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My Old Man
- A Personal History of Music Hall
- Narrated by: Sir John Major, Roy Hudd
- Length: 13 hrs and 40 mins
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My Old Man
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Summary
Former prime minister John Major takes a remarkable journey into his own unconventional family past to tell the richly colourful story of the British music hall
Music hall was one of the glories of Victorian England. Sentimental, vulgar, class-conscious, but always patriotic and on the side of the underdog, it held a mirror to the audiences’ hopes and fears, and sometimes the general absurdity of life.
Vast, smoke-filled auditoriums were packed night after night in nearly every town and city in Britain. The most popular performers, such as Marie Lloyd, Vesta Tilley and George Robey, were among the highest paid and most celebrated figures in the land.
This was the world that John Major’s father Tom entered at the age of 21 as a comedian and singer. In My Old Man, the former prime minister uses his father’s story as a springboard for telling the entertaining history of the music hall, from its origins in Elizabethan times through to its heyday in the nineteenth century and eventual decline with the rise of radio and cinema in the twentieth century.
Packed with colourful anecdotes about the great performers of the day, this warm-hearted history conjures up a lost age.
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Critic reviews
‘An uncommon book about one of the most extraordinary, vital and creative chapters in British theatrical history admiration … Major also nobly honours his parents and the life they lived. The affection is palpable and anything but pious. In short, he gets it’ Simon Callow, Guardian
‘Affectionate, charming and unexpectedly lively … Major paints a vivid picture … to read this richly enjoyable book is to be given a glimpse into a lost world’ Mail on Sunday
‘Entertaining and well-paced … My Old Man is a powerful and affecting tribute’ Daily Express
‘His deep affection for his parents inspires his finest writing…fascinating … My Old Man is an entertaining and intriguing potted history, full of quirky details about this quintessentially English phenomenon’ Independent
‘Entertaining, fascinating and written with love….the admiration that John feels for his father is palpable on every page’ Sunday Express
What listeners say about My Old Man
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 11-08-24
A detailed and throughly history told well with a dash of personal history
John Major’s history of music hall entertainment is thorough and well-organised, gliding through key personalities, styles, tastes, developments, and moments so each is easily digested. It has just two chapters linked to his familial ties to music hall, which is less than I expected from a book titled ‘My Old Man’, but Roy Hudd is also an entertaining reader who injects personality for quotes and comedic moments. Recommended.
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