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Return to panto debut venue – 33 years later 150 150 mhamer

Return to panto debut venue – 33 years later

Jimmy Cricket first appeared in panto at the Charter Theatre in preston in Robinson Crusoe in Outer SpaceJimmy Cricket will be appearing in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Preston's Charter Theatre

Jimmy Cricket will be performing in pantomime later this year at the Charter Theatre in Preston – where he made his panto debut in 1981.

The famous entertainer will be appearing in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (poster below) at the Lancashire venue.

It will be 33 years after the Northern Irish funnyman figured in a version of a contemporary pantomime called Robinson Crusoe in Outer Space (left) when he was described as “Britain’s fastest rising TV comedian”.

Since his first foray into the land of fairytales, Jimmy has featured in 26

 

different pantomime productions over the years, taking in theatres across the UK located in:

Belfast, Glasgow, Nottingham, Bradford, Oxford, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Darlington, Billingham, Wolverhampton, Truro, Doncaster, Lichfield, Swindon, Torquay, Southport, Ashton-under-Lyme and Weston-Super-Mare.

On his arrival in Preston, he will be reunited with the creative team who produced last Christmas’s record -breaking version of Snow White at the Forum Theatre in Billingham.

Some of the cast have been retained for the Preston version, which has delighted Jimmy who is looking forward to a happy return to the Charter Theatre.

Fitting tribute to a former chairman 150 150 mhamer

Fitting tribute to a former chairman

Irish Post feature about Jimmy Cricket was at the Leeds Mayo Association’s annual dinner dance at the Leeds Irish Centre

Jimmy Cricket was the host and master of ceremonies at an emotional dinner dance in West Yorkshire earlier this year.

The well-known entertainer was invited, along with his wife May, to host the Leeds Mayo Association’s annual event at the Leeds Irish Centre.

The dance, which took place at the beginning of February, was an emotional occasion as the former chair of the association – Frank Ansboro – had only passed away late last year. 

Jimmy said: “Members from other Mayo Associations had travelled up to Leeds to be present at what turned out to be a fitting tribute to Frank.”

An article featuring lots of pictures of the event appeared in the 15 March edition of the Irish Post, which is popular within the Irish community of the UK.

It included not only a great animated photo of Jimmy in action (above), but another one towards the end of the article which featured his wife, May (on the right of the picture bottom middle below).

Irish Post feature about Jimmy Cricket was at the Leeds Mayo Association’s annual dinner dance at the Leeds Irish Centre

Priest with ‘show business in his blood’ 150 150 mhamer

Priest with ‘show business in his blood’

Irish World article is about Jimmy Cricket's second son, Fr Frankie Mulgrew

The Irish World newspaper has featured a special article about Jimmy Cricket’s second son, newly ordained priest Fr Frankie Mulgrew.

It appeared in the 8 March edition of the Irish World, which is one of the main newspapers serving the Irish community in the UK.

The Irish World newspaper has featured a special article about Jimmy Cricket's second son, newly ordained priest Fr Frankie Mulgrew

Fr Frankie, who was ordained to the Roman Catholic Church last summer, and his famous entertainer-dad can be seen on page 3 of the newspaper.

The article was written by Jimmy’s friend Gerry Molumby who lives in Nottingham and reports on how Jimmy is incredibly proud of his son, Frankie, becoming a priest.

Fr Frankie  – a regular entertainer before he was ordained – is described as having “more than a little show business in his blood”.

It also provides some details about where he is currently undertaking his ministry – at the Parish of Our Lady of the Valley in East Lancashire.

The ordination service took place at Salford Cathedral on the afternoon of Saturday 13 July 2013 and was presided over by the Rt Rev Bishop Terence Brain – Bishop of Salford – and in the presence of the Rt Rev Mark Davis, Bishop of Shrewsbury.

It was a joint ordination as Frankie’s friend, Nathan Horne, was also ordained to the priesthood and so the cathedral was packed with nearly 800 people in attendance.

Fr Frankie’s first Mass was at St Vincent’s RC Church in Norden, Rochdale, the following day.

Sweep dreams from the early 1990s 150 150 mhamer

Sweep dreams from the early 1990s

Sweep Dreams, starring Jimmy Cricket

A picture montage (above) based on a silent comedy film in which Jimmy Cricket starred has been sent to the famous Northern Irish entertainer more than two decades after it was made.

