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Snow White panto – watch photo slideshow 150 150 mhamer

Snow White panto – watch photo slideshow

 

Jimmy Cricket’s final appearance in panto over the festive period was captured in pictures by a friend.

Gerry Molumby travelled from Nottingham to Preston earlier this month to watch famous entertainer Jimmy perform in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Charter Theatre.

Another of Jimmy’s friends, John Nolan, and his family came up from West Sussex, where he is the organiser of the annual Crawley Irish Festival.

Not only did Gerry get some great shots of Jimmy performing on stage, but he also tiptoed back stage before the final performance to obtain snaps of other members of the cast, including Prince Charming and Snow White (Adam Trembath and Kristina Castellina respectively).

Gerry also caught on camera the UK’s most famous ringmaster, Norman Barrett, who has been touring with Zippos circus over the last few years. Norman and his wife, Sally, had come to see Jimmy and they did not escape the photographer’s clicks either!

Gerry has now sent the photos and a report to the Irish Post – the English-based weekly newspaper for the Irish ex-pat community within the UK – with the hope of getting some coverage of his and John’s visit to see Jimmy in Preston.

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

Thanks to Ted Robbins for theatre sofa! 150 150 mhamer

Thanks to Ted Robbins for theatre sofa!

Jimmy Cricket's Christmas column in the Lancashire Evening Post

Jimmy Cricket talked in his latest newspaper column about how a gift to a theatre from an old friend helped him to relax in between panto performances during the festive season.

The famous Irish comedian said that when he first arrived at the Charter Theatre in Preston for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, he noticed a reclining sofa in his dressing room.

And he told readers in his most recent Lancashire Evening Post monthly column that he discovered it had been bequeathed by fellow entertainer and old chum Ted Robbins.

Jimmy also describes how BAE Systems employees and their families took over the first Saturday matinee performance of the pantomime.

He included a Christmas letter from his Mammy in his column, in which she talked about who gets what on the festive turkey and a nephew being arrested for picking blackberries in a computer shop.

A Christmas & New Year message from Jimmy 150 150 mhamer

A Christmas & New Year message from Jimmy

Here is a Christmas and New Year message from your favourite entertainer Jimmy Cricket:

Jimmy Cricket's Christmas card features the Only Fools and Horses’ sketch staring regular cast members David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst, plus special Comic Relief guest David BeckhamDear all,

I write this from my dressing room at the Charter Theatre in Preston where I am currently appearing in a pantomime production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. We have had some great audiences in Preston and the show has been great fun to do! (There is still time to come along as the show continues until the 3rd of January).

Another year has gone by and, after spending some time over Christmas with my family, I will start to look forward to what 2015 will bring.

This will be a special year for me as in October I will turn 70! Already there are plans in place on how this milestone will be marked and one of the exciting events will be a special fun run to be arranged at a location within my adopted home town of Rochdale.

There are already several interesting touring commitments lined up for 2015. In the early part of the year I will feature in a comedy show called You Must Be Joking, which has several tour dates around Northern Ireland in late January and early February.

I am also teaming up with the male vocalist Michael George for a couple of theatre dates in May and I make a welcome return during 2015 to the Warner Leisure Hotels circuit for the first time in several years.

Of course, I will also be touring my own stand-up show throughout the year and venues already lined up for 2015 include: Stockport, Preston, Barnsley, East Kilbride, Horsham, Nelson and Soham.

Over the last few weeks I have just finished recording a new comedy music CD called Jimmy Cricket – Light and Shade and this will be available to purchase early in the New Year.

Finally, it only remains for me to wish all readers a very happy and peaceful Christmas and a great start to the New Year!

Jimmy Cricket (17 December 2014)

Christmas carol service with a difference 150 150 mhamer

Christmas carol service with a difference

Jimmy Cricket is starring in a Christmas carol service with a comedy twist.

The difference between this carol service, which will be broadcast on BBC Radio Lancashire at noon on Christmas Eve, and a conventional one is that this version features comedians who intersperse the music and singing with sprinklings of humour.

