Before Dorothy the Dinosaur snuck onto the scene, children were being told to brush their teeth with orange juice and the joys of toffee apples being “so nice and licky”.
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Children’s entertainer Peter Combe, 68, continues to light up kids’ faces with these – and many other – fun songs some 37 years since releasing his first album.
“I feel very privileged to be able to do what I do,” he said.
“I like to think I’m good at it … I really love children – I’ve got four of my own and I’ve got seven grandchildren. It’s something that you never tire of doing because it produces a lot of love.”
Combe’s 50 minute interactive show will be a lot of fun for mums and dads who grew up with his songs, and little ones who will hear them for the first time.
“The secret to a good children’s concert is changing gears, knowing when to up the tempo a bit,” he said.
“Children do have reasonably short concentration spans so whatever you do in the first seven or eight minutes you will have them … but after you get to the 10 minute mark you’ve really got to be thinking.”
Career highlights include presenting a BBC TV show, performing sold out shows at the Sydney Opera House, performing several times at Carols in the Domain, turning the classic Snugglepot and Cuddlepie into a musical, and soon to be performing in Wollongong during the inaugural Spiegeltent season.
(The last highlight may not have happened yet, but the Mercury is sure he’ll add that to the list).
The only disappointment Combe has about his career was not being able to crack the UK market.
“The UK is strangely very conservative when it comes to children’s music. I’ve always found that rather perplexing for a country who has produced the most outrageously funny [comedians],” he said.
“I’ve done 30 to 35 shows there over the years and the kids like the songs, but it’s the adults who get in the way.”
Peter Combe performs at the Wollongong Spiegeltent, April 19, 3pm. Tickets $25 or family of four $80. www.spiegeltentwollongong.com