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Newspaper review of my live show was ‘tough to take’ 150 150 mhamer

Newspaper review of my live show was ‘tough to take’

The first professional review of one of Jimmy Cricket’s shows was not a particularly pleasant one.

The famous funnyman admits that it left him “totally dejected”.

Writing in his monthly column for the Blackpool Gazette, Jimmy recalls the first time a newspaper critic reviewed one of his live shows.

“It was pretty tough to take, but as comedians we all get over it!” he chuckles.

Here is Jimmy’s latest column in full:

I once wrote a play about a group of retired shoe menders on a night out… the next morning the critic for the local newspaper wrote: “What a load of old cobblers!”

Ah, that was just a joke, readers. I just wanted to set things up for this column, which is about the bane of every stage performer’s life – critics!

I was a seasoned entertainer before I had my first encounter with professional reviewers, as they are sometimes called.

You see, I cut my teeth in in the tough world of the North of England clubland and the only people who had any say in whether you got paid or not were the concert secretaries.

They wouldn’t be behind the door in telling you if you hadn’t cut the mustard and if you did well, they could be equally as straightforward with phrases like “you’re too good for a Wednesday, we’ll book you back on a Saturday”.

Besides, those places had their fair share of critics, only they were known as hecklers.

I remember working a club in Liverpool once and I opened a routine with: “Do you think there’s a lot of crime about, folks?”

A guy in the audience shouted out: “Yes, how much are you getting?!”

Cutting me to pieces

Anyway, after I got a break on a TV talent show I landed a week’s booking in the “Theatre Royal” in Brighton, supporting legendary pop star Frankie Vaughan.

Although Frankie had his big hit songs in the 50s and 60s, he oozed such charm and showmanship on stage and he was still a massive draw in the early 80s.

On the Tuesday morning of that week, an excited Mrs Cricket came into the pokey little flat we were sharing with our two-year-old son Dale brandishing the local newspaper.

“You’ve just had your first review”, she shouted excitedly and proceeded to read out every word, following me as I rushed down the stairs to put coins into the parking meter to make sure our car wasn’t towed away.

She was so consumed with enthusiasm that we’d had our first high street newspaper review, I don’t think she even realised this guy was cutting me to pieces.

By the time I’d filled the meter and we’d both got back up the stairs, I slumped down on the bed, thoroughly out of breath and totally dejected.

By this time even herself had realised this chap had given me a roasting.

“Why would an absolute stranger say things like that about my performance?” I blubbered out.

Mrs Cricket’s tone then changed from elation at seeing my name in print to appeasement.

Despondent faces

“It’s nothing personal… these people do it for a living… besides, he said the audience liked you and surely that’s all that matters.”

She was absolutely right of course, but it still hurts.

And after seeing the despondent faces of young pantomime performers having read a negative review the morning after the first night of a panto run, and trying to reassure them they still had a place in the entertainment profession, I vowed not to read any more reviews good or bad.

And my mental wellbeing has improved considerably ever since.

You see, folks, you’re on a hiding to nothing.

If they give you a glowing report, you’re unbearable to live with and if they slate you, it can plunge you into a deep depression.

I’ll leave the last word to my friend and fellow comic, the late Frank Carson.

Frank once asked a renowned theatrical newspaper critic what he thought of his “one-man show”.

The critic replied: “There were too many in the cast!”

Also read: ‘We love nothing more than hearing our guests rave about him’

The day I (constructively) heckled the great Tony Christie… 150 150 mhamer

The day I (constructively) heckled the great Tony Christie…

Jimmy Cricket has revealed how he once helped out singer Tony Christie during a show - by shouting out from the audience!

Jimmy Cricket has revealed how he once helped out singer Tony Christie during a show – by shouting out from the audience!

In his new Saturday column in the Lancashire Evening Post, Jimmy explains the reason behind his “constructive heckle”.

Tony, now in his 80s, found fame in the 1970s with songs such as (Is This the Way to) Amarillo.

In 2002, comedian Peter Kay used Amarillo on his TV show Phoenix Nights, leading to a resurgence in the song’s popularity.

Jimmy recalls: “I’ve got a confession to make, readers, I recently heckled another act and it was none other than the great Tony Christie.

“Let me explain. In July of this year I did a show for Talking Pictures TV.

