Posts Tagged :

Doncaster

Doncaster show will ‘leave you rolling in the aisles’ 150 150 mhamer

Doncaster show will ‘leave you rolling in the aisles’

Mark Andrews' Award Winning Productions return with The Good Old Days of Variety in Doncaster starring headliner comedy legend the one & only Jimmy Cricket

Jimmy Cricket is headlining a return to the good old days of variety in Doncaster later this month.
The popular Northern Irish comic is appearing at The Cast theatre in the south Yorkshire town on Tuesday 19 October.
It begins in the theatre’s Main Space at 1.30pm.
The Doncaster theatre’s website promises “comedy to leave you rolling in the aisles”.
It adds: “We’re back with our first very special show since lockdown starring bill topper and legendary comedy star Jimmy Cricket from TV & the Royal Variety shows.
“With fabulous special guests including the international speciality Act Van Buren & Allyson, sensational singer Victoria Jones with her special tribute to Cilla Black, your very own compere/ producer Mark Andrew & fabulous live musicians.
“Join us as we take a nostalgic trip down memory lane and celebrate those glory days of variety.
If you have any specific needs, you can discuss these with the theatre’s box office staff on 01302 303 959.
There is a maximum order of 10 tickets for this event.

The theatre opened in 2013. It “welcomes audiences and participants of all ages from across the borough of Doncaster and beyond”. 

Bobby Davro one of the acts at Doncaster Dome 150 150 mhamer

Bobby Davro one of the acts at Doncaster Dome

Jimmy Cricket and Bobby Davro

Old pals Jimmy Cricket and Bobby Davro both performed at a charity gala in South Yorkshire in memory of the late performer Dick Van Winkle.

Dick was a  multi-instrumentalist who worked on the variety circuit over the years, in summer season shows or on cruise ships.

Northern Irish comedian Jimmy and TV impressionist Bobby were at the Doncaster Dome last week along with other performers in aid of dementia and cancer charities.

And afterwards Jimmy, 72, tweeted that there had been a “host of great acts” in the variety show.

Jimmy Cricket and Bobby Davro

Johnny Vegas to also feature in film 150 150 mhamer

Johnny Vegas to also feature in film

Johnny Vegas is appearing in the Womble film

Famous actor and comedian Johnny Vegas is to appear in the Womble movie, which is being filmed on location in North Wales and also features entertainer Jimmy Cricket. 

St Helens-born Johnny is well known for his appearances in the hit ITV comedy drama Benidorm and also for popping up in adverts for tea brand PG Tips with a stuffed puppet monkey!

His addition to the cast is another major coup for the people behind Womble the movie, as it also includes top comedian Jimmy, 69, who will play himself as a talent contest judge.

The film is about a man called Aloysius Rupert Womble (played by actor and comedian Tom Spencer), who is in his 30s and living with Asperger’s Syndrome in a typical seaside resort town.

Children and adults affected by Asperger’s Syndrome have difficulty with social interactions and exhibit a restricted range of interests and/or repetitive behaviours.

Aloysius’s dream is to become a stand-up comedian. The film is a week-long snapshot of his life as he goes through the trials of living with a cognitive disorder, while dealing with the injustices forced upon him by society and parts of his community.

Over the seven-day period he prepares for the biggest night of his life – a talent show in his local pub.

The film will feature songs from the Beautiful South’s former lead singer Briana Corrigan and American Pie star Thomas Nicholas, as well as a string of original songs written by songwriters especially for the movie.

My movie debut – as a dream maker 150 150 mhamer

My movie debut – as a dream maker

Jimmy Cricket's column in the Lancashire Evening Post

Jimmy Cricket says he is looking forward to his role as a talent show judge on his  forthcoming silver screen debut.

But the famous veteran entertainer insists he will not be like Simon Cowell in The X Factor, telling readers of the Preston-based Lancashire Evening Post in his monthly column he will be a “dream maker, not a dream breaker”.

Womble, one of the biggest independent movies to be made in North Wales, is being shot over the summer and will be set for release in 2016.

It is about a man called Aloysius Rupert Womble (played by actor and comedian Tom Spencer) who is in his 30s and living with Asperger’s Syndrome in a typical seaside resort town.

Children and adults affected by Asperger’s Syndrome have difficulty with social interactions and exhibit a restricted range of interests and/or repetitive behaviours.

Aloysius’s dream is to become a stand-up comedian. The film is a week-long snapshot of his life as he goes through the trials of living with a cognitive disorder, while dealing with the injustices forced upon him by society and parts of his community.

Over the seven-day period he prepares for the biggest night of his life – a talent show in his local pub.

Jimmy says in the Lancashire Evening Post: “Hopefully, the film will be shown in 2016 at the Cannes Film Festival.”

Nostalgic flashback: Christmas panto 2010 150 150 mhamer

Nostalgic flashback: Christmas panto 2010

Jimmy Cricket was reminded of a Christmas pantomime past through a series of photographs sent to him recently.

The pictures were from the 2010-11 festive season when the famous entertainer appeared at the Doncaster Civic Theatre in a panto version of Aladdin.

This Christmas show was produced by David Lee of Pantoni Productions and it was he who sent Jimmy the images in the slideshow above.

Funnyman Jimmy said: “It was a nice reminder of the show and its cast, whom I enjoyed working with.”

Since Aladdin there has been a change of scenery for the arts in Doncaster because this pantomime was one of the last before the civic theatre was demolished.

It was replaced by a brand new modern arts centre called Cast and so now only memories remain of what was the town’s main auditorium for a number of years.

* Click on either of the arrow buttons above to view the slideshow.

The time I nearly met a footballing legend 150 150 mhamer

The time I nearly met a footballing legend

Jimmy Cricket talks about how he nearly met the late Sir Tom Finney in his latest Lancashire Evening Post newspaper column

Jimmy Cricket recalls in his latest newspaper column the time he nearly met a footballing legend.

The well-known comedian says in the Lancashire Evening Post that he was asked to do the corporate entertainment a few years ago at Deepdale, home of Preston North End for whom Sir Tom Finney made 473 competitive appearances, scoring 210 goals.

Tony Jo, a friend and fellow comedian, said during the evening that he would go and get Sir Tom so Jimmy could meet him.

However, Sir Tom was not feeling too well and had to go home early.

Jimmy recalls: “My big moment to meet a remarkable man and footballer, who had done so much for his home town of Preston, had gone.”

Sir Tom, who scored 30 goals in 76 appearances for England, died 12 months ago aged 91.

 

The show must go on… despite a bomb next door 150 150 mhamer

The show must go on… despite a bomb next door

Jimmy Cricket's latest column in the Preston-based Lancashire Evening Post

Jimmy Cricket has recalled the time that a pantomime in which he was starring went ahead despite the fact that a bomb had been planted next to the theatre.

The famous entertainer was appearing in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Grand Opera Theatre in Belfast at the time.

Looking back at the incident in 1992, Jimmy told the Lancashire Evening Post in his latest column for the Preston-based newspaper: “With the help of great architects and engineers, we got the theatre ready just in time for the pantomime, even though we had to get ready and change in portakabins!

“The fact the people from Northern Ireland didn’t want the terrorists to succeed meant we did sellout business all the way through.”