Today is the launch of the Francophillia exhibition, hosted by Salford University in their Chapman Exhibition Centre. I wasnt a resident long enough in the NW to make a claim to any longterm fanhood, but despite the wonderful gallery space and exhibits, see below, something is missing.

For example, where are the references to Timperley?  The shops, his mum’s house, the Post Office, the open top bus tours?  There was one ‘exhibit’ of the Timperley Big Shorts FC (well a guy dressed up as Frank in the kit_.  Also what about the kids? Even at the few gigs I went to, the audience were probably at least 25 per cent under 12 years of age. Also, where is the humour? Apart from a couple of things that made me laugh (see picture 3) this seems more artistic interpretation of a great man’s life than an exhibition of a great man’s life. But I am a 15 year old child trapped in the body of a 40 year old. So I like things simple. And that’s what Frank alias Chris was the simplest, purest and most engaging comedy of all. Unfortunately this doesn’t seem to come through in this exhibition, but I got a free glass of wine so life isn’t all bad.