“It’s a channel that specialises in golden oldie movies and television shows and every now and then they take their cameras to one of the quaint, beautiful old cinemas dotted around the country that have managed to avoid the bulldozer.

Scratching their heads

“The one in question here was the Savoy in Monmouth, Wales.

“Tony and his live band had performed a stunning set that included his great hits like  Avenues and Alleyways and, of course, (Is This the Way to) Amarillo, when one of the hosts of the event, the renowned broadcaster Mike Read, came on stage.

“They pulled up a couple of chairs and went into a convivial chit-chat.

“The subject got to football and Tony mentioned the fact that as he was born in Doncaster, his favourite boyhood team were Doncaster Rovers, and he especially liked the goalkeeper at the time who went on to play for Manchester United.

“Just then both he and Mike started scratching their heads trying to figure out his name.

“I was sitting up in the balcony and as I was pretty sure I knew who they meant, and not wishing to see a couple of pros in a scrape, I took the bull by the horns and let rip – Harry Gregg! I bellowed.

“They both gratefully accepted my interruption and were able to carry on with their conversation, so you could say it was a constructive heckle.

“By the way, readers, Harry Gregg was one of the Manchester United players on the plane the night of the ill-fated Munich air crash.

Amazing voice

“He survived and became a hero when he managed to pull some people from the wreckage, including Bobby Charlton.

“Getting back to Tony Christie, I remember supporting Tony in the mid-seventies.

“It was a week’s engagement at a cabaret club in Liverpool called The Wooky Hollow.

“I used to go on before him and after I’d come off and change into my civvies, I’d hear this amazing voice belting out his golden hits with a full orchestra.

“I was hooked and used to slip out into the audience and watch his complete show.

“Tony was at the top of his game then and I use to hum his hits as I drove back to our little terraced house in Rochdale.

“When I’d arrive home, I ‘d find a note on the table from Mrs Cricket – I knew you’d stay behind to watch Tony so I left your supper in the oven.

“One last quick story on this subject, friend… I met the lyric writer for those big hits of Tony’s and he told me that he liked to think of those songs like I Did what I Did for Maria as three-minute movies.

“He also told me that when he wrote the first big hit with composer Mitch Murray, Hey, Las Vegas, can nothing save us from you, and they were looking for the right singer to sing it, his postman said he’d just seen this amazing singer at his local club called Tony Christie.

“I think that story’s kind of cute, don’t you?

“You can catch the Talking Pictures TV channel on Sky 328, Freeview 82, Freeset 306 and Virgin 445.

“Their website is www.talkingpictures.co.uk

“See you next month!”

Also read: ‘Thrilled’ over Kindle sales of autobiography on Amazon

Roy Walker: Amazing story of a truly inspirational man 150 150 mhamer

Roy Walker: Amazing story of a truly inspirational man

Jimmy Cricket describes fellow Northern Irish comedian Roy Walker as "truly inspirational" in his latest newspaper column.

Jimmy Cricket describes fellow Northern Irish comedian Roy Walker as “truly inspirational” in his latest newspaper column.

Writing in the Blackpool Gazette and the Lancashire Evening Post earlier this month, Jimmy says Roy has endured bigotry, violence and great personal sadness in his life.

But he “still managed to spread joy and happiness to people with his great comedy and vocal talents”.

Roy worked for many years as a television presenter and comedy actor, including as the original host of the popular TV game show Catchphrase.

In his column, Jimmy writes: “In late March of this year, I went back to my roots and did a short theatre tour in Northern Ireland with three other comics from the province – Roy Walker, Adrian Walsh and Gene Fitzpatrick.

“What made this show different was that all of us were in our late seventies and two of the boys had made miraculous recoveries from serious illnesses.

“The idea for the show was conceived by promoter David Hull and what makes David stand out among promoters can be summed up in one word – compassion.

Like Glastonbury with walking sticks!

“Sure, he wants to make money, but the main purpose of this tour was twofold.

To help give us older entertainers something to look forward to and to thank us for the many shows we’d done for him over the years.

“He was rewarded with house-full signs and electric atmospheres at every venue we played.

“It was a bit like Glastonbury with walking sticks!

“I’d like to focus this article on one of the comedians I shared the stage with during that tour – Roy Walker.

“Roy’s story is truly inspirational.

