Comedians

Interview: Stuart Goldsmith, Like I Mean It

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© Matt Crockett

Stand up comedian and podcaster Stuart Goldsmith is set to tour his seventh show, Like I Mean It, across the UK from February through to June 2018. Having already won Best New Show at the Leicester Comedy Festival, and had a very successful Edinburgh run in 2017, now it’s time for Goldsmith’s creativity to truly shine, as he performs this show to ever-growing audiences across the country.

Hi Stu, how have you been since we last spoke?

Really well thanks – married life is excellent, and my toddler said “good morning daddy” for the first time, unprompted, this morning. So now I feel like I’m in a sixties Disney live action movie. 

How did your latest show, Like I Mean It, evolve? Is there a core story or message?

As ever I tried to write funny stuff with no meaning, and as ever it evolved into something meaningful despite my best efforts! I wouldn’t dream of trying to send a message to anybody, but the core of the show is my blissful happiness now I have everything I always wanted, and the resentment and frustration that somehow comes along with all that contentment. 

Have you surprised yourself at all whilst writing this show?

Absolutely. It’s my seventh show, and my best, and while I’m always surprised that I have anything more to say, in this one in particular I manage to say exactly what I wanted to without beating the audience over the head with it. I also came up with a neat little structural trick which I’m hoping to expand upon for this year, which one favourite reviewer of mine absolutely HATED, so I’m looking forward to annoying her all over again. 

Are you enjoying performing Like I Mean It more than your previous shows?

I think so! It’s more about funny concepts and less to do with being word perfect on the wording of a joke, so it makes for a looser performative experience for me. Also there’s a bit about a frog which I find hilarious if they all go with it, and equally hilarious if none of them do.

Has your work on the Comedian’s Comedian Podcast effected your stand up in any positive (or negative) ways?

I’m sure it has but quite how I couldn’t say. For me the biggest difference has always been that once I realised all comedians worry that we’re impostors, it got much easier to deal with my own self doubt. I should try and keep a list of the things I think to myself during the writing process, as I’m sure there are more concrete examples. 

Can we expect any Q&As after the shows during this tour?

No, this time I’m going to be roughing out a load of wonky new material after each show, so anyone who fancies staying gets a sneak preview cum workshop of the next show! 

Are you dreading writing the next show or looking forward to it?

Dread dread dread. But as soon as I get to the stage where I have too much material it will flip and suddenly become the best job in the world again. IF THAT POINT EVER COMES EVER AGAIN. 

And finally, why should people buy a ticket to see Like I Mean It on tour?

Because if they try and sneak in for free I will publicly shame them.

BOOK TICKETS TO SEE STUART GOLDSMITH’S SHOW, LIKE I MEAN IT, ON TOUR HERE

January Comedian of the Month #43, Kerry Howard

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Each Comedian of the Month on MoodyComedy is a comic who has never previously featured on the website. Reasons for selection can include various current projects the comedian is involved with, or perhaps recent appearances on television programmes or podcasts. There is no strict criteria however, as Comedian of the Month simply stands as a collection of recommendations, highlighting interesting and original aspects of certain comedians and their work.

Kerry Howard is a comedy actress from Somerset who first came to my attention when she starred as Becky’s irritating sister Laura in Him & Her (which I, for some reason, only watched last year). Laura is a very annoying character, even bordering on detestable at times, but this is all part of her brilliance. Because she has genuinely vulnerable moments in parts, and her relationship with Becky (Sarah Solemani) is one of friendship as well as turbulent sisterhood dramatics.

As Solemani said herself in an article for The Guardian in 2013: ‘Often nothing happens in Him & Her, yet people really feel for the characters’. It’s obvious that in order to nurture a sitcom with characters that carry their own individual weight, not only do you need a brilliant writer (Stefan Golaszewski, of course, is the power behind Him & Her), but a skilful, experienced cast is surely required.

Witless: Kerry Howard (left) and Zoë Boyle (right)

More recently, Kerry has starred in BBC3’s Witless; a comedy about two fraught friends who get forced into participating in a witness protection programme when they witness a gang crime and their identities get leaked to said gang. Howard (playing loveable fool Leanne) stars alongside Zoë Boyle, who plays Rhona, an undeniably more jittery recipient to the new lifestyle the two are forced to adopt than the naïve Leanne. The show is now onto its third series, and as the episodes have progressed, Howard has increased the depth of the characters she plays, expertly tiptoeing along the line between being endearing and unbearably frustrating.

