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royal court theatre

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.

Daughter Katie wins coveted playwriting prize 150 150 mhamer

Daughter Katie wins coveted playwriting prize

The Stage newspaper reported on Katie Mulgrew's success

Famous entertainer Jimmy Cricket has expressed his immense pride after daughter Katie won a prestigious playwriting competition.

The Rochdale Observer reported on Katie Mulgrew's success

Katie Mulgrew, 30, was the winner of the first ever Liverpool Hope University playwriting prize, with her work entitled Omnibus, which follows a group of friends following a soap opera.

Not only did she earn herself £10,000 in the process, but she now has the opportunity to see the play produced by the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool, one of the partners for the competition along with the Liverpool Echo newspaper.

She was the only female comic among the 10 finalists.

Katie told The Stage newspaper: “I entered the Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize because some of my heroes are on the judging panel, and I would adore the opportunity to work with such a beautiful theatre, positively soaked in history and talent.”

Her play was shortlisted at the start of the year as part of a group of 10 plays that went to a judging panel consisting of:

–         Comedienne Kathy Burke

–         Screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce

–          Playwright, director and visiting professor at Liverpool Hope University John Godber

–          Playwriter & arts journalist  Paul Allen

–          Chief executive of the Royal Court Theatre Kevin Fearon

–          Principal Lecturer in Drama and Theatre Studies at Liverpool Hope University‌ Dr John Bennett

–          Liverpool Echo arts editor Catherine Jones

Jimmy said: “I am really thrilled for Katie and am incredibly proud of this tremendous achievement.”

The Rochdale Observer reported on Katie Mulgrew's success