The Medusa Fora

Clash Cadillac wrote:For further reading by Philip's father try these titles:

Noel Purcell: A Biography
Jimmy O'Dea: The Pride of the Coombe

While visiting Harry last week, I met Mickey, a friend of his who was visiting from Ireland. When Mickey finished his "leaving exams" (is that the term he used?) his instructor who was very strict broke with tradition and took Mickey and another student to the local for a drink. Mickey said Noel Purcell was there and was friendly with his instructor who informed Noel of the boys accomplishment which Noel immediately rewarded with a round of beers. Mickey now claims it was Noel Purcell who bought him his first beer in a pub.

While at Doc Harry's yesterday I glanced through the booklet in the new box set however I have refrained from reading it as I am waiting for my own copy to arrive. Philip, while discussing the box set we wondered if the "scrapbook" format of the booklet was in anyway an homage to your fathers scrapbooks mentioned in the forward of his book The Lost Theatres of Dublin?

Clash Cadillac wrote:While at Doc Harry's yesterday I glanced through the booklet in the new box set however I have refrained from reading it as I am waiting for my own copy to arrive. Philip, while discussing the box set we wondered if the "scrapbook" format of the booklet was in anyway an homage to your fathers scrapbooks mentioned in the forward of his book The Lost Theatres of Dublin?

No, not as far as I know. They don''t let me anywhere near the artwork in the Pogues, you know. That's always NOT my job. I see it when it's finished, just like everyone else. There was an earlier version of the "book" which I much preferred - the designer made the naive error of seeking my opinion and was encouraged to receive a rave review from me, something that, had he but known, already spelled doom for his work.

Having finished this book yesterday, I thought I would like to add a few words of my own to this thread.

The Lost Theatres of Dublin is a well written book and detailed book that I found myself reading at every available opportunity, I even sacrificed all of my mid evening naps after work I found it that interesting. It is written in such a style that sometimes I could imagine myself being there, particularly when I read about the last night of the third Theatre Royal. I loved reading about the characters who trod the boards and loved the illustrations.To think if I had never come on medusa, I may have missed out on this book and that would have been such a shame.

Reading this book has made me want to read more on old theatres and theatre histories and I'm defintely going to seek out similar books to this in due course.