EDINBURGH: Scotland (The Evening News), December 24, 2004:
HE has lived through two world wars and been a crimefighter in some of Britain’s seediest back streets.
But Alex Wilkie’s life has become arresting for a different reason - he’s Edinburgh’s oldest comedian, at the age of 95.
The former Metropolitan Police sergeant from Currie has built up a reputation as a sought-after stand-up at party nights across the city.
His latest gig saw him don the dog collar of Rikki Fulton’s Reverend IM Jolly to perform in front of more than 100 people at his 95th birthday party at Currie Bowling Club, where he is honorary president.
The widower revels in black humour, a style he honed in the mean streets of London where, as a police warrant officer, he worked in Soho fighting the "pimps, ponces and prostitutes".
And Mr Wilkie, who has a daughter, Jennifer and two grandchildren, Debbie and Paul, says despite his age he has no plans to give up the gags just yet.
He has already been booked to perform at two Burns Suppers in January and is even being courted for open mike nights at the Stand Comedy Club.
Club owner Tommy Shepherd said: "I’d certainly look forward to seeing him at one of our Red Raw nights. If he wants to give us a call, we’ll give him a spot."
But Mr Wilkie said: "I’d never get up at the Stand Comedy Club - I think I’m too far gone for that now, but I still enjoy doing it.
"It’s hard work though, because I still lead a busy life, but I’ll keep doing it until I can’t.
Newington-born Mr Wilkie’s first gig was 30 years ago at a city bowling club.
With the wind in his sails, he went from strength to strength and has been booked for after-dinner speaking, prize-givings and charity bashes at least six times a year ever since.
"When people laugh it’s great, when they don’t it’s bloody awful and I’ve ‘died’ a few times up there," he said.
"My stand-up show on my birthday at Currie Bowling Club was a great night, I had a captive audience, but everybody was fantastic and everyone’s still talking about it.
"I like to think I can be funny, but it’s hard to say until people laugh. I’m not the kind of person to force myself on people.
"I don’t tell jokes all day long. I like to change my routine every time as well, it’s better that way."
No comments:
Post a Comment