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Casual chat with a workman led to my first DVD! 150 150 mhamer

Casual chat with a workman led to my first DVD!

Hi folks this months @leponline is a little story about how we got everyone onboard, which created work for a video recording company, while raising funds for a Charity, while producing my live DVD! #keepvarietyalive

The unusual story of how Jimmy Cricket ended up producing his first DVD is told in his latest newspaper column.

Pull Your Seats Forward was created by the famous comedian’s family company, Wellie Boot Productions, more than 10 years ago.

Belfast-born Jimmy produced the DVD in response to the overwhelming public clamour that suggested there was a real demand for a recording of his stand-up entertainment.

It was filmed at the Royal Court Theatre in Bacup, Lancashire, near Jimmy’s adopted home of Rochdale in Greater Manchester.

The DVD is an hour and 10 minutes long.

It includes Jimmy’s favourite routines, a phone call and letter from his mammy and 20 minutes of extras.

In his March column for the Lancashire Post, Jimmy reveals how the DVD came about.

I’d just pulled into the garage of the house in the new housing estate we’d just moved into when one of the workmen who was completing work on one of the other houses approached me.

“You’ve upset somebody up there. haven’t you?”

“I beg your pardon?” I asked him in a puzzled tone.

Leap of faith

“You’ve upset one of the big boys in television….that’s why you’re not on anymore.”

Before I could answer him, he was straight in: “Look, you don’t have to answer me but I just want you to know I enjoyed what you did.”

I mumbled “thank you!” and he headed back to work.

After I’d entered the house, I thought maybe I should have invited this chap in, give him a cup of tea and explain that I hadn’t really upset anybody but television was changing.

The variety shows I performed on were giving way to reality/fly-on-the-wall type programmes which I wasn’t really interested in.

But then I thought if there were more people out there like that workman, how could I get my product out to them?

So, in a gigantic leap of faith, I decided to produce and finance my own DVD.

I called a local theatre – in this case the Royal Court in Bacup.

We fixed a date and I raided the piggy bank and sent them the hire charge of £500.

The next step was to hire a camera crew.

I rang up a gentleman called Paul McGreen who ran a company called Dash Productions.

He said he could do me a deal but it would still cost £2,000 to pay for the crew.

Bar of chocolate

So I had an idea how we could make this work – and help a charitable cause at the same time.

I rang around all my friends and explained that the theatre held 400; if they all bought a ticket for £10, after I’d paid for the cameras I would give the rest to our local charity.

And so, on a sunny evening in September in 2008, we shot our video in front of a full house.

Mrs Cricket put programmes on everybody’s seat with a picture of Springhill Hospice in Rochdale, and a place where they could fill in their name and address if they wanted to get the first copies for half price.

Oh, and she also left them a bar of chocolate to munch on during the interval.

The morning after the show, I turned up at the hospice with a cheque for £2,000 and we had a 90-minute DVD called Pull Your Seats Forward.

As I write this, I’m coming up to 9,000 sales.

Do you know what makes me really proud, folks? The whole family can sit round and watch.

Pull Your Seats Forward can be bought via the Go Shopping page on this website or at one of Jimmy’s live shows (once they resume).

Read the Lancashire Evening Post online here

 

Get both DVD and Christmas CD in special charity offer 150 150 mhamer

Get both DVD and Christmas CD in special charity offer

Jimmy Cricket Live - Pull Your Seats ForwardJimmy Cricket is offering all his fans a special Christmas deal that will benefit one of his favourite charities.
Anybody who buys Jimmy’s DVD will receive his Christmas CD for free.
The popular Northern Irish comedian will give £5 for each sale to Francis House Children’s Hospice.
He tweeted about the offer: “Don’t forget folks, if you buy my DVD ‘Pull your seats forward’ which the whole family can watch, between now and the 1st of January 2020 I’ll throw in my Christmas CD ‘Santa bring my wellies back to me’ and send the fiver to Francis House on your behalf.”
Jimmy hit upon the idea of original Christmas numbers for a new CD a few years ago.

It is called Santa bring my wellies back to me.

The name of the CD relates to the theft several years ago of concrete wellington boots (below right).

Public clamour

The late Sir Ken Dodd had given them to Rochdale-based Jimmy.

Jimmy Cricket Live – Pull Your Seats Forward is the name of the DVD, which has sold more than 8,000 copies.

His family-run company, Wellie Boot Productions, filmed and produced it in 2010.The wellies were given by Ken Dodd to Jimmy Cricket

Belfast-born Jimmy produced the DVD in response to the overwhelming public clamour that suggested there was a real demand for a recording of his stand-up entertainment.

It was filmed at the Royal Court Theatre in Bacup, Lancashire, near Jimmy’s adopted home of Rochdale in Greater Manchester.

The DVD is an hour and 10 minutes long.

