Some forty years ago Redditch-born brothers, Dave and Al Sealey, stumbled across a collection of long-forgotten songs from the great days of the British Music Hall. Calling themselves, Cosmotheka, the name of an old Hall in 1890’s Paddington, they set about re-introducing these wonderful comedy masterpieces to an unsuspecting folk scene of the 1970’s. With their help, the songs of Music Hall giants like Harry Champion, Gus Elen and Billy Williams, enjoyed a new lease of life.
Their act took them all over the world, from Port Stanley Town Hall to the deserts of Oman; from Hong Kong breakfast television to the Rocky Mountains. They made countless radio recordings (no less than six national Radio 2 series) and their numerous television appearances included, ‘Roy Hudd’s Halls of Fame’, ‘The Bob Monkhouse Show’, ‘Chas and Dave’s Christmas Knees Up’ and ‘The Good Old Days’.
Since the sad loss of his brother Al in 1999, Dave has developed two highly successful one-man shows, the latest of which is ‘The Cheeky Chappie’, a tribute to the great Max Miller. He’s also joining forces with his son, Dan, to recreate some of the old Music Hall mayhem for which Cosmotheka was so famous.
Dan Sealey, having grown up with the songs, has his own take on the material. An accomplished professional musician, as bass player with an internationally famous band, he is no stranger to the big stage. His guitar skills and dry wit introduce a compelling new dimension to the collaboration.
As initiator of the new venture Dan is determined to drag his crusty, ancient, musical relic of a father shouting and bawling into the twenty-first century.
So far, he’s winning hands down. What on earth would Harry Champion say?