LAUGHTER is being swopped for tears as a Blackpool theatre sees its last performance and the end of an entertainment era.

Top comic Jimmy Cricket has expressed his sadness as he embarks on the final performance at the Royal Pavilion theatre on Rigby Road on Monday night.

Although the Russ Stevens show was axed part-way through its summer run at the theatre, Jimmy refused to stop running his Monday evening show there.

Jimmy told the Citizen: "Once the magician's show had ended I got a determination to carry on to the very last night of my show. I thought the show must go on.

"I have been at the Royal Pavilion since May which, as you can imagine, needs an awful lot of one-liners.

"It has been a good season, but when Russ went the theatre remained dark every night except for Mondays."

The theatre building has quite a history behind it, having been host to burlesque shows, magic, musicals and more.

It will be sold on and could become anything - perhaps even a supermarket.

Jimmy said: "I am upset about any theatre which closes.

"It means there is one less place for young artists to learn their trade. This is always very sad."

Tickets for the LAST EVER live performance at the Royal Pavilion Theatre are available from the box office 25313.

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