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‘I was thrilled to perform in panto in Rochdale’ 150 150 mhamer

‘I was thrilled to perform in panto in Rochdale’

Jimmy Cricket tweeted he was thrilled in appear in a pantomime in his adopted hometown of Rochdale

Jimmy Cricket said he was thrilled in appear in a pantomime in his adopted home town of Rochdale.

Famous Northern Irish entertainer Jimmy played Professor Fitzwarren in Dick Whittington in both Ellesmere Port and in Rochdale.

Ellesmere Port Civic Centre staged the show until 20 December and Rochdale’s Gracie Fields Theatre from 22-31 December.

The panto also featured The Chase’s Mark Labbett (known as The Beast), who played King Rat.

Jimmy tweeted: “What a thrill it was to play panto in my adopted home town of Rochdale, at the Gracie Fields Theatre. I ‘d like to thank all my friends and neighbours for supporting their local Theatre.”

The 72-year-old comedian also posted his thanks to everyone involved in the production of the panto, including his “wonderful” fellow cast members.

Jimmy Cricket tweeted his thanks to everyone involved in the panto

Jimmy Cricket praises sets for Christmas pantos 150 150 mhamer

Jimmy Cricket praises sets for Christmas pantos

Dick WhittingtonJimmy Cricket has praised the sets for the pantos he is appearing in over the festive season.

Famous Northern Irish entertainer Jimmy plays Professor Fitzwarren in Dick Whittington, which opens in his adopted hometown of Rochdale on Friday (22 December).

Ellesmere Port Civic Centre staged the show until Wednesday and Rochdale’s Gracie Fields Theatre will now host it up to New Year’s Eve (22-31 December).

The panto also features The Chase’s Mark Labbett (also known as The Beast), who plays King Rat.

Jimmy tweeted that the sets were “some of the best I have worked with over the years!”.

Dick Whittington panto details

 

Dick Whittington panto opens in Ellesmere Port 150 150 mhamer

Dick Whittington panto opens in Ellesmere Port

All the panto cast members, including Jimmy Cricket, had lunch at The Flying Horse in RochdaleThe pantomime in which Jimmy Cricket is performing this festive season had its first show this weekend.

Famous Northern Irish entertainer Jimmy plays Professor Fitzwarren in that old favourite Dick Whittington in both Ellesmere Port and his adopted hometown of Rochdale.

Ellesmere Port Civic Centre will stage the show until Wednesday (20 December) and Rochdale’s Gracie Fields Theatre from Friday until New Year’s Eve (22-31 December).

The panto will also feature The Chase’s Mark Labbett (also known as The Beast), who plays King Rat.

All the cast members had a pre-panto lunch at The Flying Horse pub restaurant in Rochdale town centre. The venue was the Rochdale, Oldham & Bury pub of the year 2016.

Dick Whittington panto details

Performing alongside The Chase’s Mark Labbett in Dick Whittington panto 150 150 mhamer

Performing alongside The Chase’s Mark Labbett in Dick Whittington panto

panto_dick_whittington

Jimmy Cricket retweeted a social media post about the press launch of the panto in which he will be appearing over the 2017 festive season.

The famous Northern Irish entertainer will be playing Professor Fitzwarren in that old favourite Dick Whittington in both Ellesmere Port and his adopted hometown of Rochdale.

The details for both pantos are below:

Dick Whittington panto details

The panto will also feature The Chase’s Mark Labbett (also known as The Beast and can be seen in the middle of the photo at the top of the page), who will play King Rat.

Ellesmere Port Civic Centre will stage the show from 16 to 20 December and Rochdale’s Gracie Fields Theatre from 22-31 December.

Jimmy’s retweet on the press launch is below:

The tweet about Dick Whittington

Ex-Corrie actress takes part in Rochdale show 150 150 mhamer

Ex-Corrie actress takes part in Rochdale show

Jimmy Cricket

A former Coronation Street actress was among the performers in a parish centre show hosted by much-loved entertainer Jimmy Cricket.

