IT was Cilla Black's turn to take the spotlight earlier this week with Sheriden Smith's portrayal of the Scottie Road songstress wowing 6.6 million viewers on BBC1.
It was more than half a century ago that teenage Cavern cloakroom girl came to the attention of Brian Epstein, softly spoken man of manners who had just taken the fledgling fab four under his wing.
He made it happen for Cilla, for gerry and The pacemakers and, of coursem the other lot. Yet Brian Epstein was tragically cut off at the pass just five years later, in 1967, and this weekend would have been his 80th birthday.
While you are getting your head around that, this Friday the Epstein Theatre will mark the milestone that wasn't to be by once again throwing open its doors to the public for its annual Open Day.
Hundreds of people from all over Liverpool and beyond attended in 2012 and 2013, paying tribute to the Beatles manager and celebrating the life of one of Liverpool’s most enigmatic sons. Expect his friend Joe Flannery to show up, maybe even nephew Henry, and other faces from the increasingly fading Merseybeat days.
Brian Epstein's profile is high at the moment and this, say organisers, will mark yet another event in what has been a very special year. 2014 has already seen the two-handed drama Epstein: The Man Who Made The Beatles, complete a successful six-week run in London’s West End and a Heritage Foundation Blue Plaque was unveiled outside the London NEMS office in his honour. Epstein was also posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of fame following a campaign from fans.
Enjoy a free cup of tea or coffee, they say, and for a small donation, a delicious range of sweet treats and cakes. To celebrate the occasion the theatre are asking any budding bakers to bring a cake with them that can then be sold, with all proceeds going to Statue 4 Eppy, a project that is raising funds for a statue of Brian Epstein to be erected in Liverpool.
On the day, the Epstein Theatre will be open for tours.
*Epstein Theatre Open Day (Hanover St, Liverpool City Centre), Friday, September 19. 10am-4pm. Free.
