The latest Phil Evans column from the South Wales Evening Post
The latest Phil Evans column from the South Wales Evening Post -
Comedian Phil Evans is from Ammanford. He is known as the man who puts the ‘cwtsh’ into comedy.
I’ve got no axe to grind this week. I had to send it to the ironmongers to be sharpened following a dispute with my next door neighbour.
I can’t give you any details at this stage, but he’s expected to make a full recovery and he will be able to play the piano when he comes out of hospital. Which is odd, because he couldn’t before he went in...
No, this week I’ve got a question to ask.
Is God starting his own all-star repertory company to take on an endless tour of the Heavens? Because they’re going down like ninepins. Shuffling off this mortal coil to join the choir invisible...in their droves.
I’m talking about famous performers.
Consider this list of recently deceased stars and tell me you remember a year when so many who deserved to be called ‘stars’ left us...
Lauren Bacall
James Garner
Bob Hoskins
Roger Lloyd-Pack
Rik Mayall
Kate O’Mara
Joan Rivers
Mickey Rooney
Elaine Stritch
Shirley Temple
Robin Williams
And we’ve recently lost two giants of the British film industry – Sir Richard Attenborough and Sir Donald Sinden.
They maintained their careers for more than 60 years and made their mark in many different areas of the business.
Sir Donald’s plummy, unmistakeable voice will be familiar to those who love TV sitcoms, from “Two’s A Crowd” to “Never The Twain”, while theatre lovers will know he was an outstanding Shakespearian actor and master of Restoration comedy.
One of the many tributes to him was from someone who met him at a village fete last year.
He said, “He spent the afternoon happily talking to everyone who came up to him - with a glass of red in his hand the entire time!”
‘Dickie’ Attenborough played a wide variety of characters, from the strongly principled family man who was sent to Coventry by his fellow factory workers in “The Angry Silence” to the evil murderer Christie in “Ten Rillington Place”.
And, of course, he was a accomplished director. “Gandhi” and “Chaplin” were just two of his successes.
When you compare them to the army of easily replaceable soap ‘stars’ who appear nightly on our TV screens – many of whom are never heard of again after they take their final taxi ride out of the Square or the Street – it beggars belief they’re in the same occupation as Donald and Dickie.
Then, last week, that gentle giant Richard Kiel, who played Jaws in “The Spy Who Loved Me” and “Moonraker” passed away. People who met him at autograph and memorabilia fairs report that he was a warm funny man who patiently talked to everyone who stopped by for a chat and a ‘photo.
I know some of the names I’ve mentioned were of a venerable age and mortality affects famous people as well as the rest of us.
But in respect of many of them, the saying ‘We shall not see their like again’ has never been truer.
So next time you see a famous old actor, actress or comedian on TV, don’t say “Oh no, not him/her again! I didn’t know they were still alive! ” because by the time you’ve said it, there’s a good chance they won’t be!
---------------------------------
Last week, I called into Pont Abraham Motorway Services (just off the M4 near Cross Hands) for a nice relaxing coffee and to write down a few thoughts for my future Evening Post columns.
The sun was shining, so I took my coffee outside, where I was joined by a fantastic group of disabled adults and their carers, also taking a well earned break in the sun.
The group were lively, talkative, entertaining and at times, very vocal (a lot like a Phil Evans show!).
For me, this was not an issue.
However, I observed how others around me were reacting to what was going on.
Sadly, I witnessed a great lack of compassion, a good deal of inappropriate staring, looks of embarrassment – when quite frankly the behaviour of some of these onlookers’ children was causing me much more concern!
To see people react in this way got my full attention. Their reactions were something I wish I could have videoed and played back to them as they were leaving.
What has society become?
I found the behaviour of these onlookers both sad and unacceptable. Worse still, what lesson is this teaching these onlookers children?
Kindness can be brief....but can last forever.
----------------------
The motorcycle community tends to have had a bit of bad publicity over the years.
Mention the word “bikers” and big, tough hairy tattooed types spring to mind... and that’s just the women!
But trust me here folks, here we have a community of amazing people that pull together and supports each other and their communities.
I have seen them raise tremendous amounts of money, donate gifts, toys and Easter eggs to hospitals for children who are unable to be at home to celebrate with their families.They continue to do so much good with very little praise or publicity.
And there are so many more things that they do.
On Monday 8th September, we saw another spectacular demonstration of the biking community coming together, escorting a very special and dearly loved lady on her last journey.
The bikers escorted the funeral in military fashion, unrehearsed but performed with compassion and an understanding that was heart warming. There were not many dry eyes behind those visors.
From Cook Rees Avenue Neath to Morriston Crematorium, I am very proud to have been involved in giving this wonderful lady such an emotional and heartfelt send off.
