FOR parents of young children, Mister Maker is no stranger.
Phil Gallagher plays the title character, who folds, sticks and sprinkles his way through a succession of projects and is responsible for inspiring our children to raid our recycling bins and create masterpieces out of junk art.
The children's presenter is Belfast-bound for the first time, with his live shows Mister Maker and The Shapes. Packed full of arty adventures, there’ll be a big make to take part in, super songs to join in with, and his colourful all-dancing shapes – circle, square, rectangle and triangle - who are an integral part of the live show.
Having grown up watching Art Attack with Neil Buchanan and making crafts with his grandfather, Kent-born Phil says being Mister Maker is his “dream job".
Far from being an art graduate, Phil, inspired by Philip Schofield and Gordon the Gopher, always dreamed of working in children's television. He worked his way up the ladder in various guises from a runner making tea, painting the set and making props for Studio Disney and as a performer, puppeteer and writer on ITV1's Diggin' It to being a producer at CBeebies.
When the idea of an arts and crafts show for pre-schoolers came up, he was first in with his application form and four rigorous auditions later he changed his name to Mister Maker.
From humble beginnings and a doodle drawer full of materials in 2007, the programme has grown into a global sensation. Phil has performed live shows in Australia, Africa and Asia, including an audience of 15,000 in a huge shopping centre in the city of Djakarta in Indonesia. His travels and magic suitcase have also featured in his television show Mister Maker Around The World.
His current series Mister Maker's Arty Party is currently on our screens, but he's also enjoying having a party with his theatre show. "I love making the TV show but of course you don't have an instant reaction from the audience like you do with the live show."
"We've kept the spirit of Mister Maker and a lot of the catchphrases that happen in the TV show, but we've put a lot more into the live shows with music and dancing and games."
Viewers of the programme will be familiar with the I Am A Shape song, but Phil promises a funky remix during the live-show. "When the shapes run on stage I love watching the faces of the kids in the audience light up," he says.
Phil loved being creative from a very young age and includes his favourite mini-make, the pom pom bug, in the live show. "It was inspired by a make I made with
my granddad just over 30 years ago when I was about six. He was one of those granddads that could do anything and I loved making things with him. I've still got them at home."
He is famed for making all kinds of creatures and makes in just one minute. I ask Phil if he has ever taken longer than 60 seconds to complete the minute makes?
"Not yet, but I'll be honest in telling you that for the TV show I practice for about three weeks beforehand because I not only have to get them done on time, but I also have to do them upside down so the camera can see them properly. Making them in the theatre show is probably more nerve-racking as there is absolutely no chance of a re-make and everyone is there with their watches checking on me," he laughs.
When he's not in character, he leaves his lop-sided waistcoat at home. But Phil admits that he constantly walks around thinking of ideas and gets inspired by everyday objects.
"I have a little notebook I keep in my pocket all the time for ideas for makes for the show and with the theatre show I'm always hearing songs on the radio that would be great for performing a Mister Maker version of."
His top tip for getting crafty with your kids at home is simply "have a go".
"There are no right or wrong answers with art. We just try to encourage people whatever age they are, whether they are a mini-maker or a grown-up, to do themselves proud by being creative and having fun. Art and crafts are the sort of thing that can build confidence in a child and can help them in other parts of their life as well."
And are cereal boxes, toilet roll holders and pipe cleaners the easiest place to start? "With Mister Maker we try to make not only the techniques and ideas of the different makes attainable for all ages, but also the materials we use. Before each design we make sure we use recycled materials available around the home and only use craft materials that are easily available. And if you don't have googly eyes sitting in a drawer, you can simply make eyes out of paper and stickers."
His paints are his favourite material from his doodle drawer and he admits his favourite TV episode involved a giant splat picture made with gloopy, paint-soaked tennis balls, involved making "a lot of mess".
"Basically I dipped a tennis ball in a paint mixture and bounced it against a huge canvas. It's the sort of thing were I can't believe I get to do what I do for a living. It's so much fun. I could almost hear all the parents at home shouting "stop"," adds Phil, who promises to bring along his Maker Mobile car during his next visit to Ireland.
:: Mister Maker and The Shapes runs at Belfast's Grand Opera House on Saturday February 27 and Sunday February 28. For tickets (from £10), visit Goh.co.uk or call 028 9024 1919