Jean and Roy

“Picture the scene… it’s the mid-1960s and a young man fresh out of the army marries his fiancée, Jean.

“They buy a fruit and vegetable shop and by night the young man works as a resident compere in one of the many cabaret clubs in and around Belfast at the time called The Talk of The Town.

“In his tuxedo and bow tie, handsome looks and fine voice, he’s a wow with the nightly audiences.

“In 1969 the troubles grip Northern Ireland and innocent victims are caught up in the sectarian violence that followed in its wake.

“Roy and Jean turned up one morning to find their shop burned to the ground.

“The reason… Roy was a Protestant and Jean was a Catholic.

Dark days

“Not long after, The Talk of  The Town closes its doors… these were dark days for the couple and their three small children.

“During his residency there, Roy was always anxious to make sure the many visiting cabaret acts from England that came over to do weekly stints at The talk of the Town were happy.

“He made them feel at home by playing golf with them through the day and inviting them back for family meal.

“One such act was the Karl Denver Trio and their lead guitarist Kevin.

“When Roy rang and told him of his predicament, Kevin unhesitatingly advised him to come to England.

“He was more than sure Roy would carve out a good living in the thriving North of England clubland scene and when he’d settled in he could then send for his family.

“Kevin’s optimism was well founded.

“Roy became an instant hit when he crossed the water and, not only that, when he started to put some patter into his act between songs, the north of England audiences immediately warmed to his gentle Northern Ireland accent and pretty soon Roy Walker the comedian shot to prominence.

“He set up home in Peterlee, County Durham, and sent for Jean and the kids.

“His big break into television was on the talent show New Faces and then he became host of the popular and long-running ITV game show Catchphrase.

Golden legacy

“It ran for 13 years!

“Unfortunately, tragedy struck again when at the height of his popularity his beloved Jean died of cancer.

“I’m sure she she’d be looking down now smiling at the golden legacy she’s left behind.

“Because not only are Roy and Jean’s sons Phil and Mark brilliant comedians.

“But their daughter Josie has been a leading lady in the West End in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of The Opera and many more.

“It’s an amazing story of a man who endured bigotry, violence and great personal sadness, and still managed to spread joy and happiness to people with his great comedy and vocal talents.

“Roy Walker… we salute you!”

Also read: Wonderful, warm audience for Northern Ireland tour opener

 

D-Day landings: Many heroes included Paddy the pigeon 150 150 mhamer

D-Day landings: Many heroes included Paddy the pigeon

Next month (June) sees the celebrations for the D-Day landings.

Next month sees the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings – and Jimmy Cricket marks the occasion in his latest newspaper column.

The Normandy landings were the land and associated airborne operations which took place on 6 June 1944.

Codenamed Operation Neptune and widely referred to as D-Day, it involved the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II –  the largest seaborne invasion in history.

It commenced the liberation of France, and also the rest of Western Europe, and laid the foundations for the Allied victory on the Western Front.

Writing in the Blackpool Gazette and the Lancashire Evening Post, comedian Jimmy says: “As next month (June) sees the celebrations for the D-Day landings which took place 80 years ago, I always pause to think about the many entertainers who helped to boost the morale of our fighting troops.

Beautiful voice

My friend the late Frank Carson, who served in the forces himself, used to joke: ‘One day I saved the lives of 200 men – I shot the cook!’.

Then, of course, there was the Force’s Sweetheart the late great Vera Lynn.

[Vera Lynn’s songs helped raise morale duringWorld War Two. People knew her best for her wartime anthem We’ll Meet Again. She died aged 103 in 2020.

She was just a young girl vocalist back then and the only time she’d been out of the country was when she travelled to Holland to do a gig with a dance band.

However, she had a yearning to do her bit, and before she knew it, she was touring the swamps of the Borneo jungle in the sweltering heat, giving young soldiers a taste of home with her beautiful voice and melodic songs.

Feathered friend

A lot of the time she performed on the back of army trucks.

You know readers, this may sound funny but I always think of Vera’s pianist and accompanist Len Edwards, who always went with her and who risked life and limb to provide her musical backing.

He truly was an unsung hero.

Which leads me on to mention another hero from the Second World War, in this case a silent one.