Him & Her, if you haven’t yet seen it, is available on Netflix, and the full boxset of Witless is on BBC iPlayer.

For more information, follow Kerry Howard on Twitter.

COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

Seven Questions With… Kai Samra

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Kai Samra is a stand up comedian from Birmingham, who began his career in 2016. With an easy-seeming confidence on stage and a Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award under his belt, this comic is set for success.
To find out more about Kai, I asked him these seven questions…

1) Who is your stand-up comedy influenced by?

I could pretend to be cool and reel off some niche comedians that no one’s ever heard of but if I’m being honest my favourite comedians are Chris Rock, Dave Chapelle and Bill Hicks.

2) What was the best thing about winning the Birmingham Comedy Festival Award in 2017? 

Getting to perform at the Glee, meeting the other finalists and last but not least getting a big hamper of Edinburgh Gin (which helped me get through the horrific Megabus journey back to London that night at 2am).

3) Is adrenaline your friend or enemy?

It’s more of a friend that I always hang out with but secretly hate. I always feel the more nervous I am, the better I perform but the anxiety I feel beforehand never gets easier.

Kai Samra

4) Where is your favourite place to be?

My local pub with mates.

5) Is performing in Birmingham different than performing in other parts of the country?

Definitely. I always feel at home in Birmingham and can just go off on tangents about local places that people are familiar with. Snobs, Bullring, Handsworth. Playing in front of Birmingham crowds always seem more like I’m having a conversation with mates in a pub than on a stage performing.

6) What topic do you wish you were more clued up on?

Politics. There’s been countless times I’ve been in social circles where the conversation has turned to politics and I’ve had to shut up, smile or make an early exit.

7) What would you choose to eat for your last ever meal?

A KFC Wicked Tower Zinger Meal with gravy, mayonnaise and a large Pepsi (other fast food meals are available). I’m now vegetarian but it’s the one thing I massively crave sometimes. I’m pretty sure with the bloated feeling I’d get after eating it as well, I’d be welcoming death with open arms.

For more information, follow Kai on Twitter

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Josh Pugh

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Josh Pugh is a stand up comedian from Warwickshire who has had surprising success for someone whose comedy career has only quite recently begun. He won the Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award in 2015, as well as English Comedian of the Year in 2016, which goes to show that this quirky comedian has an extremely promising future ahead of him.
I asked Josh these seven questions to get to know him better…

1) Where do you wish you were right now?

Summer.

2) What makes you who you are?

A combination of genetics and life experiences. I’ve spent so long thinking about who I am that I think that has actually become my identity. The guy who doesn’t know who he is.

Josh Pugh

3) Who would you never want to perform in front of?

I would hate to perform to anyone who thinks that photo booths at wedding’s are hilarious, I have nothing that will entertain those people.

4) What would be the best thing that could happen to your comedy career?

Probably someone giving me lots of money, I could just do the gigs I wanted to do and it wouldn’t matter if I died horribly, I could still afford to eat. I would also like to wake up tomorrow and be able to impressions. I can only do one other voice and that is an impression of the man who works in the garage near me and unless he gets really famous its a pretty useless impression to be able to do.

5) If you’re ever feeling unmotivated, what is it that kicks you into action?

Honestly I never feel unmotivated when it comes to comedy, to me it’s fun and I like having fun. I sometimes feel unmotivated to socialise and so just don’t. I completely give in to that feeling, I think its my brain’s way of telling me I need to chill out for a bit.

6) Do you often fall out with people?

Never, I hate it. It eats me up if I feel like I’ve annoyed someone even slightly. I wish I could fall out with people more, for years I’ve kept people in my life who I don’t actually like.

7) What do you wish you’d never learned?

Do you know that dogs can smell you after you’ve gone out and that smell fades and it makes them miss you? That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard, I hate leaving my dog now.

For more information, visit Josh’s website and follow him on Twitter

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

GriefCast Interview: Cariad Lloyd

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Cariad Lloyd is a comedy writer and performer, a part of comedy sketch group Austentatious and also creator of the GriefCast podcast. GriefCast has been running since 2016, with each episode featuring a different comic who, like Cariad, has lost someone close to them, whether that be recently or a long time ago. But you don’t have to be grieving to appreciate these heartfelt chats and the goodwill behind them. GriefCast gives a fascinating insight as well as perhaps a bit of comfort for those going through similar situations.

1) Why is GriefCast an important project for you?

