Her dream was to play in Music Hall. Her introduction to music hall was as a singer and a dancer.  met her first husband at this point in her life – Brian, a man who was not himself “in the business”. Vic toured all over England and even did shows in America. Unfortunately, Brian contracted TB, a disease that was rampant at this time and died at a young age – despite Vic’s best efforts. She nursed him through his final years. 

Wishing to change direction, Vic met Lena Lewis and they went into partnership – “Bazarring” – running monster raffles. Lena was the business woman and Vic took care of the “spiel”. They travelled extensively even visiting places as distant as the Shetland Islands – no mean feat in those early days back then, it was easier to get to America. At this time she met and married Peter Piper, who was a well-known musical hall artiste. He had toured with Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel in Fred Karrno’s “Mumming Birds” sketch company. Peter’s speciality was marionettes but he also played piano and a variety of instruments including sleigh-bells – which were played by being mounted onto a frame where they were then struck with a couple of mallets. He also had a “novelty aero plane” act, this being so unique that it is difficult to describe! Vic met Mae Mack – who was to become a lifelong friend in Bray, County Wicklow in 1926 whilst doing the Bazarring, at a time when she had decided to change direction once more. She engaged a chorus line and some musicians and took them on tour to England. The dancers were scantily-clad young females, all of whom had blonde hair (a trademark of theirs). They toured England, Wales and Scotland under the name of Peter Piper’s Palladiums. Peter wrote the scripts and the songs, while Vic did the choreography, production and making costumes. Meanwhile, Vic, now in her thirties, gave birth to a boy (named Brian in honour of her first husband) at 29 Duke Street, Brosely in the county of Salop, England. Young Brian was introduced to the stage at a very early age. However, because of the strict laws governing child performers, his parents added a couple of years to his age and said...”He is small for his age…”!! The Music Hall was like one big family and amongst her great friends in the business were Ella Shields, Little Tich, Gertie Gitana and the great Vesta Tilley. Vesta gave Vic one of her famous top hats – complete with leather hatbox – which Vic would later use in her own “male impersonation” act. She was billed as “Ireland’s Vesta Tilley”, wearing a beautifully tailored frock coat – trousers with a knife crease, a starched shirt, carefully polished shoes, a silver-topped cane – and that hat. She would enthrall the audience singing “Burlington Bertie” with all the aplomb that was unique characterization and a voice that could “Hit off the back wall…” The young Brian now began to learn the tricks of the trade. His father taught him a variety of musical instruments and from his mother he learnt the arts of dancing and acting. Through other performers, he was coached in conjuring – juggling and acrobatics. Vic had previously broken her leg during a particularly bad strenuous dance routine where she landed badly. From then on she stuck to choreographing the more acrobatic dance routines! In the 1930s Vic and Peter decided it was time to come back to Ireland with a bigger, costumed show and that is exactly what they did – with the very first chorus line in Ireland. Brian’s full name being Brian Walter Harold Compton (after the writer) Jackson. Salop is in Shrewsbury, England.

Untapped audiences appealed to them, and like so many artistes they joined forces with another company – Harry Lynton. For the summer season, Vic needed a large tent - or booth as it is known in the business. The tent had to be large enough to accommodate her productions including what was the first “chorus line” seen in Ireland, a small orchestra, and various variety acts. As Harry had been running the Hippodrome Circus, his tent was a good choice. Although this was “strait-laced” Ireland Vic and Peter were unconcerned about what the clergy thought of the “scantily-clad” dancers. Vic Loving’s Flash Parade was a good show and they knew it! What’s more, the audiences knew it too!! It appears that Peter Piper went back “over the water” as a programme for the “Empress Playhouse” shows in Glasgow – “Kay and his aero plane” – the date was the eleventh of March, 1935. There must have been a lot of travelling back and forth with Peter doing his shows in Britain, and Vic running Flash Parade in Ireland. As in England, show people in Ireland were like family – a big family which included the Circus folk. As a youngster of 13 years of age or so, the young Brian followed in the “family tradition” by occasionally performing a horse riding act with Duffy’s Circus. He would do the matinees and afterwards perform in Vic’s variety and Drama show at night. This made him a very proficient horseman, so much so that he went to train as a jockey in Cloyne, County Cork…..but the very early mornings didn’t suit!! During the war years Brian recalled being “somewhere up North” when the air-raid sirens went off and every light went out – as they were playing in the booth when the sirens sounded they would have made a pretty easy target. There is no mention if the show went on after the “all clear” but it is presumed that it did as entertainment was scarce during that awful time…. Another bizarre consequence of the war was the lack of leg make-up!! Never mind the rationing of sugar – tea and other foodstuffs…but for the ladies of the chorus line…a short supply of leg make-up was next door to traumatic!! This was before tights…and as stockings were also hard to come by, this was an issue of considerable importance to the leggy lovelies…!! Also for many years, the only two places to buy greasepaint were Dublin and Godwins of Kilkenny, since nowhere else stocked it.

