I WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE DAYS OF VARIETY  from the stages of the music halls in and around London. It is a genre that died at the hands of television and with it the bills that included a menu of singers, dancers, comedians, speciality acts, magicians and the like that compounded into the title – variety. For good or bad it is not around today with the disappearance of theatres. But four or five times a month I   present  a sixty minute show called “Behind the Doors of The Magic Circle”largely to clubs for the older generation – Rotary, Probus, W.I., retirement organisations etc. It is very clear that most of them are tired of the current fare offered on television and hanker for live entertainment.

Call it geriatric nostalgia if you will but it is a widespread social trend that I have observed for a long time. Which is why I was interested to see the launch of a new TV series called “For One Night Only” listed as a  show that presents acts that truly represent variety. With comperes Vernon Kay and Joan Rivers, comedians, singing groups, contortionists, magicians and the like  it reflects the style of yesteryear with funny rather than crude humour, and music acts that offer melodies that one can remember. Something like the days of   “Sunday Night at the London Palladium”The only difference is the presence of an audience that screams continuously over many of the acts – but then, they did that for  Frank Sinatra! Is this the return of variety or is it just the wishful thinking of a grey haired, mellowing magician?

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