By Luke Voogt
British children’s performer Mister Maker will bring his crafty ways to Geelong when he performs at Costa Hall next Saturday.
The performance will be the first time in the city for Mister Maker, also known as Phil Galagher, as he tours Australia for the fourth time.
“It’s really exciting,” he told the Indy from Brisbane this week.
“We’re getting to go to some new places like Frankston and Geelong.”
Galagher has travelled the world following the show’s UK success, filming in locations like South Africa and Brazil.
“I can feel like I live mostly out of a suitcase,” he said.
“I feel lucky to be able to travel so much with my job.”
Twenty years ago the then 19-year-old started as a sport reporter for his local BBC radio station after finishing university.
His desire to break into television saw him land an internship at England’s Disney Channel, running errands like picking up coffee for presenters.
“I was able to work on their preschool channel and really see what I wanted to do,” the 39-year-old said.
“I started having little cameo roles bringing the post to presenters and doing some puppeteering.”
About 10 years ago, the BBC commissioned Mister Maker: a colourful art and craft enthusiast.
“When the casting call went out, I looked at the brief and thought this really sounds like me,” he said.
“The character hadn’t really been fully developed, so I was really able to put my own spin on things.”
The show took off, with Gallagher receiving a BAFTA Children’s Award nomination and landing several stage gigs.
The most rewarding part of the show was receiving letters from parents who enjoyed it as “family time”, Gallagher said.
“We really feel proud that the show has fans in so many different age groups. As soon as the show is finished you can still be creative and go off and make things.”
“We want to do it in a way where the kids don’t realise they are having so much fun because they are learning something.”
Gallagher said Australian crowds were among his favourite to perform for live.
“They’re so loud and so receptive to what we do. We’ve been lucky to have such a great reaction.”
