The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein, who himself had had theatrical aspirations, conceived The Beatles’ Christmas Show, a variety stage production featuring the group. It ran at the Astoria Cinema in Finsbury Park, London for 16 nights, ending on 11 January 1964.
Tickets had gone on sale on 21 October 1963, and by 16 November all 100,000 had sold out. There were 30 shows altogether, with two performances on each day, except for 24 and 31 December when only one took place. On 25 and 29 December and 5 January The Beatles were given the night off.
The first act, with five minutes on stage, were the Barron Knights and Duke D’Mond. Next came short sets from Tommy Quickly and The Fourmost, and Billy J Kramer and The Dakotas closed the first half. Following the interval there was a return from the Barron Knights and Duke D’Mond, then Cilla Black, and Rolf Harris. The Beatles were each evening’s final act, with performances lasting 25 minutes.
The group’s repertoire consisted of ‘Roll Over Beethoven’, ‘All My Loving’, ‘This Boy’, ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’, ‘She Loves You’, ‘Till There Was You’, ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, ‘Money (That’s What I Want)’ and ‘Twist And Shout’.
In between the support acts The Beatles took to the stage for a number of light-hearted skits, giving the night a pantomime feel. Although their delivery was reportedly fairly wooden and they lacked much rehearsal time, the performances were greeted with uncontrolled hysteria by The Beatles’ fans. The show’s director was Peter Yolland.
The Beatles were never much for rehearsing. That never really mattered as far as songs were concerned, but the fact that they were so bad at doing the sketches was an added extra for the show – it was organised chaos but it was very funny chaos.
After this evening’s performance The Beatles and the northern members of the cast and crew – essentially all but Rolf Harris and the Barron Knights – flew to Liverpool to spend Christmas Day with their families, in a private Viking aircraft chartered for £400 by Brian Epstein. They returned to London on the morning of Boxing Day.
Also on this day...
- 2015: I want to stream your band: The Beatles’ music made available on streaming services worldwide
- 1969: John Lennon and Yoko Ono visit Rochester Cathedral
- 1964: Another Beatles Christmas Show begins
- 1962: The Beatles live: Star-Club, Hamburg
- 1960: The Beatles live: Grosvenor Ballroom, Wallasey
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
Hi,
I was at the Beatles Christmas Show in Jan. 64 (I can’t remember the exact date) and remember on sketch quite vividly.
The four Beatles came on as doctors, in white coats and stethoscopes, and John was wearing glasses (the first time he’d worn them in public, I think). A sign came up “Three out of four doctors…” (obviously referring to a current advert for medicines or something). Then Paul, Ringo and George left the stage, leaving John alone. Another sign came up saying “Leaves one doctor”. Really unfunny! I’m sure John didn’t approve!
However one thing is not quite right in your article. The lead singer of the Barron Knights was Duke D’Mond (as can be seen in the accompanying poster) not Duke Diamond.
Ian
Hi Ian. Thanks for sharing your thoughts – how lucky to have been to one of those shows!
I’ve also amended the article to correct the spelling of Duke’s name.
I went on the 6th January 1964. One day after my 16th birthday. Arranged by a local youth club I think. Went by coach from Kingston upon Thames. Could hear much in the Astoria! Good view from the balcony. Great memory to look back on.
Hi Ian, I actually have the original typed notes for that very sketch that came from the estate of the late Peter Yolland, the shows Producer. Do you recall any of the other sketches, as I have lots of typed notes for other sketches, but I don’t know which ones were used. All the best, Nigel
Hi, I have a memory of John playing a dastardly villain who tied a lady to train lines. Am I dreaming ? I won my tickets to the show at a dance in Romford on a “Spin the Wheel “.
Hi there Nigel can we have permission to use your memories in our updated Beatles Christmas book?
Regards Garry and Belmo
Hi there Ian can we have permission to use your memories in our updated Beatles Christmas book?
Regards Garry and Belmo
I was a St John Ambulance Brigade Cadet (C164 Stoke Newington) on duty at the concert on Christmas eve. I spent most of the evening carrying hysterical young females out of the concert hall, many had discarded their underwear and thrown it towards the stage. Quite an experience for a sixteen year old. I remember that Alan Freeman and David Jacobs were there.