On a sadder note, Vic’s adopted daughter Dot was killed in the London Blitz, she having joined the WRVS – Women’s Royal Voluntary Service.4 Vic had a very flamboyant nature, both in dress and demeanor. She loved fur coats, rich colours in her clothes; diamond jewellery and pearls were the norm for her!! Of course, her flamboyance also extended to her living accommodation. She had two wagons (caravans). One was for “living” in, whilst the other known as the “White Caravan” was used for entertaining guests. It got its name because everything in it was white; carpets, curtains, upholstery and even the tea service!! This is the caravan she would bring her visitors; no doubt to swap stories about others in the business, and the trials and tribulations of touring in Ireland… Vic also had two little dogs which she treated like children! – Twinky and Judy. One was a toy terrier, the other a Yorkie, both of whom accompanied their mistress everywhere!! They would wear bows in their hair to match whatever Vic was wearing that particular day. Fortunately, the only place which they were not allowed near was the stage, as the actors were in danger of having their ankles gnawed off!! This would certainly have disrupted the whole proceedings, and the only person allowed to do that was her son Brian! Vic was one of those eccentric showbiz characters! – to say the least…and she needed to be…!! Being superstitious helped her eccentricity. No whistling in the dressing room…No washing costumes…No real flowers on stage…No cleaning the drum kit before the show…!! She didn’t like the colour green although many of the original costumes were of varying shades of green. These were the costumes and props she bought from auctions at the “big houses” all over Ireland. She had a huge stock of the WRVS (formerly the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service, known until 1956 as the Women's Voluntary Service) was a voluntary organization whose remit is to help people who are in need throughout Britain. It was initially titled the WVS and founded in 1938 by Stella Isaacs, the Marchioness of Reading. Its initial function was as a British women’s organisation which aimed to aid civilians during wartime. As a voluntary organisation, the WVS did not have a compulsory uniform and many WVS members who may not have been able to afford the uniform went about their work wearing a simple WVS badge on their lapels. The work of the WVS covered a very broad spectrum but one of its primary duties involved the organisation of first aid courses in the cities that were thought to be likely targets for German army bombers missions during World War II.

The frocks, uniforms, shoes, hats – as well as the costumes she made for the dance routines. Through years of travelling around Ireland Vic had her fair share of altercations with local clergy and once in Cappamore, County Limerick, she was denounced from the pulpit with the words – “that show should be called Flesh Parade – with the amount of skin on show”. The priest then went on to tell the good people of the parish not to go to the show. They responded to this by packing the hall each night thereafter but even Vic had her limits. When a group of local young fellas fused the lights in the hall she left and never did another ‘date’ there again….. Another time in Mill Street, County Cork, the priest boarded up the door of the hall. After getting one of the men to remove the boards and let the audience in, Vic followed the priest up the street and told him in no uncertain terms what she thought of his way of doing business! She had to stand her ground on many occasions. When you take into consideration that Vic was a woman who ran her own company in the Ireland of those years – it was not an easy task!! There was another particular occasion when she would not let someone get the better of her. The show was preparing to leave and the local policeman decided to be very officious - without result! The company was taking down the booth and the Guard approached Vic in connection with an “untaxed vehicle”. This car had recently been shipped over from England by Vic, and was being towed, rather than being driven, as Dublin was the place where cars were taxed. The Guard would hear no explanation and told her that the car was staying put…and that was that”. Vic then called over two of the tilt (tent) men and told them to break up the car with the words. “If I’m not having it – neither are you…” She departed that village and never appeared with her show there again...!! Up to then, Brian had been using the name “the Chicago Kid” for his performances. His father had died on Saint Patrick’s Day, 1942, when Brian was sixteen and was buried in Lismore, County Waterford. Vic had many friends there including Lady Cavendish otherwise known as Adele Astaire – sister of the world-renowned Fred. It was she who christened the young Brian – “the Pocket Fred Astaire” – as he did a “top hat and tails act” which emulated the fabulous Fred…