My Dad died when I was 15 and I found it very isolating. I felt like no one understood what I was going through. It’s so important to me to make something which allows grievers to not feel alone. To connect with each other and to realise we are all different and united in our grief. I wish I had something like this when I first went through it.

2) Did you have any reservations before starting the GriefCast podcast?

Yes! I didn’t think anyone would want to listen. Death, grief… these are topics people normally want to avoid. But I wanted to prove that it could be interesting, funny and still remain sensitive to the topic.

3) How, in general, do you think grieving differs in comedians/performers?

I don’t think it does really. I just think comedians know how to use humour to deal with pain, so they might make jokes slightly quicker than a non-comedian in a painful situation. But I think we all do that but perhaps non-comedians might feel more guilty about it, where as a comedian knows it will be a way of coping with the situation – to laugh at it. That’s what we’ve done all our lives.

© Cariad Lloyd

4) Do you benefit from the podcast as much as you feel your guests do (if you think they do!)?

Yes, it’s helped me so much to talk about it. I didn’t for 18 years and I think now I almost can’t stop. I think we both benefit from an honest chat about what grief can do to you. It feels less isolating to remember we all go through it in one way or another.

5) What has been the most surprising thing that you have learned through talking to these people who have lost loved ones?

I don’t know about surprising but it’s certainly comforting to share so many experiences. Every story is so different but so many times I find myself saying, yes me too! And that’s not what I expected would happen.

6) Why should people listen to GriefCast?

If you’ve ever experienced Grief, if you’re ‘in the club’ as we say, it will make you laugh, cry and feel less alone. If you’re not and your life is blissfully death-free, it will make you laugh, cry and understand why sometimes your loved ones feel alone even though they’re not.

7) What’s next for you?

More GriefCasts and more Austentatious and eventually some sleep please.

LISTEN TO GRIEFCAST HERE.

Seven Questions With… Samuel Lloyd

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© Sarah Breese

MoodyComedy hasn’t posted a ‘Seven Questions With…’ interview since May 2017, and seeing as 2018 is now well and truly underway it seemed about time for a revival of the feature. Sam Lloyd, a comedian from Newport, has recently begun performing previews of his latest stand up show, Piñata. This comic is fresh-faced, endearing and ambitious, and is always unafraid to approach challenging topics with charismatic ease.
I asked Sam these seven questions to get to know him better…

1) Did you begin performing stand-up comedy during university, or before?

I started stand-up when I was 17, still in school and still kind of stupid. I wanted to start as soon as I had seen my first gig. I instantly thought I WANT TO DO THAT AND STRAIGHT AWAY PLEASE. My first gig was in a foyer of a theatre in Newport and nearly 7 years later, here we are.

2) Are you good under pressure?

I think I’m good under pressure, but I put myself under pressure too much. Whether it’s getting nervous before heading on stage, or leaving university assignments to the last day, I guess I’ve learned to manage pressure. With the show, for example, I put a lot of pressure on myself to not mess it up, but that ended up as a motivator to put the effort in, BUT like I say, I definitely shouldn’t stress out so much. Life’s too short and all that.

3) What made you first want to become a comedian?

I think it’s a combo of always loving making people laugh in school, and seeing my first live gig and realising that it’s nothing like TV. I was on a steady diet of Live at the Apollo and Mock The Week and things like that where everything’s heavily edited and slick and accessible, and so when I went to see Russell Kane back in 2008 and realised that it’s a flexible, hectic thing, I loved it so much more. Eventually seeing more and more live comedy got a mental rhythm going, I started writing stuff, and eventually thought “fuck it, let’s give it a go”.

4) When was the last time you disappointed yourself?

The last time I disappointed myself on a not-major-or-life-turning or upsetting scale was basically whenever I last ordered something crappy on a menu. I think the last time was an Italian restaurant in Cardiff where I ordered off a set deal menu and the food was a bit balls. I’m sure this question deserves a much more poignant, self-reflective answer, but that’s what comes to mind for some reason.

I guess that, because I’m lucky enough to have supportive people around me a lot of the time, I’m not allowed the chance to feel disappointment in myself for too long. So yeah. Pizza compromises is my answer.

5) Where is your favourite place in your hometown?

I think the obvious answer is my home in Rogerstone, particularly since I’m there now and it’s Christmas and everything’s bright and decorated. I’d probably say Le Pub. The owner and staff at this music venue are brilliant, resilient, and always lovely, and they’ve made a real effort for many years to provide a platform for upcoming local comics. Anyone swinging by Newport should pop in for a pint and check out upcoming gigs there. No, this isn’t a sponsored message, I just really like them.

