Features

"I had an idea last year to do a variety show and involve lots of local amateur dramatic companies and that's grown into several days of celebrations!" said the theatre's marketing manager Julie Howes in 2009.

"The show will depict the hundred years taking us through the decades in music. We give a lot of weeks to these companies and I wanted to say thank you to them for entertaining the people of Felixstowe."

The birthday falls on Thursday 25 June when there will be a private reception at the venue. Backstage tours take place on Friday 26 June at 1100, 1200, 1400 and 1500 BST and the theatre says no booking is necessary.

"We thought it would be really nice to go to areas where people haven't been able to go before. They'll have a lighting and sound demonstration and we've got some stories about 'diva demands' in the dressing room," said Julie.

On Saturday 27 June there are two performances of the birthday Variety Show. Ten local companies all doing a turn - the Summer Youth Project, Dennis Lowe Theatre Company, Stage Door, Deben High School, Ipswich Operatic & Dramatic Society, Company of Four, Gallery Players, Streetwise Inc., Co-op Juniors and Stage Coach. Your compere is BBC Suffolk's Luke Deal.

From spring to song

The building of the Spa Pavilion in 1909 had its roots in an attempt to turn Felixstowe into an upmarket resort. The railway arrived in 1877 and things were looking good when the Empress of Germany visited in 1891.

Spring water kiosk, late 19th century

The cliffs behind the Pavilion have natural spring water pouring down them and it can still be seen behind the backstage exits. In 1902 the Felixstowe & Walton Improvement Act attempted to tap into this and create a fashionable spa resort.

However, things never got much further than opening a small booth selling spring water, as Felixstowe Museum's Phil Hadwen explained: "Felixstowe rather modelled itself on being a 'pukka' resort.

"They were always very keen to have a 'better class' of person here. It allowed the Spa Pavilion to be built. The chairman of the Great Eastern Railway, Lord Claud Hamilton, gave a speech at opening day and he explained that he was impressed that Felixstowe wanted to keep it as an exclusive resort without coaches and day-trippers and he was applauded!

"However, there was a need to have people in the town and so the day-trippers became very important to Felixstowe, as they are to this day. The council over the years has kept the old buildings intact such as the Felix Hotel which has been converted into an old people's home.

Phil Hadwen of Felixstowe Museum

"It's got a wonderful history and, I think, it still retains that touch of class."

In 1938 the Spa was closed for a revamp and it reopened in 1939 with a concert by Mantovani's Orchestra. In 1941 it was bombed and German radio broadcast (in English) that 'a large warehouse near Harwich' had been hit!

More rebuilding followed with a re-opening in 1950 with 'Bubbles' - an edition of Wilby Lunn and Will Seymour's variety show. It's been open ever since and although it's currently owned by Suffolk Coastal District Council, it's managed by a commercial entertainment company.

"It's a lovely, lovely centre," said Phil Hadwen. "I think they're doing a pretty good job and it's a special place for Felixstowe."

The future

The venue has a 892 capacity, which isn't quite big enough to consistently get big names to the town.

"I think the Spa's got something to offer everybody. We have great tribute bands, children's shows and also people like comedian Jimmy Carr who comes here every year and he absolutely loves it," said Julie Howes.

"The finale song of the birthday show is called 'Bring On Tomorrow' and why can't the Spa carry on bringing entertainment for the next 100 years? I think the theatre can survive financially despite audience numbers dropping off slightly in the current climate.

The Spa in 2009

"In the future we're hoping to have our own summer season here. We've had the Cromer version here, and we're hoping to produce our own 12-week summer season - variety is the way to go.

"Someone asked me if we could get Girls Aloud here and I'm like 'I don't think they'd come here'. It would be great to get some of the larger names here, and who knows in the future they might like to do some smaller venues, but at the moment we'll see how things go."

Visit the Spa's website for full details of what's on. Box office 01394 282126.