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lancashire

Walkabout with the Lamplighters 150 150 mhamer

Walkabout with the Lamplighters

Jimmy Cricket and the Lamplighters

Jimmy Cricket teamed up with a musician he has known for more than  40 years when he promoted a show in Stockport earlier this year.

The famous entertainer thought a walkabout would be a good way of publicising his forthcoming visit to Stockport’s Plaza Theatre at the end of January.

Jimmy Cricket and the Lamplighters

Armed with his much-loved saxophone, he decided he would join his friends, the busking outfit called the Lamplighters, and walk from the pub called The Swan With Two Necks in central Stockport.

They went along Mersey Square in front of the main entrance to the Merseyway Shopping Centre, and then on to the theatre itself.

The Lamplighters are in fact the Walker brothers – Cyril (on the accordion) and Ivor, commonly known as Mack (on the drum).
Jimmy has known Cyril for a very long time – it was he who helped the Northern Irish comedian to get established on the North of England club circuit when he first set out on the road to showbusiness back in the early 1970s.
At that time Cyril was part of a double act called Clayton and Walker who were already touring around the entertainment venues in the North.
Jimmy said: “The parade through Stockport was a nice bit of fun. It also certainly made an impact, as when I returned to the Plaza I had a very healthy crowd in attendance who all had a great time watching my stand-up show!”
The ‘wellie wonderman’ 150 150 mhamer

The ‘wellie wonderman’

Jimmy Cricket and his family appeared in the Weekend and Titbits magazine in the 1980s

Jimmy Cricket and his family appeared in the Weekend & Titbits magazine in the 1980s

Jimmy Cricket was described as the “Wellie Wonderman” by a magazine during the 1980s.

Jimmy Cricket and his family appeared in the Weekend and Titbits magazine in the 1980s

The entertainer, famous for his wellies which he wears on the wrong feet, and his family were featured  in the issue of Weekend and Titbits on 19 June 1985.

Jimmy was pictured on the front page of the magazine holding a cricket bat and an article entitled “Wonder in wellies” inside includes a photograph (right) of Jimmy and his young family at the time.

This nostalgic look-back is courtesy of Amy Phillips who has set up a new website and blog (an online diary) about the variety genre under the title Variety Emporium.

Jimmy said: “I am most grateful for Amy featuring on this new website a look-back at one of the publications I appeared in during the 1980s.

“I  was also thrilled Amy recently came along to see my ‘Audience with’ show at the Ormskirk Civic Hall – it shows Amy really is a true supporter of variety!”

Jimmy Cricket and his family appeared in the Weekend and Titbits magazine in the 1980s

Audience gets chance to ask questions 150 150 mhamer

Audience gets chance to ask questions

Jimmy Cricket in Ormskirk with Edwin Fisher, Amy Phillips and John Crawley

Jimmy with Edwin Fisher, Amy Phillips & John Crawley at Ormskirk show

Jimmy Cricket enjoyed an “interesting and thoughtful” Q&A with some of his fans when he appeared in Ormskirk.

The famous entertainer was at the town’s Civic Hall earlier this month for one of his ‘Audience with’ shows, an evening of stand-up comedy.

These events have an interesting twist in that they feature a segment where members of the audience can ask Jimmy a question.

Ormskirk’s show was hosted by Jimmy’s good friend, comedian Tony Vino, who presided over the questions from the audience.

Jimmy said he was “thrilled to receive quite a number of interesting and thoughtful questions”.

He added: “I would like to thank Matt Orr from the nearby Engine Rooms [a community-based venue offering a huge range of activities and entertainment], who helped on the technical side and to comedian Adam Rush for helping to arrange a date for the show in the first place.”

Watch Jimmy’s walkabout in Ormskirk.

Packed show is a family affair 150 150 mhamer

Packed show is a family affair

Jimmy Cricket and Fr Frankie appeared in the Clitheroe Advertiser

Jimmy Cricket and his second son, the newly ordained Fr Frankie Mulgrew, played to a fullhouse in aid of charity recently.

Like his famous dad, Frankie is also an entertainer and went under the stage name of Frankie Doodle during his show business days.

Jimmy Cricket's wife, May Mulgrew,

Jimmy’s wife, May

He was ordained a Catholic priest in an ordination service at Salford Cathedral last summer, but still does the occasional comedy gig in aid of charity.

Jimmy, his wife May Mulgrew – who is a professional singer under the stage name of May Marion – and Fr Frankie all appeared in the concert at the end of January which was a fund-raiser for the charity Mary’s Meals.

It is an organisation which supports school feeding projects in some of the world’s poorest communities where hunger and poverty prevent children from gaining an education.

The event was hosted at the community hall connected with the parish church where Fr Frankie is based – St John’s Catholic Church in Clitheroe.

Jimmy, who was born James Mulgrew, said: “The show played to a fullhouse, with 70 people having to be put on a waiting list for returned tickets!

“A magnificent total of £2, 250 was raised from the night for Mary’s Meals.”

The image above shows a story published in the Clitheroe Advertiser newspaper published on 6 February about the show.

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.”

Watch slideshow of latest walkabout 150 150 mhamer

Watch slideshow of latest walkabout

Jimmy Cricket plays the saxophone during his Ormskirk walkabout

Jimmy plays the saxophone during his walkabout around Ormskirk

Jimmy Cricket decided to drop in on the good folk of Ormskirk ahead of his appearance at the town’s Civic Hall next month.

The visit followed the famous Northern Irish entertainer’s successful walkabout in Stockport Town Centre.

This time around he was ably joined  by comedian Adam Ruston who is promoting Jimmy’s visit, along with Thea – Ormskirk Civic Hall manager – and Lauren, the bar manager at the venue.

During Jimmy’s whistle-stop tour of downtown Ormskirk, he popped into the Lime Tyger bar and Disraelis 1 pub, and did a meet-and-greet around the main pedestrian area.

He said: “I’m looking forward to the first of March when I will bring my ‘Audience with Jimmy Cricket’ show to the town with supporting host, the comedian Tony Vino.”

Click here for more details about Jimmy’s show.

Click the arrow button below to view a slideshow of photos of Jimmy’s walkabout around Ormskirk.


‘Happy & thrilled’ at musical’s success 150 150 mhamer

‘Happy & thrilled’ at musical’s success

The opening night of the premiere of Jimmy Cricket’s new musical, Maloney’s Big Moment. The photo was taken backstage at the Thwaites Empire Theatre in Blackburn and features Jimmy with the cast of the show, alongside the Mayor and Mayoress of Blackburn

Famous comedian Jimmy Cricket said he was “happy” and “thrilled” following the successful launch of his new musical.

Large audiences turned out to watch the two-night premiere of Maloney’s Big Moment at the Thwaites Empire Theatre in Blackburn earlier this month.

Jimmy said: “For both performances, more than 80% of tickets were sold, which for an original piece of theatre is a tremendous return. I am just thrilled I was able to get this new musical off the ground.

“I must thank the talented cast who only assembled really at the last minute, the fine musicians who made up the band, and the theatre’s technical staff for all coming together and delivering two performances of the show without much rehearsal time.

“I am also really happy that so many friends, colleagues, supporters and interested spectators came to support the show in such huge numbers.”

Above: Jimmy is pictured with the cast of the show, alongside the Mayor and Mayoress of Blackburn, back stage at the theatre on the opening night of the musical.