Peter Piper’s gravestone bears an inscription of musical notes and the words “just a song at twilight”. Brian now took his father’s stage name – Piper. In time, Vic decided to have a tent specially designed to mirror a real theatre for her shows. It was custom-built in a rectangular shape rather than the usual circular style. A lorry which held chairs, props and costumes by day, was magically transformed by night; when it became a draught-free sound proof dressing room. Having her own tent gave Vic the freedom to get a tóber (field) anywhere for her shows. It would have been used only the summer months and since for obvious and practical reasons the halls were always used during the winter. Many of these halls were not luxurious by any means – but that’s another story!! Brian was now becoming the lynchpin of the show and once again he changed his name; this time to the name that everyone would remember him by – Chic Kay!! Following in the footsteps of other great comics associated with Flash Parade – he was to become the comedian of the company, taking over from Dan Mooney. As the “write ups” from this era show, Chic was popular with both young and old alike, being one of the group of comics who did not do “blue gags”. He went on to become one of Ireland’s best-known comedians, and like a lot of showmen he was multitalented. Of course, Chic was like so many of the eligible – and not so eligible – young men who were in the business, the girls fancied him like mad. Even the dancers in the company were smitten, but Vic had her girls chaperoned – “no dalliances allowed”!! One of the conversations I had with a “fan” of the show that used to live in Bruree, County Limerick described how her friend used to practically camp outside Chic’s wagon in the hope of getting a glimpse of her “idol”…young innocent days…!! Chic was a real practical joker. Having a photographic memory, he knew the lines of the plays before anyone did, so that gave him plenty of time to play pranks during rehearsals. When this became too much for the rest of the cast...mayhem ensued…and they “corpsed” (dried up). That was Vic’s cue to “fire” the whole company!! That was pretty much the norm…Chic messing and Vic declaring “the show is closed” and making a dramatic stage night – It was then left to Frank Macari to talk her around and to finish rehearsal. Chic took every opportunity to wind everyone up…and Vic always took the bait!!