The BBC Radio Lancashire carol service includes Jimmy Cricket, Steve Royle, Danny Pensive and Tony Vino

Also involved with famous entertainer Jimmy is BBC Radio Lancs comedian and presenter Steve Royle, alongside comics Danny Pensive and Tony Vino.

The carol service was recorded at the Roman Catholic church in the East Lancashire town of Clitheroe where Jimmy’s son, Fr Frankie Mulgrew, is based.

Fr Frankie did a reading alongside the Parish Priest at St Michael and St John’s RC Church, Fr John. Pictured is the front page of the order of service.

It includes all the classic carols one would expect for such a service, like Ding Dong Merrily on High, Silent Night and We Three Kings.

Jimmy will be listening to the programme on Christmas Eve – in between his 10:15am and 1:30pm performances of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Charter Theatre in Preston.

The panto, which opened last week and runs through to 3 January,  is a straight transfer from a hugely successful show, which was hosted at the Billingham Forum Theatre in Stockton-On-Tees last year.

Tickets are very affordable for all the family and the show schedule has a range of options, including morning, afternoon and early evening performances.

For more details and to book online, please visit the theatre’s website.

Carrying on the Walt Disney legacy 150 150 mhamer

Carrying on the Walt Disney legacy

Famous entertainer Jimmy Cricket says the pantomime production of  Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in Preston will stay true to the original Walt Disney version.

In his latest column for the Lancashire Evening Post, which is based in the Lancashire city where the show is being staged this Christmas, Jimmy says it uses some of the songs from the original film.

The panto, which opened last week at the Charter Theatre and runs through to 3 January,  is a straight transfer from a hugely successful show, which was hosted at the Billingham Forum Theatre in Stockton-On-Tees last year.

Tickets are very affordable for all the family and the show schedule has a range of options, including morning, afternoon and early evening performances.

For more details and to book online, please visit the theatre’s website.

Jimmy Cricket talks about Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in his latest Lancashire Evening Post column

The day a legend arrived on public transport 150 150 mhamer

The day a legend arrived on public transport

The late American singer and actor Bing Crosby is the subject of Jimmy Cricket’s latest column in the Preston-based Lancashire Evening Post.

Well-known entertainer Jimmy recalls when Crosby, “none other than the Old Groaner himself”, used public transport instead of a limousine when he appeared in a show in Preston in the late 1970s.

Crosby’s trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with more than half a billion records in circulation – including probably his best known, White Christmas.

“The reasons why Bing took the train instead of plumping for a chauffeur-driven limo are shrouded in mystery, but my guess is that he was a regular guy who liked mixing with ordinary people,” says Jimmy.

Northern Irish comedian Jimmy  is headlining Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Charter Theatre in Preston – where he made his pantomime debut in 1981 – over the Christmas and New Year period.

Bing Crosby is the subject of Jimmy Cricket's latest Lancashire Evening Post column

‘Nobody tells a budgie joke like Freddie’ 150 150 mhamer

‘Nobody tells a budgie joke like Freddie’

Jimmy Cricket's latest monthly column in the Lancashire Evening Post

Jimmy Cricket relived his wedding day 40 years on in his latest column for the Preston-based Lancashire Evening Post.

The famous entertainer  is headlining Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Charter Theatre in Preston – where he made his pantomime debut in 1981 – over the Christmas and New Year period.

When the Lancashire Evening Post contacted Jimmy through his website editor Martin Hamer – former digital editor at the LEP – about the idea of a monthly feature in the run-up to the panto, he thought it was a “very flattering request”.

And his most recent column recalls the happy memories from 1974 – and how he celebrated his ruby anniversary.

Jimmy also talks about the pantomime, which will be directed by Freddie ‘Parrot Face’ Davies who found fame in the 1960s on Opportunity Knocks when it was watched by an astonishing 20 million people.

“Nobody tells a budgie joke like Freddie,” laughs Jimmy in his column.