MR C ON TV

[Shiny Joe]

Mr C, i know you were in the music and theatre biz before The POGUES, before the Radiators too. What was your first TV appearance and is it true you appeared in vaudeville/music hall in Ireland?

[philipchevron]

Mr C, i know you were in the music and theatre biz before The POGUES, before the Radiators too. What was your first TV appearance and is it true you appeared in vaudeville/music hall in Ireland?

I appeared numerous times on Irish TV in the mid to late 60s as part of the O'Connell School Boys Choir, in particular on St Patrick's Day when ourselves, the Scoil Aine Girls Choir and the No 1 Army Band all performed together opposite the GPO in Dublin where the Presidential viewing stand was invariably positioned.

My first appearance in my own right was with my sister Deborah as the duo Aisling on RTE's Irish language music programme An Ghluin Og, where we performed a song of mine called Failte Romhat and a piece of music from Sean O'Riada's 1969 Gaelic Mass. That would have been in Summer 1973.

On How I Killed Vaudeville, I'll get back to you when I have more time, if that's ok.

[philipchevron]

Actually, Joe Kennedy, father of JFK killed Vaudeville, but that's another story.

By the late 60s/early 70s, what remained of the once vibrant Irish music hall/variety/vaudeville tradition could largely be found grouped around the Sunday night shows at St Anthony's Theatre on the quays in Dublin. These comics - Jesson & Farrelly, Val Fitzpatrick, Tony Kenny (the elder), Frank Howard and the rest were former stars of the Theatre Royal and the Happy Gang at the Queens (both theatres now sadly demolished).

These comics, directed by Tony Kenny, were not above giving room on the bill to talented youngsters, and I appeared several times between 1969 and 1973, mainly with my band The Jangles, who performed songs written by myself and my school pal Kieran Tyrrell.

It was fascinating to watch these people work. They never rehearsed as such. Their craft had been honed in the hothouse of the Theatre Royal, where the show changed completely every week, and they were expected to be learning next week's show by day while performimg the current one at night. They all had reserves of sketches and gags like trad musicians have stores of tunes. Backstage, while the musical acts were on, Tony Kenny would call out, say "Drunken doctor on mailboat sketch", and off they would go in a rapid-fire recall of the lines before immediately performing the sketch on stage.

After a few shows, one could consider oneself a "pro" and would even get a paycheck. My first payment in show business was on April 4, 1971, when I received 3 pounds 50 pence. I consider that the first day of my "career".

[St.Peter]

You're a trooper Mr.C!Thanks for the insight into the rare oul times.