Janice Gray: A swan song?
Colourful would be an understatement when describing Janice Gray.
She is a much-loved performer with a razor sharp wit and at 80 is still bringing a crowd to their feet.
Many in Christchurch have a story about Janice, whether it is her raucous stage presence, her ability to perform while waiting tables or her time on the inside – but more on that later.
In this tribute to a legend, Frank Film talks to Janice about her career, her textured life and her most recent stint on the stage.
While everyone might have a Janice story, it is only Robin Judkins who has written her into a play. Free Bus to God went live at the Christchurch Town Hall at the end of May this year, with Janice as a key member of the cast.
‘‘I am just proud of myself a wee bit, to be asked to be in a play at 80,’’ Janice says. ‘‘It is my lucky draw.’’
Robin, who both wrote and produced the play, is a big Janice fan:
‘‘She is absolutely sharp as a tack.
‘‘I wouldn’t be dealing with her if she wasn’t sharp as a tack!’’ he says, laughing.
Life did not get off to an easy start for Janice. Her father, a tap dancer (or hoofer, as they were known then), died when she was 18 months old, leaving her with five older siblings and a mother who favoured them over Janice.
‘‘My mother loved the boys,’’ she remembers. ‘‘I realised the only way to get my mother’s attention was to become a bass baritone at 4, which I did.’’
The stage was where Janice found her home, landing her first role in a play at age 12. ‘‘The stage!’’ she says. ‘‘I found my calling, I loved it.’’
From then, Janice found as much work in showbiz as she could.
‘‘I have done radio plays in Australia, I have done commercials here – even when I was in the can, I would go in my lunchtime!’’ she says.
In 1975, Janice was arrested at Auckland airport and accused of smuggling marijuana from Thailand: 5000 buddha sticks, to be exact. For that, she was sentenced to two years in jail and served 16 months.
‘‘I got eight months off for good behaviour in helping murderers on their guitar when they had a down moment,’’ Janice recalls.
Back on the outside, she continued to forge her performance career. She was a much-loved cast member in the 1980s comedy show McPhail & Gadsby.
In 1999, she sang jazz, swing and the blues for US president Bill Clinton on his visit to Christchurch.
She appeared on film in features such as TV movie The Champion – Yankee Soldier (1989) and comedy Offensive Behaviour (2004), and became well known as host of The D.O.G Show on CTV.
To make ends meet, Janice worked for over eight years at the Volcano Cafe, the iconic Lyttelton restaurant.
In fact, as many regulars can attest, she was as much of a drawcard at the Volcano as the food.
Lois Ogilvie, who owned the Volcano for 23 years, remembers Janice singing for tips – and going to great lengths to collect them.
Another memory, Lois recalls, is the time one young local enjoyed his dinner and then left without paying.
‘‘Janice took this as a personal affront, pranced down to the local pub, where he was inside,’’ Lois says.
‘‘[She] found the money, took $10 for shoe leather and walked back, very happily.’’
Whether at the Volcano, on screen or on stage, Janice’s ability to entertain has delighted audiences and fans over many decades, and Free Bus to God was no exception.
Janice says she is sick of life on the stage and that she has had enough – but was this play really her swan song?
If Free Bus to God went on tour, would Janice be on the bus?