Diamonds Are Forever - Shirley Bassey. Mary Long

or record company’s office but I only did so when it really was urgent, which was how I saw it!

      I was also busy at home working on another drawing of Shirley as well as a portrait which a neighbour had asked me to do. And I had my scrapbook to maintain, especially as so much news was appearing in the press about Shirley’s two engagements, to Kenneth and at the Pigalle. As the weeks went by fans were expecting to read news of Shirley’s marriage, but nothing appeared in the press.

      At the Pigalle Shirley was breaking all attendance records and I was writing to the establishment to see if we could be seated at the same table, where we’d sat on our first visit, for our final night booking. They replied stating the table I had requested seated four persons and as demand was so great for the final night, we would need, on this occasion, to book for four persons to reserve the table. Working meant I could now contribute more to the expense, so we amended our booking and the Pigalle wrote back to confirm we had Table 50 booked for the late final-night performance.

      On 6 November my cousin Anne joined us for ‘An Evening with Shirley Bassey’; the second seating at the Pigalle did not commence until 11pm, with Shirley appearing onstage at midnight. Customers could choose to dine prior to or after Shirley’s performance, as no service took place during Shirley’s act, but I have no recollection what time we ate. Now as I sit and write about this event I have become far more aware of how hard an eight-week engagement of this type must have been. Performing for at least an hour, sometimes longer, for six days a week, with two shows on Saturday, as well as fulfilling TV, recording and press engagements, was a demanding schedule, especially for a mum, yet Shirley gave it her all.

      As midnight approached my cousin was feeling the excitement. The place was packed to capacity, several members of the audience choosing to take their seats immediately prior to midnight. It was obvious to all we were here for one reason only, to share ‘An Evening with Shirley Bassey’. Then the lights dimmed, the music began and Shirley boldly entered the stage. A thunderous roar went up and I jumped up from my seat, clapping wildly. Everyone, it seemed, had joined me, and Shirley was happily acknowledging a standing ovation before even singing a note. The audience already loved her and clearly wanted her to feel the presence of their love as the orchestra played, ‘A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening’. Shirley seemingly understood and delighted everyone by appropriately opening with the song from the musical The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd, ‘On A Wonderful Day Like Today’. The orchestra, which seemed vast, filling the back of the small stage, played wonderfully as if showing their appreciation for the artistry Shirley had delivered during the previous eight weeks. She had truly established herself and tonight Shirley sang with a feeling that told her audience, this is how it’s meant to be. Her programme included past hits, saucy numbers, fun numbers, songs of love and songs of sorrow, each one delivered in the unique Bassey style. We loved it and the more we applauded the more Shirley gave. We were witness to a perfect performance, when performer, orchestra and audience join as one to create an unforgettable experience.

      When Shirley announced ‘The Second Time Around’ the applause was deafening. It was a beautiful song enhanced further, I believe, by the Nelson Riddle arrangement and Shirley’s interpretation. At the end of the number whistling, cheering and loud applause reverberated around the room. Shirley, coming to the end of her performance, once more thanked the audience but they were not prepared to let her go just yet. To shouts of ‘Bravo’ and ‘More, more’, Shirley returned, taking several standing ovations before the sounds of the orchestra playing ‘This Is A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening’ made us all aware that it was over. Shirley had broken all box-office records during her engagement at the Pigalle, the venue would never experience anything like it again.

      There was no time to relax; Shirley had been invited to perform at the Royal Variety Show on 8 November. The line-up included Tony Bennett, the legendary Jack Benny, folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, and the popular comedy duo Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, to name just a few. Shirley followed this with an engagement in Beirut before returning home to fulfil more concert bookings and an appearance on the Eamonn Andrews Show.

      I had made two separate applications to ATV for complimentary tickets, one for the Eamonn Andrews Show in December, the other for The New Palladium Show, where Shirley was scheduled to appear in January 1966. Fortunately we were lucky to receive tickets for both appearance,s although the Eamonn Andrews Show was a little disappointing for me. Eamonn Andrews had recently swopped from the BBC to ATV where he hosted one of television’s first chat shows, and I was looking forward to watching him ‘chat’ with Shirley. It had been a long journey to Elstree Studios at Borehamwood but once inside the studio we were allocated good seats in the front row, near to the seating area where the ‘guests’ were to be interviewed. This was lovely for seeing Charlton Heston, a handsome hunk of a man who starred in the epic movie Ben Hur, but unfortunately when Shirley was introduced she took up a position to sing her one number, at the opposite end of the studio. We enjoyed her singing immensely and cheered loudly, along with some other fans, but in truth we were too far away for Shirley to have known who was cheering. I was a bit disappointed at being so far away, having been spoilt by the intimacy of the Pigalle.

      It was only a few weeks later, 2 January, when we returned to the London Palladium to see Shirley introduced by that cheeky young comic, Jimmy Tarbuck. We had seen Shirley arrive for rehearsals and my dad had taken a few photos, although Shirley had seemed a little stressed. The agent Tony Lewis accompanied Shirley and as usual her performance that evening was wonderful. Days later, shortly after Shirley’s twenty-ninth birthday, the press reported that Shirley had been taken ill and admitted to the London Clinic.

      At about this time I received from BBC Light Entertainment tickets to attend a show entitled, This Is The Sound Of Shirley Bassey, to be recorded on Tuesday, 25 January. I was concerned for Shirley’s health and sent off a get well card immediately. Within a few days Shirley had left the London Clinic and her engagement for the BBC was confirmed in the press.

      We had been lucky in getting three tickets, which meant Mum, Dad and I would be able to attend the BBC’s Television Centre at Shepherds Bush, where the recording took place. It was lovely watching Shirley perform with such an enthusiastic audience in front of the television cameras since I had been critical of some of her TV appearances in the past. Frequently, cameramen had filmed down from above and I felt this camera angle did little to show Shirley at her best. It appeared to exaggerate her hand and arm movements, making Shirley’s perfectly appropriate actions seem overly dramatic. Previously, as a true fan, I had written to Shirley expressing this opinion and it came as no surprise when I never received an answer! However, as we watched Shirley’s performance this time, we were delighted by what we witnessed and later left the Television Centre convinced the BBC had done a great job in capturing her talent. I was certain the show would become a TV classic.

      The very next day, Shirley flew off to Australia.

      Mum, Dad and I were excited by the prospect of seeing the show on television. We had never experienced seeing a show ‘on the box’ where we had been in the audience, as the other television shows we had attended had all been transmitted live. BBC2 transmitted This Is The Sound Of Shirley Bassey in February, one month after the recording. That night we sat at home, warm and comfortable in our dining room, our eyes focused on the television in the corner of the room. The screen, smaller than many computer screens today, sent out its images and we were intoxicated. Miss Bassey was casting her spell in our home.