My Heart Is Bleeding by Tudor Johnny

Author:Tudor, Johnny
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780750982924
Publisher: The History Press

I’ll never forget being part of that fantastic occasion; the whole day is indelibly etched on my memory. That afternoon the stage was packed with musicians, backing singers and supporting artists waiting to rehearse. Johnny Gray, a saxophonist and sought-after session musician, augmented the thirty-piece orchestra and backed Dorothy on her version of ‘My Way’, Simon Oates and Pete Murray were there to link the show and my old mate Stan Stennett was there to provide the comedy. While I waited my turn to rehearse, I watched Dorothy, sitting on a stool, in headscarf and dark glasses while Nicky Welch took her through her new musical arrangements, and marvelled at the enormity of what she was about to achieve.

After she’d finished doing her band call she told me I would be closing the first half of the show. I thanked her for giving me the chance to perform on that iconic stage; after all this was the Palladium, the most famous theatre in the world. She told me that she was being offered £500 a time by agents to put their artist on the bill, just so they could then say that their artists had played the Palladium. ‘I wouldn’t do it,’ she said, ‘I’m doing it for you for what your father did for me. But be under no illusion, John. I wouldn’t put you on if you were no fucking good.’ Then she kissed me, told me to break a leg and quipped, ‘but not when you’re tap dancing.’

I’d fallen foul of the Lord Chamberlain at rehearsals; as soon as I started to tap dance, Ted Gollup, who was stage managing, ran onto the stage yelling, ‘you can’t do that.’ In those days there was a ridiculous rule for-bidding anyone to dance in any theatre on a Sunday. I knew this but thought I could get away with it. Dot had a word with Ted. I don’t know what she said but Ted turned a blind eye to my indiscretion and I was allowed to include the tap routine in my act. The time of the curtain arrived. I stood nervously in the wings waiting to go on. The orchestra stuck up my intro and I made my entrance. The atmosphere was fantastic. The audience was very receptive and I finished my spot to warm applause but I was under no illusion, they were all really waiting for Dorothy. When I went to Dot’s dressing room to wish her luck there was a crisis going on; Dorothy, dressed only in her bra and knickers, was pacing up and down screaming blue murder – Douggie Darnell hadn’t arrived with her new gown for the performance and she was refusing to go on without it. Hilda Brown, Dot’s secretary, was trying to persuade her to wear another dress but she wasn’t having any of it. ‘It’s bad luck,’ she screamed, ‘I’ll fucking kill him.’ Hilda told her that she would have to wear another dress; they couldn’t hold the curtain any longer.

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