Sue Devaney (below right) has played various roles on British television, including Debbie Webster in Corrie, Rita Briggs in Jonny Briggs, Liz Harker in Casualty and Jane in Dinnerladies.

Local, national and sometimes international entertainers perform for nothing at the monthly event, which takes place at St Vincent’s RC Parish Centre in Norden, Rochdale.

Sue Devaney

Also on the bill was singer John from J & D Alexander Jewellers in the Greater Manchester town of Rochdale, where Belfast-born Jimmy has lived for many years.

A collection is made for a charitable cause usually decided on the jam night, with the Sudden Community Centre, based on Cheltenham Street in Rochdale, the beneficiary on this occasion.

The centre has been established in the community through various forms since August 1991.

Since its inception, it has helped thousands of local residents empower themselves to a more dignified and fulfilling life through many of the programmes offered there.

Their mission is for local residents to be members of a vibrant and sustainable community who manage and control their future through the improvement of their own living and working environment.

Emphasis is on empowerment through education, enterprise, and lifelong learning and training opportunities for all.

The centre delivers community-based training and support for local residents, particularly those who are hard to reach and face barriers to accessing information, advice and guidance and progression to employment, training and education.

‘Man in wellies & battered hat saves the day’ 150 150 mhamer

‘Man in wellies & battered hat saves the day’

Jimmy Cricket's latest column in the Lancashire Evening Post

Jimmy Cricket has been reminiscing about the era of the comedy song and how he hopes he has helped keep it alive.

In his latest column for the Preston-based Lancashire Evening Post, the famous entertainer recalls “the many comedy and novelty songs that used to permeate the airwaves in the 50s and 60s”.

He adds: “Commercial radio stations all have playlists now. This means they only play songs that appeal to younger audiences , which companies who advertise with them deem to be possible customers. That’s how the commercial radio stations make their money.

Jimmy Cricket's Light & Shade

“However, you can still hear comedy and novelty songs on BBC radio stations, especially on their request shows.

“However, fear not dear readers.

“Just when you thought the comedy song was a footnote in the history of popular music, along comes the man in the wellies and the battered hat to save the day!

“Yes, my new CD called Light & Shade contains gems like ‘my budgie’s been tweeting for years’ and ‘I got blotto when I thought I’d won the lotto’.”

Light & Shade was officially released on 1 February and is available for £6 at www.jimmycricketshop.co.uk and at Jimmy’s live shows.

In the inside sleeve, Jimmy talks about the history behind the CD, which features a mixture of serious and comedy songs.

New CD gives listeners ‘a few surprises’ 150 150 mhamer

New CD gives listeners ‘a few surprises’

Jimmy Cricket's Light & Shade

Jimmy Cricket says he has tried to give people who buy his latest musical CD “a few surprises”.

Light & Shade was officially released on 1 February and is available for £6 at www.jimmycricketshop.co.uk and at Jimmy’s live shows.Jimmy Cricket's new CD is called Light & Shade

The inside sleeve has the following message from the famous entertainer, in which he talks about the history behind the CD, which features a mixture of serious and comedy songs.

 Hiya Folks,

It’s me Jimmy, come closer!

I was asked to write something for this sleeve, so I thought I would do something off the cuff. Get it!

These are the songs I’ve written and performed at my little ‘Jimmy and friends’ nights which I’ve done at St Vincent’s parochial hall in Rochdale over the last few years.

When I do shows I like to give the audience a few surprises and I’ve tried to do the same with this CD.

Sure there’ll be comedy songs that you would associate with Jimmy Cricket, but I’ve also thrown a few serious ones in too! So whether you’re listening in the car, at home, or walking along with your earphones, I hope there is something there for you.

I’d like to mention two people who‘ve been the bedrock of this CD.

Firstly, musical arranger David Carter, whose god given talent enables him to breathe life into my tunes and words.

And record producer Chris Warsop, who has worked tirelessly and painstakingly over the last six months in making sure we had a quality product at the end.

To them I am eternally grateful, as indeed to you for buying it.

ENJOY!

Jimmy Cricket 7th November 2014