Anne revisits the stage door she used when she was a star performer in 1973!
When the Choir performed in the lovely Floral Pavilion in New Brighton this May, for one member it was far from the first time she had sung there. Our very own Anne Williams had a starring role on the Wirral when she began her singing career in the seventies. Read Ann’s story in her own words below.
‘After leaving school, I studied at the Royal College of Music in Manchester for three years getting my degree and in the fourth year gained a performance diploma at the Royal Northern College of Music. While I was at college, I sang some solo parts in the “Messiah” with the Shrewsbury Choral Society and I had a cabaret spot for six weeks at the Lighthouse Restaurant in Formby. As a consequence, I was then signed by the agent Mavis White and, because I had worked continually for six weeks, I was able to get my Equity card and became an extra on many TV programmes including “Brookside” and “Coronation Street”.
In 1973, I was offered a Summer Season at the Floral Pavilion, which was a great experience as each week we sang and danced our way through different scenes from popular musicals such as Kismet, and Carousel! I also had a solo spot in which I performed popular arias that I had studied at college such as Un bel di Vedremo and Mio babbino caro, amongst others.
The following year I travelled to Ayr in Scotland (now with the stage name of Anne Lesley) and did a season at the Gaiety Theatre where we had guest appearances from Bob Monkhouse, Dana, Bruce Forsyth, Bill Maynard and Vince Hill among other famous names! On returning to Merseyside, I sang in many cabaret spots which Liverpudlians will remember: Allinsons, the Wooky Hollow and the Shakespeare among others where I appeared with Cannon and Ball, Little and Large, Paper Lace and was a support for the wonderful Matt Monro! I appeared on the Ken Dodd show at the Theatre Royal in St Helens and also did a performance with Les Dennis when he was just starting out and guess who was top of the bill?….’Gerry and the Pacemakers’!
Getting the bug to do some travelling, I saw an advert in the “Stage” newspaper: “Female vocalist wanted for a cruise ship”. It was a Greek shipping line, and I spent the next two years collecting our passengers from New York and visiting Miami, the Bahamas, South America and most of the Caribbean islands. I also travelled around the USA for three months spending ten days in Las Vegas where, thanks to my Equity card, I was given free entry to all the dinner shows seeing many huge stars including the wonderful Perry Como and the Carpenters!
When I returned home, I met my husband, had two sons and did not sing again for a long time because we ran off-licenses and public houses. Then, three years ago, I joined St Joseph’s choir in Birkenhead. Our Vice-Chair, Stella McGann is our MD and we realised that we had been at school together all those many years ago! She persuaded me to join LWC and it has been really nice to meet different people from all over Merseyside and to make new friends! I have thoroughly enjoyed singing classical music again and challenging my sight reading skills, but it’s a bit like riding a bike, you never forget!
Anne’s photo in the Floral Pavilion’s ‘Sparkle at The New Melody Inn Review’ brochure 1973.