SINGING THE POSTMAN Coming to Norwich's Guildhall

By: Oct. 26, 2015
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Although born in Bury Lancashire, and later living in Lincolnshire and Grimsby, Allan Smethurst, the Singing Postman will be forever associated with his adopted home of Norfolk. He lived in Sheringham and Stiffkey, first coming to the county at the age of 2.

His life and songs will be celebrated in a play called Singing The Postman by theatre company Crude Apache that will tour the county before a 3 day run at Norwich's Guildhall.

Singing The Postman is a poignant musical comedy drama. Rather than a straightforward biography it tells the tale of three Singing Postmen tribute acts, Billy, Terence and Geoff. By chance they meet in a pub one rainy night on their way to a Singing Postman Birthday Memorial Show in Framlington. Stranded by the bad weather and floods they are forced into each other's company and start to discuss their fascination with - and different takes on - this most singular of singer/songwriters.

Allan Smethurst was born in 1927, spent most of his formative years in Norfolk and loved the county. He was living in Yorkshire, working as a postman and homesick for the county when he began to write songs in a Norfolk dialect. These were comic, yet closely observed, songs about rural life. The subject matter ranged from the village cricket match and the ladies darts team to mass-produced food (Oi Can't Git A Noice Loaf).
The songs came to the attention of various BBC Radio programmes including Women's Hour, Today and crucially a Norfolk based BBC presenter called Ralph Tuck who was keen to promote Smethurst and first dubbed him The Singing Postman.

Unable to secure record company interest Tuck decided to use his own money to record and press a 7" extended play vinyl record. This sold more than 10,000 copies in four months. At the time the EDP announced that the Singing Postman was outselling the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in Norfolk's record shops. In 1965 he shot to national fame with 'Hev Yew Gotta Loight Boy?' sung in his distinctive Norfolk dialect with guitar accompaniment.

His new success shot him into the spotlight, leading to many television appearances, including Top of the Pops. He was signed to Parlophone Records, home to The Beatles, and seemed set for a lucrative career.
He gave up his post round to concentrate on a musical career but found it hard to cope with the transition from the recording studio to live performances. Appearing at the Windmill Theatre in Gt Yarmouth for the summer season he turned increasingly to the bottle for Dutch courage and had to bow out of the show when he ended up in hospital, reportedly with heart problems.

The Singing Postman went on to record many more songs, his own and other people's, but a combination of stage fright, heavy drinking and arthritis which hampered his guitar playing put an end to live performances.
Allan Smethurst died in Grimsby in 2000 aged 73, having spent the last twenty years of his life in the town's Salvation Army Hostel.

Singing The Postman is written by Crude Apache founder member Jo Edye and directed by Tim Lane. Jo commented 'I think we have managed to pay a tribute to Allan while also telling the stories of three very different people, all linked in some way to Allan's life. I hope the audience will get to find out more about him as seen through the eyes of the characters and they'll also get to hear seven of his song.

Singing the Postman is a must see for any fans of Alan Smethurst, and an insight into his songs and life for those less familiar with this most unusual of songwriters.

Crude Apache presents Singing The PostmanPoignant musical comedy drama about Norfolk legend Allan Smethurst, aka the Singing Postman. Three tribute acts meet by chance, are forced into each other's company and discuss their fascination with - and different takes on - this most singular of singer/songwriters.Thursday 5th - Saturday 7th November The Guildhall, Norwich http://singingthepostman.eventbrite.co.ukPerformances start at 8pm except Saturday 7th Nov 9pm



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