6) What’s the most impressive thing about Sam Lloyd?

My fingers are double-jointed.

I don’t know if there’s much that’s impressive about me to be honest. With everything I do, especially comedy, there are so many people I admire and look up to that my endeavours kind of pale in comparison. It would be lovely to be impressive in the future, and impress people, and have people go “ah yes very impressive Sammy go you here’s a kitkat chunky” but I’m very happy being the one looking up at the moment.

7) Is the comedy industry a rewarding one?

I think people know what they want out of it. Whether it’s making money, making shows, touring, making it to certain stages, I think there are plenty of rewards in stand-up, but it’s about being open to them. It’s easy to be negative because the crappy things that happen feel particularly crap, but when you have a nice gig, or write something you’re proud of, or make it in a certain way, it feels amazing.

For more information, follow Sam Lloyd on Twitter

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Preview: Samuel Lloyd – Piñata

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Sam Lloyd is a new name to my ears. The 24-year-old from Newport has been performing stand up since he was in his teens, but it feels as if this is the start of something bigger as he starts to put together the beginnings of his next Edinburgh show, Piñata. He performs the first preview of this at The Little Man Coffee Company in Cardiff, with two supports (Calum Stewart and Emily Broad) and MC James Dunn.

The show is primarily PowerPoint-based, beginning with a fast-paced, laughter-filled rundown of the comedian’s early life, with embarrassing photos and all. But he soon proves that he isn’t over-reliant on the projector as a crutch; Lloyd is more than happy to face his crowd and deliver top quality, inventive material that the small room just laps up.

Structurally, this Piñata clearly has a great deal of promise, despite still being on its first draft. With a big tone shift towards the end of Sam’s stage time, the comic moves seamlessly from anecdotal trivialities to a much broader, more serious topic: that of mental health and depression.

He speaks openly about his experiences of feeling unworthy of help, or perhaps just not even needing it. Although he skirts past the details of his depression somewhat, as Lloyd’s audience we are still made to feel as though this is a genuine sharing of some pretty close to the heart stuff. His message, at this point in the development of the show at least, is that depression can happen to anyone; we all get it wrong sometimes and forget to take proper care of ourselves and talk to other people about how we are feeling.

And this strange notion of presuming that we might not deserve to feel this way, as though we don’t have the right to be depressed, is absurd. I think it’s important that audiences hear this message, and comedy is becoming an increasingly popular means of getting such ideas across. And Sam does it with a seemingly effortless ease. He clearly belongs on that stage.

And with original call backs and a clear narrative arc, Piñata is surely almost Edinburgh-ready even at this early stage, eight months before the festival begins. I hadn’t heard of his name before seeing this preview, but I’m certain that we’ll be hearing a great deal more about Sam Lloyd in the next few years, and not just in Wales, but nationwide.

Review: Flossy and Boo – The Alternativity

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Ever wondered how our good old tradition of Christmas might look to someone who isn’t familiar with planet Earth? Flossy and Boo (played by Anja Conti and Laura Jeffs) are ‘not from round here’, and in light of their lack of knowledge of Christmas, the pair have devised a play, The Alternativity, all about their research into Christmas festivities. The show is that The Other Room, Cardiff, and I attend on behalf of Quench Magazine.

Dressed in flamboyant party dresses, with candyfloss coloured hair and painted on rosy cheeks and freckles, there is a confident energy that comes effortlessly along with Flossy and Boo. We are all given party hats as we enter, with the quirky pair curtseying and guiding us to our seats. It becomes immediately clear that this is going to be a peculiar evening. We kick off the festivities with an alternative alphabet of Christmas and it soon becomes clear that this pair don’t let up in terms of their spirit and vigour. They work very well together; with quite contrasting personalities which brings a lot of the humour.

© Flossy and Boo

Flossy and Boo are musical comedians, and what is charming about this is that they both have a genuine talent both for their instruments (primarily guitars and ukuleles), voice, and song writing. One song consists of Boo reading out humorous Christmas cards sent from bragging friends about what a great year they have all had, accompanied by Flossy on keyboard: a personal favourite.

With help from technician Bethan, the production makes fantastic use of lighting and music. While the original set is alive with twinkling Christmas lights, stockings around the fireplace and tinsel on the walls, the lights are frequently cut and the audience are left in utter blackness. This punctuation of light and dark adds an almost uncomfortable drama. In this way, the audience are kept on the edge of their seats, and despite the light-hearted and often overwhelming excitement of these two, there are some parts that are genuinely sinister. A letter from one of Santa’s elves, played aloud to the room, is particularly eerie, and this is an important tone change from the general make-up of the show, giving it a whole other dimension.

