Tears were shed on the evening of 30 June 1962 when the final curtain came down on the expansive stage of Dublin's famous Theatre Royal, the largest entertainment venue in Ireland and Britain, with its capacity of almost 4,000. It was the end of an era for generations of fans who enjoyed evenings at the Hawkins Street cine-variety venue, where one could watch a film, have a meal and enjoy a big stage show. There has been nothing to match it since. Stars who appeared there read like a who's who of show business. Besides legendary Irish entertainers including Jimmy O'Dea, Noel Purcell and Cecil Sheridan, the Royal played host to the likes of Bob Hope, Gracie Fields,   Maurice Chevalier, Judy Garland, James Cagney, Nat King Cole and Count John McCormack to mention a few. It was said in the entertainment world that if you hadn't appeared at the Royal, you hadn't really made it internationally. Showtime at the Royal covers the complete history of Ireland's most famous showplace dating back to the seventeenth century and its special place in the social history of the city. There are interviews, anecdotes and reports, and many unique photographs seen for the first time in public.