His name was Paddy, and on the day of the D-day landings, he flew back all the way from Normandy in record time to provide valuable information that reassured everyone at home, that everything was going to plan and that our soldiers had made a successful landing.

The reason he did this without saying a word?

Paddy was a carrier pigeon and his coded message was tagged on to his foot.

Quiet thanks

But what made Paddy even more special was this…

… Of all the pigeon’s released from Normandy that day, he was the last one to make the journey and, guess what, he was the first one back to Hampshire.

But there’s more readers, come closer, what made his feat all the more remarkable was that not only did he have to contend with open-air fire, but the Nazis had placed specially trained hawks along the way to ambush him.

However, our feathered friend thwarted all their efforts and made it home safe and sound.

He did it in an astonishing four hours and 50 minutes, which became the fastest record by a message-carrier pigeon during the Normandy landings.

Paddy was honoured for his heroic achievements by being awarded the Dicken Medal on September the 1st, 1944.

The medal is given for gallantry or devotion to duty while serving in military conflict and is often known as the animal’s Victoria Cross.

He eventually returned to the place of his birth – Carnlough, County Antrim, in Northern Ireland, to be with his owner – Andrew Hughes.

He lived until 1954, dying at the age of 11.

In 2019 a plaque was unveiled in his honour in Car lough harbour.

So readers, if you ever cross the Irish Sea and take a trip along the Antrim coastline to drink in the beautiful scenery, make sure you stop off at Carnlough Harbour and pay a visit to Paddy’s plaque and give a quiet thanks for a silent hero.”

Also read: LEP column paid tribute to the ‘wonderful’ Vera Lynn

What made the late BBC Radio DJ Steve Wright so special… 150 150 mhamer

What made the late BBC Radio DJ Steve Wright so special…

Jimmy Cricket's newspaper column about the late BBC Radio 1 and 2 DJ Steve Wright appeared in the Lancashire Evening Post

Jimmy Cricket has revealed he was a big fan of famous radio DJ Steve Wright who died earlier this year.

For decades the voice of the BBC on afternoon radio, Steve passed away aged 69 in February.

He had joined the national broadcaster at the beginning of the 1980s and went on to host popular shows on both BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2.

In a statement, his family referred to the “millions of devoted radio listeners who had the good fortune and great pleasure of allowing Steve into their daily lives as one of the UK’s most enduring and popular radio personalities”.

Jimmy’s latest monthly newspaper column in the Lancashire Evening Post is devoted to the late DJ.

‘An instant fan’

He says: “When I first got a break on the tele in the early eighties, a friend told me that there was this young DJ on the radio doing an impression of me who was called Steve Wright.

“Obviously, this did my ego a power of good, so I made it my business to tune in to this new ‘jock’.

“I became an instant fan! Steve just had that special something that drew you closer to the radio when he was in full flight.

“He made even reading out the weather report sound interesting.

“Twenty-five years later, I was sitting in the BBC London studios being interviewed by him for his big show that was aired on weekday afternoons.

“I was accompanied by Cannon and Ball. We were there to promote a show we were touring with called The Best of British Variety.

Rory Bremner

“It was great fun as we all bounced ad libs between us, ending with Steve reeling out the theatres around the country where we were strutting our stuff.”

Adds Jimmy: “My other link to Steve’s show came via the impressionist Rory Bremner.

“Rory and I did a TV series for Central television in the mid-eighties and we both got this booking to entertain on a cruise around the Greek Islands. (I know it’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it!).

“The problem was I turned up at Athens airport without my passport.

“I can still see it now – half a dozen security men gathered round looking at a publicity photo of a guy in a funny hat and wellingtons at 3 o’clock in the morning, all babbling in Greek, half of them giggling and the other half scratching their heads.

“When Rory went on Steve’s show, he relayed the story as only he could, complete with impressions of the Greek officials.

‘Moving and emotional’

“Steve laughed so much he asked Rory to repeat it the next time he came on his show.”

The column continues: “Of course, no article about Steve Wright would be complete without mention of his other BBC Radio 2 show – Sunday Love Songs.

“Here, he gave shoutouts to couples getting engaged and married (as well as people’s anniversaries), while playing some of the most iconic and romantic songs ever written.

“Some lucky couples even got champagne and chocolate.

“This was one of the most moving and emotional programmes on national radio. It drew huge numbers of listeners every Sunday morning.”