The audience are all quite heavily involved, whether that be through costume, joke reading, sprout holding, or simply holding Flossy’s hand. It’s all-inclusive fun, and I highly recommend you go and get a taste of it for yourself.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR FLOSSY AND BOO: THE ALTERNATIVITY AT THE OTHER ROOM (PLAYING THROUGHOUT DECEMBER) HERE.

VISIT THE QUENCH WEBSITE

TV Review: Motherland, Series 1

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The saying ‘write about what you know’ is a common tactic used in comedy writing, and this is particularly interesting, I think, when the viewer is not in position to relate to the subject matter. With regard to Motherland, which had a pilot on BBC iPlayer in 2016, and has since been picked up by BBC 2 for a six-part series, I was completely in the dark. I have only ever really appreciated motherhood and childcare from the perspective of the child.

Motherland  is co-written by Graham Linehan, Sharon Horgan, Helen Linehan and Holly Walsh. And the mothers they have written into this microcosmic world are by no means bad mothers. Their lives rotate around providing for their children, whether that be through doing the school run, organising birthday parties, or attending charity fundraisers. But in juggling the life of being a full-time parent and having a life and career for themselves, Julia and Liz (two mothers with completely opposing attitudes) often resort to somewhat unpalatable means. The selfishness is shocking at times, if arguably understandable, and it is this shock that is behind some of the funniest moments in this series. It serves as a relief, too, from the health anxiety nightmare that parenthood seems to be, from plaster-filled swimming pools to vomiting bugs. I’d rather them than me.

© Colin Hutton

Liz, played by the inimitable Diane Morgan, is a favourite for me. She knows all the tricks of the trade with regard to dealing with other mums and their egos of various sizes. She is also relaxed enough to sit back and let her kids make their own fun, standing in stark contrast with Julia (played by Anna Maxwell-Martin) whose attempts to micromanage every aspect of her life leaves her neglecting communicating with her kids somewhat, as her day gets filled up with other things. Both tropes have their upsides and downsides, and Julia certainly provides the cringe factor; always saying the wrong thing, but not necessarily the thing the viewer might be thinking of.

There is a level of detail here, rarely seen in sitcoms these days it seems. It is a rarity that viewers are not treated as slightly stupid; we often have punchlines or scenarios spelt out for us. But the writers of Motherland have been far more clever here, leaving the space for us to think up the more obvious follow-up, and then providing us with a far further-afield, surreal turn of events. This is is comedy writing at its most nuanced.

Watching Motherland feels somewhat like how I imagine it feels to watch a car crash unfold. But this is disaster comedy that never takes the easy route.

CATCH UP WITH MOTHERLAND ON BBC IPLAYER

October Comedian of the Month #42, Celia Pacquola

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© Andy Hollingworth Archive

Each Comedian of the Month on MoodyComedy is a comic who has never previously featured on the website. Reasons for selection can include various current projects the comedian is involved with, or perhaps recent appearances on television programmes or podcasts. There is no strict criteria however, as Comedian of the Month simply stands as a collection of recommendations, highlighting interesting and original aspects of certain comedians and their work.

Celia Pacquola is a stand up comedian and actress with a definite spark to her onstage presence. Pacquola has been big on the Australian comedy scene for quite a while now. She plays Nat in Australian television comedy series Utopia, wrote and starred in Rosehaven alongside Luke McGregor. She has also been making appearances on British television in recent years, including Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Live at the Apollo.

Her comedy spans from relationship woes (‘I’m single but I’m fine!’) to a criticism of jeggings, to an attack on supermodels publishing self-esteem books. But something tells me that regardless of the content of where her material takes, Pacquola will always be an engaging comic. She could talk about floor tiles and I would still engage. Audiences can easily relate to her subject matter, but there is an interesting twist to each narrative, whether that be alluding to wishing severe allergic reactions on ex-partners or a little bit of light-hearted murder humour. Pacquola’s delivery is easy, free-flowing and her attitude light-hearted but still substantial.

A playful attitude towards darker themes paired with a likeable personality that can seemingly win over any crowd, Celia Pacquola is onto a winner.

For more information, follow Celia Pacquola on Twitter or visit her website.

AUGUST COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH: IAIN LEE