Chic also loved “gadgets” and the latest in “special effects” fascinated him. One story relates to when he was using “squibs” – small explosive devices – in a production of “The Informer”. There were people from another company in the audience that night and they were really taken with this effect – so much so that they asked Chic for a couple of these squibs. He handed them over - with strict instructions to put them into a safe receptacle! Some time later, when that company set off the devices during a dramatic scene – the audience found themselves covered in a blanket of fine white dust and chippings…The “safe” receptacle had turned out to be a “toilet” at the side of the stage…!! Another story concerns the “summer season” which was so good it went into the autumn…The show was still in the booth, and each evening it got progressively colder. Vic decided to put on a “Hawaiian” scene; all the dancers dressed in grass skirts with flowered leis (Hawaiian garlands) but shivering and turning blue with frozen smiles! As they were doing a “hula”, on walked Chic togged out in an oversized coat, scarf, hat, boots and gloves. At this juncture not only did the dancers collapse into helpless laughter, but so did the audience – who thought it part of the act! Even Vic could not suppress a smile whilst, at the same time, admonishing Chic for “acting the sod”!! Another “dancers” story concerns two girls who joined Flash Parade and were supposed to be expert in the art of dance. They were being choreographed in some of the steps for a particularly intricate piece when they declared that “they knew it all”…!! On went the show to the dismay of Vic, but also the chorus line that went the wrong way in the middle of a twirl! The entire line was knocked flat on their bums, to the laughter and thunderous applause of the audience…Vic was not amused!! Chic was a “handsome devil” as the photos show. He had an easy charm got on with both men and women alike. He was very much the “devilmay-care, footloose-and-fancy-free kind of character. Cosseted all his life, and private tutors for his schooling. Although it does appear he occasionally attended some schools, as the school attendance act form (from Ramelton, County Donegal, dated 1938, when Chic was aged twelve) will testify - the bulk of his learning came from “the school of life”… He was the apple of his mother’s eye and she doted on him. He could do no wrong…and any woman that did lay claim to him would have her hands full…!! Eventually someone did take Chic on… Nancy Hoey grew up in and around Dublin city. From an early age she developed a love of the theatre from her father John, who often brought her to performances at the Queen’s Theatre. She attended dancing school, and along with her best friend Peggy Keogh, she performed regularly – singing and dancing their way through many of the school’s productions – the bug had bitten!! So much so that the teenage Nancy went off to Gerry Broadbin’s Happydrome Parade in 1944…in Ennis, County Clare. In her own words – “Newmarket, County Cork. I’d heard of the Chicago Kid and Vic Loving and their terrific show. The girls, the glamour, the costumes, lights and scenery, trucks and cars, (Gerry Broadbin’s company travelled by train) and the luxurious caravans…Everybody but everybody was suitably impressed…” Reg Dale, a musician, on Broadbin’s Show brought herself and some of the cast to see Peter Piper’s grave in Lismore, County Waterford. She didn’t realize it then but she would “marry the son of this man and become the daughter-in-law of the famous Vic Loving”. Nancy’s words again “My first sighting of the Chicago Kid was when he strolled into the hall, dressed in a Burberry Mac, a well-cut suit and twotone shoes. His hat tilted to the back of his head. To me, he was straight out of Hollywood. In retrospect, he was like a character out of a movie. Later, I discovered he was a dynamic performer. I’d not seen someone so talented, but he seemed so unaware of it. To him, it was all simply a job, the family business, a bit of a chore to him. He really wanted to be a jockey…” Nancy Hoey joined Vic Loving’s company as a singer and dancer, but Vic had other ideas. Thrown in at the deep end, Nancy’s first appearance in a play was that of an elderly woman. Her next part was Katie Fox in the “The Informer”. Nancy was just sixteen years old at the time…In the touring shows everyone was expected to be an all-rounder – and most were!! Peggy Keogh then joined the show. She and Nancy both loved the travelling. The glamour of life “on the road”! Getting their own digs (accommodation)! The boys! Vic’s policy of “chaperoning” as undertaken by the older girls, meant that no chances were taken on the courting front! When you consider that some of the female performers, some of them still quite young – had travelled over from England to join the show – then Vic had to be careful… One of the young girls who joined Vic’s show was Mary Rowe from Bruff, County Limerick. She had an amazing voice which she’d used as a youngster to entertain the other children in Bruff. She would change costumes and put on a show starring…herself! She loved show business so much she got herself onto Flash Parade. Vic knew talent when she saw it and Mary could do wicked impersonations of Vic herself – performing her “male act”. Mary has put what she has learned in her days of touring to great effect and has gone on to act on many an illustrious stage – winning awards in drama festivals and appearing on television and in a variety of film roles. Chic and Nancy Hoey started to “date” but as often as not they would be (chaperoned) accompanied on these dates by the cast of the show. Around Christmas-time Chic worked in the Capitol in Princes Street. In Nancy’s own words “During his holidays from (his mother’s) Vic Loving’s show, Miss Loving, Peggy Keogh, Fred Macari, Billy Seymour and I all want to see the production in which Seán Mooney and Mick Eustace were in the cast of this Christmas show along with the dancers known as the Capitol Girls. Everyone enjoyed the show but Vic was furious as Brian had worn ….red socks!" One story told by the late Sonny Coll – from Bruree – describes a group of the performers heading off to the cinema in Kilmallock, County Limerick. Just as they were about to enter the cinema, Vic and her manager Frank Macari came tearing up the street in a car, the tyres screeching. On being ordered to – “get back to the show” – the group climbed back into the Chic’s car fairly miffed at having missed the film! Vic’s rules had to be adhered to and that was the beginning and the end of it. And there was definitely “no going out with men” – not even if that man happened to be Vic’s own son...! The rules were applied in the same way to everybody in that touring company, irrespective of who they were…Eventually, Chic and Nancy did get married – and had two children, both of whom also went into the business (weekends only), thereby following in the footsteps of their parents, grandparents and the generations before them again. Vivienne Victoria (Moi) and my brother “wee Kenneth” (as he was affectionately known) did parts in plays and duplicated our folks “double act”, singing harmonies to guitar accompaniment.

