‘The Good Old Days’

Press, 11 June 1984, Page 8

‘The Good Old Days’

“The Good Old Days” with Two-Ton Tessie O’Shea, Patrick O’Hagan, Eddie Mendoza, and Roy Waterson. Presented in the James Hay Theatre on Sunday,! June 10, at 8.15 p.m. Reviewed by Julie Klaassens. Don’t take it to heart, young singers and entertainers, but there’s still a lot to be learnt from old hands like these. For precision, pace and polish this show was tops — three cheers for the second show next week, brought by public demand. Take Two-Ton Tessie O’Shea for instance: her boisterous entrance and message of being young at heart could upstage many a modern jive routine. With captivating charm and alarming agility, she tossed caution to the wind and manoeuvred her body across the stage at a frantic pace. Smiles, skirt and shapely legs were all part

of the show, not forgetting her voice.

Patrick O’Hagan was in perfect form, drawing tears on songs like “Danny Boy,” “Cottage by the Lea,” and “Dear Old Donegal.” His pure, warm tenor voice expressed every mood, from loving softness in “I’ll Take You Home Kathleen” to powerful climaxes in ‘Amazing Grace.” The tenderness of his singing opposed his indulgent wit, which dwelled on Scottish jokes (why not if you’re Irish?), and a touch of religion. Eddie Mendoza, of Black and White Minstrel fame, provided comic relief and another walk down memory lane with medleys from the past. The audience needed no encouragement when invited to sing along, for there was humming from the first song and everybody knew the words.

The co-ordinator, Roy Waterson, kept the show well oiled and moving, bringing further enjoyment in his bracket of songs in the second half. His voice is no less charming and controlled than Patrick O’Hagan’s and the request song, “Maggie,” showed his accomplishment in the field of the unexpected. Throughout, musical accompaniment was superb. It is a pity to mention these artists last, for in no way were they any less important or vital to the show. The pianist, Jim Coleman, supported the changing moods of the songs with sensitivity and ease, filling in where necessary and providing background colour. Tommy O’Connor on drums never flagged in rhythmic backing, using a pleasant variety of sounds and effects.

It was a great evening out and one thoroughly recommended.