Yorkshire actor learns role parrot fashion
Actor Peter Rylands had a feather in his cap (and more than a few on his shoulder), after he was introduced to Jackie, a 30-year-old African grey parrot, who was helping him get the sounds and movements right for an upcoming part in Harrogate Theatre’s production of Second From Last In The Sack Race.
Dateline: March 1988: Theatre-goer Tony Curry, then 42, a technical manager, from Starbeck, Harrogate, responded to an appeal in the YEP for someone with a parrot and offered to loan Jackie to Peter, 45. Tony said: “Jackie says things like, ‘I want chip, please’ and he sings Sally Pride Of Our Alley and I Was Born Under A Wandering Star. The play focused on the life of Yorkshireman Henry Pratt, based on a book by David Nobbs, author of The Fall And Rise of Reginald Perrin.