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Monday, July 31 at 8 p.m.
Repeating Sunday, August 6 at 2:30 p.m.
Funny
girl Cathy Jones is famous for “just goofin’ around”.
From CODCO to stand-up to “This Hour Has 22 Minutes”, Jones’
outrageous, cross-dressing humour has made her a comedy sensation. Her brand
of funny is smart and raunchy, and she has a knack for mocking human frailty.
All it takes for this comic chameleon to slip into another character is
a simple prop: a hat, a wig, a purse or a jacket. But comedians are also
known for their dark sides. In this biography, Cathy Jones reflects on a
difficult childhood, a string of failed relationships and the nagging self-doubt
that spurs her ambition – and is fodder for her comedy.
Much of Cathy Jones’ humour derives from her Newfoundland roots. Her hilarious women characters are modeled on her mother, Agnes and her mother’s many friends. Agnes was witty and popular, but she also suffered from agoraphobia and seldom left the house. “My mother was so loving and fun,” says Cathy, “but she was very frightened about life and when she died we all mourned her as if a child had died.”
Father
Michael ran a film distribution company, screening Hollywood films in town
halls and church basements. He and Cathy were inseparable at first, but
depression and a growing drinking problem caused him to withdraw from his
family. Cathy thought it was her fault. On stage, in productions like “Me,
Dad and the 100 Boyfriends” her comedy keeps circling to her father’s
rejection and her search for love. “She was always getting into relationships
with people that just weren’t that nice to her...trying to make these
men happy,” says daughter Mara, recalling life with a single mother.
After two failed marriages, Cathy says she’s finally found happiness
with musician Tom Wilson.
Off stage, life may have been rocky, but on stage Cathy Jones has become
one of Canada’s favourite comics. Still, she can’t shake the
sense that she hasn’t measured up. “I haven’t produced
works that I’m truly proud of,” she says. Cathy Jones’
many fans can only disagree.
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