My next duty was on Boxing Day at the Royal Albert Hall for a ballet, what a contrast.
Hi there Ron can we have permission to use your memories in our updated Beatles Christmas book?
Regards Garry and Belmo
I was lucky enough to go to the Christmas Show at Finsbury Park Astoria. My Dad got tickets for me and a friend but insisted on coming too. I only remember Cilla Black from the supporting acts but I do remember that apart from the first chords we heard nothing of what the Beatles sang because of all the screaming. When we got home all my poor dad said to mum was “Never again!”. My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
My friend and I also went to the Astoria and can’t remember the exact date but we also had to scream at girls behind us to “Shut Up” as we couldn’t hear the Beatles! Wish I’d kept my ticket for the memory. I can recall also that Shirley Bassey was in the audience to the right of us on the balcony. Good night, exciting!
Hi there Fekicity can we have permission to use your memories in our updated Beatles Christmas book?
Regards Garry and Belmo
I was at the show.I thought that Gerry & the Pacemakers were on aswell.I remember the Beatles came down in a ‘comic’ helicopter.I remember a bunch of girls threatened to hit us with their umbrellas if we got up.I had bought a 1/4 lb of jelly babies but forgot to throw them,so there was a sticky mess by the end of the show.
I designed the sets for both this and the previous Christmas show at Finsbury Park Odeon but have no photos of these has any one got any? Andrew Drummond
Hi Andrew, Just read your comments and would love to learn more. You might be interested to know that I recently acquired a lot of typed and hand written notes, scripts, plans & set designs, lighting instructions, drawings etc from the 1963/64 Christmas Shows and some drawings of each group on stage from the 1964/65 Christmas Shows. These belonged to the producer Peter Yolland who died just over a year ago.
The rostrums that ran on tiny tracks cut through the mains cables for the amps whenever they were rolled into place. The only cure we found for this was for us road managers to sit inside the things, and throw out a cable to the stage hands once the rostrum was in place. As you might imagine, it was quite noisy in there behind the gauze.
I went to the show on Friday, 10th January 1964. I was 16 and my brother was 14, so we went to the first house. We got the tickets through a friend of my mother’s, Bill West, who was the stage manager. Perhaps Andrew Drummond might remember him?
It was a fun show, but I would have liked to have heard The Beatles play more songs. A quick 25 minute set and that was it. Still, I was lucky to get the chance to see them at all.
I went to the show with a friend, Susan, I was 14 and she 13, I think we went to the first show as we were so young, but very surprisingly we went alone. After we came out Susan was mortified to see her mother turn up to take us home. I don’t remember too much about it, as all I did was scream, bit I do recall Susan and I screaming GEORGE in unison during a slight lull in the cacophony of sound and John coming to the mike and saying we could have George in a minute! Another recollection was that Rolf Harris had the slot immediately before the Beatles, but he might as well not have bothered as no one heard anything he did because of the noise. Happy days.
On Woman’s Hour today the presenter asked “what was the first gig you ever went to?”
I’ve still got the ticket stub for my first “gig”:
Astoria
Finsbury Park
Brian Epstein presents
The Beatles Christmas Show –
1st performance 6-40
Thursday January 2
Stalls HH18.
The price? 12/6.
My diary entry (remember I was still a pre-teen):
“It was wonderful. I was screaming all through it. When Rolf Harris was on, Isabel [my friend] called out Paul. He shouted back to her ‘I’ll give you Paul!’
When the Beatles were on we were waving and Paul (we think) nodded to us. Isabel was thrilled.
I bought the programme, photo of Paul and a calendar. I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
Shame I didn’t keep the programme and the calendar too. Or the Beatles talcum powder … or fan club Christmas records … or…
John Lennon’s J-160E Gibson Acoustic guitar went missing during these shows. It’s just turned up again https://www.reuters.com/article/us-music-lennon-guitar/john-lennons-long-lost-gibson-guitar-up-for-sale-idUSKBN0OK2LE20150604
I remember Cilla and I remember the sketch based on a Victorian melodrama with Ringo throwing fake snow over the stage and George playing the girl driven our into the snow. I certainly remember the screaming, you could not hear a word of the songs.
very true. all i remember is a screamathon around me drowning out the music.