It includes Jimmy’s favourite routines, a phone call and letter from his mammy, his famous Leaving Home poem, his sentimental ballad called I’m Dreaming of a Far off Land and 20 minutes of extras.

The offer is available via the Go Shopping page on this website or at one of Jimmy’s live shows.

Below is an edited version of a trailer of Jimmy Cricket live at the Royal Court Theatre in Bacup. Journalist and Cricket Times editor Martin Hamer asks Jimmy all about the show in an interview which includes exclusive excerpts from the DVD.

 

Father’s Day: Why not buy my DVD as a gift?! 150 150 mhamer

Father’s Day: Why not buy my DVD as a gift?!

Jimmy Cricket’s first live DVD, which has sold around 8,000 copies, can be bought as a present for Father’s Day (Sunday 16 June).

Jimmy Cricket Live - Pull Your Seats Forward

And Jimmy will write a personal dedication to make it an even extra special gift!

Jimmy Cricket Live – Pull Your Seats Forward was created by the famous comedian’s family company, Wellie Boot Productions, in 2010.

Belfast-born Jimmy produced the DVD in response to the overwhelming public clamour that suggested there was a real demand for a recording of his stand-up entertainment.

It was filmed at the Royal Court Theatre in Bacup, Lancashire, near Jimmy’s adopted home of Rochdale in Greater Manchester.

The DVD is an hour and 10 minutes long and includes Jimmy’s favourite routines, a phone call and letter from his mammy, his famous Leaving Home poem, his sentimental ballad called I’m Dreaming of a Far off Land and 20 minutes of extras.

It can only be bought via the Go Shopping page on this website or at one of Jimmy’s live shows.

Jimmy tweeted: “Hi Folks, Next Sunday being “Father’s Day”, why not buy pop my DVD “Pull your seats forward”. They cost £12 including postage, and you can buy them via pay pal on my website. The whole family can enjoy it, and if you let me know his name I can write a personal dedication.”

Above is an edited version of a trailer of Jimmy Cricket live at the Royal Court Theatre in Bacup. Journalist and Cricket Times editor Martin Hamer asks Jimmy all about the show in an interview which includes exclusive excerpts from the DVD. The full longer version of the interview can be viewed below.

A ‘lovely St Patrick’s Day celebration’ in Lancashire 150 150 mhamer

A ‘lovely St Patrick’s Day celebration’ in Lancashire

It was a lovely, “St Patrick’s Day”, celebration today @BRCTheatreGroup my thanks to Leigh and all the volunteers with Alex on sound and Nick on lights and Guy the stage manager alongside Dansworks Dance Academy and Mrs C. singing a few Irish songs!

Northern Irish comedian Jimmy Cricket celebrated St Patrick’s Day in style.

The popular entertainer performed one of his Great Value for a Tenner comedy shows at the Royal Court Theatre in Bacup, Lancashire, on Sunday.

Afterwards, he posted on social media: “It was a lovely, “St Patrick’s Day”, celebration today my thanks to Leigh and all the volunteers with Alex on sound and Nick on lights and Guy the stage manager alongside Dansworks Dance Academy and Mrs C. singing a few Irish songs! ☘️

The Royal Court Theatre was the venue nine years ago for the recording of his first DVD, Jimmy Cricket Live – Pull Your Seats Forward. It can only be bought via the Go Shopping page on this website or at one of Jimmy’s live shows.

St Patrick’s Day, also known as the Feast of St Patrick, is a religious and cultural celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of St Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland.

Return to Bacup theatre for St Patrick’s Day show 150 150 mhamer

Return to Bacup theatre for St Patrick’s Day show

JUST £10 FOR ADULTS/£5 FOR CHILDREN Jimmy Cricket - Great Value for a Tenner Comedy Show Featuring Dancers from Dansworks Dance Academy of Performing Arts CIC Sunday 17th March 2019 Book Now - www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/489130 Tickets also available from Wishes Galore, Rochdale Road, Bacup. You pay no booking fee at Wishes Galore! #jimmycricket #comedylegend #livecomedy #familyentertainment #rossendale #rossendalevalleyFamous funnyman Jimmy Cricket is performing again at the Lancashire theatre where he recorded his DVD.

Jimmy Cricket Live – Pull Your Seats Forward was created by the popular comedian’s family company, Wellie Boot Productions, in 2010 at the Royal Court Theatre in Bacup, Lancashire, near Jimmy’s adopted home of Rochdale in Greater Manchester.

And the Northern Irish entertainer returns to the venue on Sunday – St Patrick’s Day – for one of his Great Value for a Tenner comedy shows.

Belfast-born Jimmy produced the DVD in response to the overwhelming public clamour that suggested there was a real demand for a recording of his stand-up entertainment.

