The Royal
The Royal
the Royal ABC
the dreams hosted
on silver screens
the thick red ropes
the date night hopes
hands brush
in popcorn
box between
coming soon
Pearl and Dean
the pa pah pa pah
fanfare
then ice cream
Lyons Maid
inside their trays
the usherettes
Kia-ora, Cornetto
cigarettes
no smoke machine
special effects
the intermission
always dashing
finding seats in aisles
their torches flashing
the technicolour spectacle
the hot dogs most delectable
the loud crackles
on local ads
making tired sound respectable
Shadows once played
across the stage
a very special big night out
a magic place
it must not fade
it once made Lulu want to shout
The Beatles twice
The Rolling Stones
Norman Wisdom and Tom Jones
A hard days night
Paint it Black
Mr Grimsdale
What's new Pussycat?
The Walker Brothers
the sun ain't gonna shone anymore
Larry Grayson 'shut that door'
the queuing masses
now inside
the loud hubbub
the crowd alive
the fading chatter, anticipation
Ray Harryhausen's animation
the audience
the monsters roar
flickering glow under the door
The click and whir of film projector
the ghost that haunts the old back room
an intermittent dust mote spectre
illuminated in the gloom
Dudley Savage the Compton Organ
hospital requests on the BBC
'As prescribed' the choices for them
played from inside the ABC
I went into town on the 44 bus
too young for a glass of wine
Of all the cinemas in all all the world
she walked into mine
we could have been more than bums on flip up seats
like Brando in all his splendour
they didn't understand! we could have had class
we could have both been contenders
Hooray for Pinewood, Ealing too
Hammer Horror, Carry On,
Alfred Hitchcock, David Lean
the talent list went on and on
Towering Inferno, Airport, Jaws
when films were such a big event
worth the queuing in the cold
the best pound fifty i have spent
it's not just the classics but movies to come
the ones that have not yet been shown
a man in a gorilla suit on Beckley point
being buzzed and attacked
by a high flying drone
A long time ago but not so far away
a farm hand offered A new hope
that same hope is alive today
with a slightly smaller scope
Back in 1980 a little green alien
a grand master in the order of the Jedi
triumphed against all the odds declaring
"Do or do not, there is no try"
style and design by W R Glen
multi-use venue, community hub
a working building once again
a design filled with hope and love
live music there, a mid sized venue
cafe chips with salt and vinegar
education and rehearsal space
and the rebirth of local cinema
Lights Camera Action, let's make it happen
Save the Royal a cultural gem
we all adore it lets help restore it
and open up it's doors again
A place for all, for Maids and Beys
For kids and ladies, Gents and blokes
lets not let the mighty Royal fall
th, th, th,, th, th that's all folks