My sister took me to the show as a xmas present. I remember the sketch they did with John as the baddie, Paul the hero, Ringo as the damsel in distress and George as the policeman, but going by the photo it looks like George was the damsel. I remember that John tied Ringo to the train tracks and a spotlight was used on the curtain to represent the train coming and Paul overpowered John and released Ringo and George came on and arrested John. Also remember shouting at all the girls to stop screaming so we could hear the music. Failed miserably. Lol
My mum took me to see The Beatles Christmas show as a surprise pressie before Christmas.I was thirteen.Of course she came along having been a fan of The Beatles from the beginning.I have little recollection of the show other than the constant screaming.I don’t think my mum screamed,but who knows.
I saved up all my pennies, and was lucky enough to be in the audience for four of the Christmas shows. On Christmas Eve, my girlfriends and I took up an entire row…We threw jelly babies at The Beatles, we screamed our heads off, and had the most amazing time! ! It was a great show, and something I will always remember!
Hi there Ursula can we have permission to use your memories in our updated Beatles Christmas book?
Regards Garry and Belmo
I found all the previous letters so interesting because , I worked at the Astoria , as one of the electrician’s on the Beatles show ,when we hearedd that the Beatles were coming we didn’t know what was going to hit us , firstly the drain pipes were greased up and all the doors were double checked for locks ,when the theatre was shut. But still girls managed to get up to the spotlights ,way up in the top of the theatre.as for me a 23year old it was all very exciting ,it took us four days to set the scenery,Rolf Harris painted his own. Bill West was the stage manager ,with a crew of five to change the scenery,which had to be pretty slick ,he did not however have much to do with us up on the lighting gantry, three of us were on lights 13 feet above the stage ( actors Right) two on sound ,two on spots
As for the Beatles , I remember Ringo was the same night as me 5′ 6″ George was the quiet one ,Paul and John were great chaps as well,they had Vox equipment one set on the stage one in the wings and another set in the band room plus a Vox engineer standing by in the wings . Yes we went home deaf every night , Paul threw simulated snow about in one of the sketches ,made from cut up newspaper , how ii wish I had some now it would be worth a fortune still I have some souvenirs and their autographs , I’m 76 now where has all the time gone?
Yes I also remember Gerry & the pace makers being the support act
So lucky to be you. I replied to one of the other comments that I couldn’t remember the exact date I went and also couldn’t remember the female artist if it was Cilla or Helen Shapiro. Good excuse as I’m 78 living in Canada. But I do remember all the screaming so we had to scream for the girls behind us to “Shu up” as wanted to hear the Beatles sing. and also Shirley Bassey was to the right of us on the balcony(If my memory serves me right). Thx for sharing
Bill, I would like to contact you about your memories of that show. It is for a film documentary I am involved in that covers this series of shows. Please feel free to reach out.
Thanks
Jim
Dear Jim,
It was fantastic time ,and jolly hard work ,now at 78 it seems a life time away,but if you want a bit more information,give me a buzz I am in Suffolk good luck Bill
I’ve just found my Souvenir Programme for the Xmas ’63 Show, signed by Brian O’Hara of The Fourmost.
Is it worth putting it on ebay?
I was at one of the shows before Christmas, with workmates from, would you believe, the National Coal Board. I well remember the screams and the spectacle. The sound quality was not too good, but it was an unforgettable experience. Once, very much later, I was at a Paul McCartney concert, here in Chile; technically it was better, although, being in an open air soccer stadium, not too much better, but it lacked a whole lotta soul.
I went with the Guides for our Christmas treat as and screamed my head off. I remember Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas, also Tommy Quickly. They were all under Brian Epstein and has all come to prominence in that year. My mother threw out my programme after I left home!
Hi there Jenny can we have permission to use your memories in our updated Beatles Christmas book?
Regards Garry and Belmo
Bizarrely, I went to one of the shows. I was just 10 years old – a patient of my father’s had a daughter in her early teens, she and a group of her friends were going, and for some reason they had a spare ticket. They offered it to my older sister, she obviously couldn’t go, ‘cos I went instead. I vaguely recall the Barron Knights and Rolf Harris – when his set finished and he announced the Beatles, there was mass hysteria. We were in the balcony, perhaps a dozen rows back. I didn’t hear anything the Beatles did – all I could hear was the increasing hysteria of thousands of screaming girls – an experience I’ve never forgotten.