’Briain, Elkie Brooks, Stephen K Amos and Ed Byrne.
Now the venue hosts the very best in music, comedy and entertainment as well as the ever
popular annual pantomime.