The sender was the Reverend Lawrie Adams who worked with Jimmy on a film project in the early 1990s.

At the time, Rev Adams was based at a church in the pretty town of Whalley in East Lancashire and he was in charge of  BDTV – Blackburn Diocese Television.

Now a retired vicar living in Cheadle, Cheshire, Rev Adams recently went to see one of Jimmy’s shows at the Plaza Theatre in Stockport.

The project  they worked on was called Sweep Dreams, a short, silent, comedy piece featuring Jimmy as a street sweeper in and around the Lancashire coastal resort of Lytham St Annes.

Rev Adams directed the piece and his two daughters – Fiona and Tracey – were also part of the production team.

The week’s filming in 1992 was completed on location in and around the notable landmarks of the resort ie the beach, promenade and bandstand, and, as you would expect, the theme of the film was Jimmy getting into all sorts of scrapes and mischief!

Although the project was never broadcast on television – interesting because this film pre-dated Mr Bean which became a success in the same silent comedy genre a few years later – much fun was had by all who were involved.

Jimmy said he enjoyed his time on location, adding: “It was really nice that 20 years later I was able to hear again from the Rev Lawrie and to receive the montage which brought back many fond memories.”

Visit to new restaurant is great ‘Tweet’! 150 150 mhamer

Visit to new restaurant is great ‘Tweet’!

 

Jimmy Cricket and wife May with Stu Francis

Jimmy and his wife May with Stu Francis at the opening of the EastzEast restaurant

Jimmy Cricket posted a recommendation on Twitter after attending the launch of a new Indian restaurant.

The famous entertainer was invited to EastzEast in Whitefield, Greater Manchester, by his good friend, the entertainment promoter Micky Martin (pictured with Jimmy below).

Jimmy Cricket with Micky Martin and a member of the restaurant staff

Also at the opening was fellow comedian Stu Francis, another of Jimmy’s friends.

Jimmy said: “I was highly impressed with EastzEast. I loved the friendly staff and was very impressed with the food on offer.

“In fact, I enjoyed the experience so much that I took to the social media network the next morning and posted a recommendation on Twitter!”

*  A big thanks to Bill Cowpland (pictured with Jimmy below) for the above photographs

Jimmy Cricket with Bill Cowpland

The summer of ’88… 150 150 mhamer

The summer of ’88…

Jimmy Cricket featured with the Krankies and Renato at the Royal Opera House in ScarboroughJimmy Cricket was taken back 26 years recently courtesy of a picture posted on Facebook.

Paul Burton published a flier (right) on the summer season of 1988 when famous entertainer Jimmy performed at the Royal Opera House in Scarborough.

The show also featured Scottish comedy duo The Krankies and the singer Renato (who sang the hit song Save Your Love with Renee).

Jimmy said: “I fondly remember the season and the huge success the show had; for several weeks over that summer, it played to packed houses over two performances a night for six days a week.

“It was so successful the producer Nick Thomas – who went on to found the Qdos Entertainment empire – extended the show’s season to accommodate the demand!

“The sad side to this story is the fact that the Opera House was a beautiful, traditional, Victorian auditorium located near to the centre of Scarborough town centre.

“Unfortunately it was deemed surplus to requirements a few years after my season and was demolished as a result.

“It has now been adopted as a case study when older traditional auditoriums are placed at risk within their town and communities.”

Social club is ‘the place to be!’ 150 150 mhamer

Social club is ‘the place to be!’

Jimmy Cricket is returning to St Kentigern’s Irish Club in south ManchesterJimmy Cricket is returning next month to an Irish club which bills itself as “the place to be!”

The well-known entertainer has performed several times previously at St Kentigern’s Irish Social Club in Fallowfield, south Manchester.

And he is back there on Friday 7 February, with all the proceeds from the show being donated to the nearby Cornerstone Day Centre.

Jimmy has done several charity events at St Kentigern’s for this very worthy cause and the day centre is run by a magnificent and dedicated nun called Sr Lucy. It specialises in providing a helping hand to the homeless and dispossessed.

He said: “I have the utmost respect for the commitment and compassion Sr Lucy has for this day centre, so much so that I find it difficult to decline any requests for help from Sr Lucy with her fundraising for the centre!

“So if you are in the area on the seventh of February, come along and enjoy some craic [Gaelic word meaning ‘fun’] while raising money for a great cause.”