Jimmy concludes: “You know, there’s an intimacy about listening on the radio to your favourite presenter.

“Without the visual distraction of television, you feel he’s just talking to you alone.

“Perhaps that’s what made Steve so special.

“Even though he was talking to the nation, you got the feeling he was just talking to you.”

Vince Hill was ‘one of the nation’s finest vocalists’ 150 150 mhamer

Vince Hill was ‘one of the nation’s finest vocalists’

Jimmy Cricket used a recent newspaper column to pay tribute to the late, great Vince Hill

A light went out in the entertainment industry when Vince Hill passed away earlier this year, says Jimmy Cricket.

Entertainer Jimmy pays tribute in a recent newspaper column to singer/songwriter Vince, best known for his cover of the hit Edelweiss.

His version reached number two in the UK pop charts in 1967. It stayed in the charts for 17 weeks.

The song was originally from the 1965 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music.

In a recent Blackpool Gazette column (which also appears in the Lancashire Evening Post newspaper), Jimmy recalls Vince’s amazing life and career.

He describes him as “one of the nation’s finest vocalists”.

“Most readers will remember Vince for his big hits during the 60s like Edelweiss from the musical, The Sound of Music, and Roses of Picardy – a ballad about a wartime romance.”

Jimmy recalls doing several UK tours with Vince, including of Scotland.

“Vince enthralled the Scottish audiences, especially when he did this amazing arrangement of Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s most popular tunes.”

He concludes: “When he left us, we lost one of our greatest ever singers and a light went out in the UK entertainment industry.”

Successful TV shows

Vince first sang in public as a teenager and joined vocal group The Raindrops, but went solo in the early sixties.

He rose to fame with his debut single The River’s Run Dry and went on to produce a number of hits.

His other songs included Take Me To Your Heart Again and Love Letters In The Sand.

While known mainly for his singing, he was also a songwriter.

Additionally, he hosted several successful TV shows during the seventies and eighties, including the BBC’s The Musical Time Machine.

Before finding fame as a singer, he worked as baker, truck driver and coal miner.

Vince died peacefully at his home in Oxfordshire on 22 July.

Read: The life of British singer Vince Hill

From this website: Vince Hill: Cherished memories of touring Scotland with him

Autobiography – Buy Jimmy Cricket’s autobiography now

 

An Englishman, Irishman and Italian climb into a car… 150 150 mhamer

An Englishman, Irishman and Italian climb into a car…

Jimmy Cricket has been a newspaper columnist for almost a decade - but he appeared in a fellow funnyman's column about a car share earlier this week!

Jimmy Cricket has been a newspaper columnist for almost a decade – but he featured in a fellow funnyman’s column earlier this week!

The Northern Irish entertainer appeared in Steve Royle’s latest Blackpool Gazette column.

It centred on how they and another comedian, Tony Vino, did a car share to a gig in Essex.

Steve is an actor, writer, comedian, juggler and presenter.

He was a finalist on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent in 2020.

Tony has been a professional comedian for more than 10 years, touring both nationally and internationally.

Steve’s column begins: “An Englishman, Irishman and an Italian climb into a car.

Autobiography

“Sounds like the start to a bad joke but in actual fact it was the beginning of a marvellous journey.

“Having the company of two great comics on such an epic journey was more entertaining than the gig itself, with plenty of amazing anecdotes, especially from my fellow Lancashire Evening Post columnist, Jimmy.

“He has an autobiography out at the moment and even though I bought a copy, I think he told us virtually every story in it during the 14-hour round trip.”

Jimmy’s autobiography, Memoirs Of An Irish Comedian, costs £11.99 as a paperback.

It tells the heart-warming story of his 50 golden years in showbusiness – told in his own words.

Recognisable for wearing a funny hat and green wellies marked L and R on the wrong feet, Jimmy has been making people laugh for half a century.

And he proudly keeps his comedy clean – increasingly rare these days –  making him the perfect family entertainer.

Poorest communities

The book is available from online retailer Amazon here.

One pound from the sale of every book goes to Mary’s Meals.

The charity supports feeding projects in some of the world’s poorest communities where hunger and poverty prevent children from gaining an education.

Also read: Mary’s Meals: 20 years serving global communities

From bingo caller to 50 Golden Years in showbiz!

 

 

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