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.
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.