‘This Is It’: Maureen ’Mo’ Hjorth to officially launch memoir

MAUREEN (Mo) Hjorth knew from a young age that she wanted to be a performer.

“When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always the same – ‘I’m going to be an actress’,” she told News Of The Area.

Her life as an actress is detailed in her recently published memoir “This Is It”, which will be launched at the Gloucester Gallery on Saturday 23 August at 4pm.

The memoir chronicles her journey as an actress, from her early experiences on stage, to taking on the persona of Ginnie Shaw, and her decision to retire from touring and adopt a quieter lifestyle.

“The book reflects this part of my life because I believed it was the most eventful and exciting period.”

She credits her mother with being the significant inspiration behind the memoir.

“Every time I returned home from a tour, I’d share my experiences with her, and she’d always say, ‘You should write this down’.”

It wasn’t until Mo moved to Gloucester that she began to contemplate putting those stories onto paper.

She joined several writing groups, with one encouraging her to write about her life.

“The memoir sat on my computer for about two years, and one morning I woke up and thought, ‘I’m publishing this’.”

Her mother also inspired the title of the book.

“After I finished writing, I looked up and said, ‘Okay Mum, finally, this is it’.”

When asked if there were any parts of her life she considered omitting, Mo said there were a few she considered cutting “but they were part of my story, so they’re included.”

“I’ve always known I’ve had a blessed life, and I enjoyed reliving that through my writing.”

Writing the memoir also helped her recognise the support her parents provided throughout her career.

“I didn’t truly appreciate all they had done for me until now.”

As for writing another book, Mo said that although she enjoyed the process of writing her memoir, she currently does not feel inspired to write something new.

Despite stepping away from touring many years ago, she continues to perform on stage.

She has been a key figure in the local theatrical scene since relocating to Gloucester in 2007, having performed in and directed numerous productions.

Mo is currently working on the Monologue Project for Gloucester Arts and Cultural Council Inc. (GACCI).

By Wendy BUSWELL