A weekend of events is being planned to celebrate Halstead’s Empire Theatre’s 100th anniversary.

Next Saturday, The History Society of Halstead will be presenting a pictorial history of Halstead.

There will be fascinating photos of Halstead through the years in a presentation slide show by Malcolm Root.

Doors will open at 2pm for a 2.30pm start with tickets £2.50.

Then in the evening from 7.30pm, there will be a salute to the 1940s.

The variety show includes old favourites such as George Formby, Vera Lynn, Andrews Sisters and Gracie Fields, Marie Lloyd and Harry Lauder.

There will also be recitals of the poems by Wilfred Owen.

As soon as you walk into the room, you will be transported back into the 1940s with flags, posters and bunting.

Doors open at 7pm and tickets are £12.50.

Finally, on the Sunday, magician Paul Daniels will be hosting a show.

He is claimed to be the most successful TV magician of the 20th century.

His creative genius enabled him to produce consistently stunning shows, never rivalled in spectacle, covering the full range of the world of entertainment magic, from small, close-up effects, to enormous outside broadcast illusions.

In 1983 Paul was presented with the prestigious Magician of the Year Award by the Hollywood Academy of Magical Arts before a star-studded audience in Los Angeles.

Doors open at 7pm, tickets are £16.50.

All tickets can be bought from empire-theatre.co.uk or 07778 025490.