Geoffrey Wheeler revisits the scene of the Manchester Playhouse.

Built back-to-back with the Hulme Hippodrome, itself a famous northern Variety venue, the Playhouse was host to some of the BBC's best-loved comedy and Variety programmes from the 1940s to the 1970s.

Ken Dodd, Sandy Powell, Harry Worth and Bill Waddington are among those featured in this nostalgic trip through the BBC's archives.

Series featuring Variety theatres from all over the United Kingdom.

Producer: Libby Cross

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2002. Show less