Friday, July 16, 2010

Davey, Jango, Spain, and "Spumonie"


Early 1970's: "Tony Spumonie" Murchland in performance. Inset Upper Right -- Salvador Dali (1904-1989) in Figueras, Spain

When I first met the Friends Roadshow at the International Mime Festival in 1974, their letterhead listed companies in London, Paris, Amsterdam, and the USA. Jango told me a story of how their patron Salvador Dali (who was enamoured of the Art of Theatre at the time) saw them in Paris -- he was particularly impressed by the act where a man (Tony Murchland) blew Can Can slowly on the harmonica, then played faster, and faster, and faster -- until his very tall top hat exploded at the climax of the number.

Thanks to Davey Norkett, I was able to acquire a couple of photos of this legendary act. (At least it was legendary to ME!)
Jango also stepped up to add some names to the International Friends Roadshow satellite page, and I'll probably introduce myself to "Mr. Spumonie" soon via the internet -- I only saw him ONCE, performing in Michael Spaghetti's Circus at the first Festival of Fools in 1975, when there were Friends Roadshows in both Europe and Amerika. Somehow, it seems appropriate that he was the person who found and disarmed THE BOMB!

Davey called me on the phone earlier today, and said that he and a bunch of A'Dam Theatre veterans gathered together to see Footsbarn's Sorry, That's Life at Theater Carre last Wednesday, and they'll be socializing early next week -- GOOD TIMES!