RIP Marlene Ann Balchin
----------
You can follow Phil Evans on Twitter @philevanswales
Comedian Phil Evans is from Ammanford. He is known as the man who puts the ‘cwtsh’ into comedy.
I’ve got no axe to grind this week. I had to send it to the ironmongers to be sharpened following a dispute with my next door neighbour.
I can’t give you any details at this stage, but he’s expected to make a full recovery and he will be able to play the piano when he comes out of hospital. Which is odd, because he couldn’t before he went in...
No, this week I’ve got a question to ask.
Is God starting his own all-star repertory company to take on an endless tour of the Heavens? Because they’re going down like ninepins. Shuffling off this mortal coil to join the choir invisible...in their droves.
I’m talking about famous performers.
Consider this list of recently deceased stars and tell me you remember a year when so many who deserved to be called ‘stars’ left us...
Lauren Bacall
James Garner
Bob Hoskins
Roger Lloyd-Pack
Rik Mayall
Kate O’Mara
Joan Rivers
Mickey Rooney
Elaine Stritch
Shirley Temple
Robin Williams
And we’ve recently lost two giants of the British film industry – Sir Richard Attenborough and Sir Donald Sinden.
They maintained their careers for more than 60 years and made their mark in many different areas of the business.
Sir Donald’s plummy, unmistakeable voice will be familiar to those who love TV sitcoms, from “Two’s A Crowd” to “Never The Twain”, while theatre lovers will know he was an outstanding Shakespearian actor and master of Restoration comedy.
One of the many tributes to him was from someone who met him at a village fete last year.
He said, “He spent the afternoon happily talking to everyone who came up to him - with a glass of red in his hand the entire time!”
‘Dickie’ Attenborough played a wide variety of characters, from the strongly principled family man who was sent to Coventry by his fellow factory workers in “The Angry Silence” to the evil murderer Christie in “Ten Rillington Place”.
And, of course, he was a accomplished director. “Gandhi” and “Chaplin” were just two of his successes.
When you compare them to the army of easily replaceable soap ‘stars’ who appear nightly on our TV screens – many of whom are never heard of again after they take their final taxi ride out of the Square or the Street – it beggars belief they’re in the same occupation as Donald and Dickie.
Then, last week, that gentle giant Richard Kiel, who played Jaws in “The Spy Who Loved Me” and “Moonraker” passed away. People who met him at autograph and memorabilia fairs report that he was a warm funny man who patiently talked to everyone who stopped by for a chat and a ‘photo.
I know some of the names I’ve mentioned were of a venerable age and mortality affects famous people as well as the rest of us.
But in respect of many of them, the saying ‘We shall not see their like again’ has never been truer.
So next time you see a famous old actor, actress or comedian on TV, don’t say “Oh no, not him/her again! I didn’t know they were still alive! ” because by the time you’ve said it, there’s a good chance they won’t be!
---------------------------------
Last week, I called into Pont Abraham Motorway Services (just off the M4 near Cross Hands) for a nice relaxing coffee and to write down a few thoughts for my future Evening Post columns.
The sun was shining, so I took my coffee outside, where I was joined by a fantastic group of disabled adults and their carers, also taking a well earned break in the sun.
The group were lively, talkative, entertaining and at times, very vocal (a lot like a Phil Evans show!).
For me, this was not an issue.
However, I observed how others around me were reacting to what was going on.
Sadly, I witnessed a great lack of compassion, a good deal of inappropriate staring, looks of embarrassment – when quite frankly the behaviour of some of these onlookers’ children was causing me much more concern!
To see people react in this way got my full attention. Their reactions were something I wish I could have videoed and played back to them as they were leaving.
What has society become?
I found the behaviour of these onlookers both sad and unacceptable. Worse still, what lesson is this teaching these onlookers children?
Kindness can be brief....but can last forever.
----------------------
The motorcycle community tends to have had a bit of bad publicity over the years.
Mention the word “bikers” and big, tough hairy tattooed types spring to mind... and that’s just the women!
But trust me here folks, here we have a community of amazing people that pull together and supports each other and their communities.
I have seen them raise tremendous amounts of money, donate gifts, toys and Easter eggs to hospitals for children who are unable to be at home to celebrate with their families.They continue to do so much good with very little praise or publicity.
And there are so many more things that they do.
On Monday 8th September, we saw another spectacular demonstration of the biking community coming together, escorting a very special and dearly loved lady on her last journey.
The bikers escorted the funeral in military fashion, unrehearsed but performed with compassion and an understanding that was heart warming. There were not many dry eyes behind those visors.
From Cook Rees Avenue Neath to Morriston Crematorium, I am very proud to have been involved in giving this wonderful lady such an emotional and heartfelt send off.
RIP Marlene Ann Balchin
----------
You can follow Phil Evans on Twitter @philevanswales
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