Jimmy Cricket Live - Pull Your Seats Forward

The DVD is an hour and 10 minutes long and includes Jimmy’s favourite routines, a phone call and letter from his mammy, his famous Leaving Home poem, his sentimental ballad called I’m Dreaming of a Far off Land and 20 minutes of extras.

Around 8,000 copies of the DVD have been sold, which is particularly impressive as it is not available in retail outlets; it can only be bought via the Go Shopping page on this website or at one of his live shows.

Jimmy posted on social media this week: “Looking forward to my return to the Theatre were I recorded my DVD nine years ago for the St Patrick’s Day celebrations this coming Sunday with Dansworks Dance Academy and a few Irish songs from Mrs C. ☘️

The full details for the show are below:

?JUST £10 FOR ADULTS/£5 FOR CHILDREN?
Jimmy Cricket – Great Value for a Tenner Comedy Show
Featuring Dancers from Dansworks Dance Academy of Performing Arts CIC
Sunday 17 March 2019
Book Now – www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/489130
Tickets also available from Wishes Galore, Rochdale Road, Bacup. You pay no booking fee at Wishes Galore!
#jimmycricket #comedylegend #livecomedy#familyentertainment #rossendale #rossendalevalley

Below: watch an interview with Jimmy about his DVD.

Keith Harris tribute show: Double DVD coming soon! 150 150 mhamer

Keith Harris tribute show: Double DVD coming soon!

See the video of the Keith Harris tribute show, recorded live at Viva Blackpool, featuring: The Krankies, The Grumbleweeds, Steve Rawlings, Ben Simmons, Keith Simmons, Christopher Biggins, Duncan Norvell, Steve Royle, Ivan Brackenbury, Kitty Harris, The Inspire Dancers, Bobby Crush, Steve Hewlett Ventriloquist, Jimmy Cricket, Mooky the clown, Hacker the dog and many more!

A double DVD of a special tribute show in which Jimmy Cricket and a host of other well-known entertainers performed is to go on sale soon.

The Keith Harris tribute show, recorded live at Viva Blackpool in September this year, also featured the likes of The Krankies, The GrumbleweedsSteve Rawlings, Christopher Biggins, Duncan Norvell, Steve Royle, Bobby Crush and Mooky the clown.

It is expected that the DVD will be finished within the next few weeks and pre-orders are being taken. If you pre order now, you can purchase for a special price of £18.99. The release price will be £21.99.

All proceeds will go towards The Keith Harris & Orville Statue Fund as part of a campaign to erect a memorial in Blackpool for the late ventriloquist.

For more details and to watch the DVD trailer, go here.

Eyes & Teeth took place on 21 September in memory of Keith, who died in Blackpool aged 67 in 2015.

He was best known for his television show The Keith Harris Show (from 1982 to 1990) and for his appearances with his puppets Orville the Duck and Cuddles the Monkey.

Northern Irish comedian Jimmy had posted the following message (and photo below) on social media after the show: “What an achievement for and lovely who organised “The Keith Harris Tribute Show” with great acts and legends such as Mooky, reminded me of the old days, Midnight Matinees.”

What an achievement for @ventriloquist29 and lovely @nina_strobe who organised @VIVABlackpool “The Keith Harris Tribute Show” with great acts and legends such as @theBobbyCrush @TheKrankiesUK @steveroylecomic @sasKeithandBen Mooky, reminded me of the old days, Midnight Matinees

Sales of first live DVD approach 8,000 mark 150 150 mhamer

Sales of first live DVD approach 8,000 mark

Sales of Jimmy Cricket’s first live DVD are approaching 8,000.

Jimmy Cricket Live - Pull Your Seats Forward

Jimmy Cricket Live – Pull Your Seats Forward was created by the famous comedian’s family company, Wellie Boot Productions, in 2010.

Belfast-born Jimmy produced the DVD in response to the overwhelming public clamour that suggested there was a real demand for a recording of his stand-up entertainment.

It was filmed at the Royal Court Theatre in Bacup, Lancashire, near Jimmy’s adopted home of Rochdale in Greater Manchester.

The DVD is an hour and 10 minutes long and includes Jimmy’s favourite routines, a phone call and letter from his mammy, his famous Leaving Home poem, his sentimental ballad called I’m Dreaming of a Far off Land and 20 minutes of extras.

The sales figure is particularly impressive as the DVD is not available in retail outlets: it can only be bought via the Go Shopping page on this website or at one of his live shows.

Jimmy said: “Just coming up to 8,000 sales on my DVD, Pull your seats forward. A big thank you to all those people who have bought one. As they’re not on general release, it means those who got one at my show got a handshake and those that went through my website got a personal letter.”

Above is an edited version of a trailer of Jimmy Cricket live at the Royal Court Theatre in Bacup. Journalist and Cricket Times editor Martin Hamer asks Jimmy all about the show in an interview which includes exclusive excerpts from the DVD. The full longer version of the interview can be viewed below.