entertainmentgeelong.com
Shirley Power & Colin Mockett
Shirley Power & Colin Mockett
Geelong-based duo combining fine music with good humour.
Shirley
provides the music, Colin the humour.
Shirley
Power is a musician and singer of
traditional songs with the voice of an angel. She possesses a pure, clear
singing voice as distinctive as her trademark autoharp. (That's Shirley with
her autoharp on the right) Shirley is as
at home singing in the 1,400-seat Costa Hall backed by the Geelong
Philharmonic Orchestra as she is accompanying herself at festivals, in folk clubs or
acoustic venues. She has a phenomenal repertoire of traditional and vintage
songs, she’s as comfortable singing
the words of Robert Burns
or John Lennon, Henry
Lawson or Edith Piaf, Bob Dylan or Eartha Kitt... She regularly sings with
the Geelong Authentic Old Time Music Hall, (as saucy Fifi La Bonk, left) with the Geelong Scratch Band Geelong's
Mamas & Papas group (below, right) or solo in concert.
But she is much more
frequently seen in partnership with Colin, presenting two-person shows that mix
information with great songs. Their subjects range from the story of Geelong -
presented as a potted musical history backed by powerpoint images for conventions or community groups - to
musical biographies of Robert Burns, Thomas Moore - or Celtic comedians. But
their most popular presentation is simply Shirley and Colin, Humour and Fine
Music. Shirley plays
guitar, Appalachian Dulcimer and keyboard as well as her autoharp. A former
nurse, she is an experienced and accomplished musical therapist. She has recorded three
albums, one on vinyl, two on CD. Find details
of these on the shop page, and all the presentations on the Drop Of A
Hat page.
Colin
Mockett provides the duo's humour and writes the
shows and presentations. He's a researcher,
historian, critic, actor, stand-up comedian, compere, entertainer, raconteur,
editor, publisher and producer. He’s a literary journeyman with a swag of awards as well
as a sharp sense of humour and a penchant for witty poetry.
Colin created The Englishman,
Irishman and Scotsman live joke-session series - he played The Englishman - and
he's one of Geelong's Grumpy Old Men (left) who provide cutting
21st Century live comedy. He's a
sought-after compere for big occasions and an accomplished off-the-cuff actor
providing surprise 'guests' at conventions and occasions.
on call for different
occasions. These include
Geelong's founder Capt Foster Fyans, 1920s Mayor Howard Hitchcock, Thomas
Wills, the man who started Australian Rules Football, (right) and Geelong
Botanical Garden's first curator Daniel Bunce. Colin's Captain Fyans (left) and Mayor Howard Hitchcock lead different, happy historical
walking tours through Geelong's historic precincts. Colin has
published two joke books and edited four books of Geelong senior citizens
memories collected during past Seniors Festivals. They're all available on the
Shop page, while details of the guided walks are on the Drop Of A Hat
page.
Shirley and Colin married in 1990, and their partnership – she with the voice of an angel and he with a devilish sense of humour - has enhanced each of their careers - as well as Geelong’s entertainment scene.
In Geelong, they're best known for their Drop Of A Hat shows, tours, concerts and big occasions.
At festivals throughout Australia, they're simply known as the couple who provide fine music and great humour with a highly professional gloss.
To Contact Shirley or Colin
ph (03) 5278 3768