Sir, – At the age of seven, I went to the Christmas pantomime with my local Brownie pack.
Brendan Grace had the lead role, and halfway through, I was called up on stage to sing a song with him.
Brendan asked me what my name was, but just his hilarious tone and the look of pure devilment in his eyes was too much for seven-year-old me, so a massive fit of giggles ensued and continued for the next five minutes.
When I finally pulled myself together, he proceeded to ask me if I had forgotten my name. Sure this was too much for my seven-year-old self to handle, and fit of giggles started again, and got worse and worse. All the while he kept a straight face, but his eyes were laughing. What a true professional.
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The finale of my big moment on stage with Brendan Grace, was me wearing his panto hat on my head, singing the chorus of the Laughing Policeman together.
What a wonderful memory to have. – Yours, etc,
MELANIE HUNTER,
Windgates,
Greystones,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, – As so many of us take a moment to reflect on some of our own personal memories of Brendan Grace, it is interesting to note that you could watch Brendan in the company of your 10-year-old child and your granny and not be embarrassed with either of them. Brendan was hilarious, and as I heard one of his friends say yesterday, in a television report, it was hard to look at Brendan and not smile.
Brendan’s comedy didn’t depend on being vulgar, or indecent, or crude. He could relate the ordinary in such a way that you would find yourself crying with deep, genuine, laughter. Many of today’s comedians could learn a lot from Brendan. May he rest in peace. – Yours, etc,
T GERARD BENNETT,
Bunbrosna,
Co Westmeath.