Not only was Frank Macari Vic’s manager, but they also lived together (years before it became fashionable to do so). He, too, was highly talented and became Chic’s “straight man” in comedy routines and sketches. He also played roles in a number of the plays. He is best remembered in his role as a distinctly nasty “piece of work” playing a Black and Tan5 in “The Informer”. He was even hissed at in the street in one village! He was best known for his wizardry on the “electric piano accordion” and was the first to bring that instrument into the country. Frank was also our godfather, and him being an Italian was the source of much mirth… Vic Loving brought colour and gaiety to the Irish Travelling shows with a cornucopia of costumed revues, pantos, scenas, variety and drama. She was always trying out new ideas including special effects such as “black lighting” (ultraviolet). As the first show in Ireland to do so, she put this new technique to good use in a dance routine called the “dancing skeletons”, which mesmerized audiences in many counties. She insisted on authenticity for all of her productions, having gleaned props and costumes – some of which survive today – from the “Big House”6 auctions throughout the country. It is reported that Vic toured with a total stock of two thousand costumes, costumes whose style ranged from the Victorian period to the 1950s. This included the chorus line costumes she designed and made herself. Vic was known as the “Sequin Queen” because of the sparkle and shimmer they presented to countless audiences. Having so many changes of costume meant she could make a whole show look completely different every night from variety right through to drama. Hers was one of the only travelling shows that supplied costumes to all of its players. In my collection, I have costumes which bear the names of the various girls inked into the bodices. These costumes were handed on to each girl who replaced a previous dancer…Vic’s show was the last company to play Hartigan’s Hall in Castleconnell, County Limerick – a fact which she was very proud of.

A member of a paramilitary force recruited in Britain and sent to Ireland as part of the Royal Irish Constabulary to suppress the Sinn Fein rebellion of 1919 to 1921. Although it was established to target the Irish Republican Army, it became notorious through its numerous attacks on the Irish civilian population. Together with the Auxiliary Division of the RIC (the ‘Auxies’), they acquired a reputation for ferocity and indiscipline. The “Big House” is a euphemism for the large houses situated on landed estates that are/were owned by the Anglo-Irish gentry.

Vic finally closed the show in Croom, County Limerick, where she had parked her wagon and one of her trucks in Halpins Field. She and Frank Macari stayed there until they moved to Drogheda, County Louth. They both continued to entertain, doing “spots” at various venues, cabarets, and shows. They then moved to Shankill, County Dublin. Frank, not being married to Vic went to London one weekend and got hitched…to a woman he had met at Ballroom Dancing classes. Vic ended her days in the Jewish Nursing Home in Dublin but not before quoting in a newspaper article – “Old troopers don’t die, they just fade away”. Vic died in 1974 and is buried in the Jewish Cemetery in Dolphin’s Barn, Dublin. Chic died in 1987 and is buried in Shanganagh Cemetery, Shankill, Co. Dublin. Nancy died in 2007 and is buried beside Chic. Their gravestone designed by me represents all the facets of their combined talents…Chic’s guitar – Nancy’s tap shoes – Comedy and theatrical masks engraved on black marble. As we don’t do “big” funerals in our family – I wanted to mark their passing with something a little unusual for their headstone…!!