Comedians

Review: Bramall Comedy Night, Scott Bennett, Angela Barnes & Gary Delaney

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Autumn 2015 signals a new season of comedy at the University of Birmingham’s Bramall Hall with the second event doing predictably well in terms of its line up, with Scott Bennett, Angela Barnes and Gary Delaney performing.

The night was compèred by likeable Yorshireman Scott Bennett, who recently performed his debut stand up hour at this year’s Edinburgh Festival, tickling audiences with anecdotes about his recently retired and slightly mental father. His stories are instantly easy to relate to, speaking of elements of family life that most of us can sift through and relate to at least parts of. Bennett clearly has had a lot of experience as a club host, with an ability to communicate effortlessly with multiple age groups within an audience.

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Gary Delaney © Andy Hollingworth Archive

Angela Barnes has returned from August’s Edinburgh Festival with a confidence to her new material that is pleasing to see. Deeply personal and bordering on self-depreciating, Barnes is a comic who knows how to set her audience at ease, with a presence that does not overbear but lines that sometimes cut delightfully sharp. Angela is the voice in all of our heads and it is a relief to hear someone openly talk about hating things that everyone else claims to love. She’s sweet, friendly and endlessly relatable, but with an undeniably wicked streak.

Gary Delaney is the first comedian to return to the Bramall Hall comedy night, speaking of how much he enjoyed the venue and audience last year. Once again Delaney amazed with his impressive back catalogue of memorised material, which he effectively manipulated to suit the feel of the room. Though perhaps a bit impersonal at times due the nature of being a one-liner comic, Gary successfully incorporated technology into his set which made for a refreshing change. He clearly enjoyed the gig and this made the performance feel a little outside of the norm, with Delaney’s infectious positivity ensuring that his whole audience was on side.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH… ANGELA BARNES

BRAMALL COMEDY NIGHTS

TV Review: The Kennedys

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An adaptation of her comedy memoir, The Tent, The Bucket and Me, Emma Kennedy’s latest project is a wonderfully vibrant revisit to a seemingly strange childhood. The Kennedys is a microcosm of 1970s Britain, packed full of cultural references that would no doubt delight anybody who was alive forty years ago, but alas I was not. Perhaps, then, it is the stereotypes that I can best associate with; the new-age lasagnas, the cheese and pineapple on cocktail sticks, the disco dancing, but this does not entail that The Kennedys as a piece comedy is lazy in its observations.

Kennedy’s ten-year-old self is reimagined in the form of young actress Lucy Hutchinson, who acts as a voice piece for the adults around her. Emma’s mother, Brenda (Katherine Parkinson) is a giddy, excitable lady with a likeable naivety and admirable ambition for the completion of relatively simple challenges that she often hopelessly fails at (such as booking of a driving test a few mere days in advance, despite never having learned to drive). She is an endless source of embarrassment for her daughter, as is Emma’s father, Tony (Dan Skinner), who so often succumbs to Brenda’s wild schemes, thus leading to some very tricky situations.

© BBC

© BBC

The Kennedys is one of those television sitcoms that has a recognisable face at every corner, overflowing with comedy talent which is enabled to shine through due to the fantastic script. Tim (Harry Peacock) and Jenny (Emma Pierson) live next door and the two couples naturally divide into two pairs of friends, the women and the men. The relatively young group on Jessop Square are incredibly hard-working and well-meaning people, making their quirky relationships a joy to watch, and the way in which they are written is honest and reflective; these characters and their relationships are certainly not tropes.

Visually, it has to be noted that The Kennedys is a very attractive production and the ‘1970s’ look has certainly been achieved, as well as additional humorous visuals being slotted in, such as David Palmer, another Jessop Square resident, being delegated to sitting on the poof at Brenda’s dinner party, meaning he sits at least a foot lower than all the other guests. These flourishes are what make it clear that this sitcom has been years in the making. The attitude behind every line and every scene is one of warmth, a fond memory of how things used to be, and this can be appreciated by anyone, regardless of age.

The Kennedys is silly and sharp-witted; the music is fantastic, the characters well-rounded and the entire production heart-warming, original and uplifting- surely a programme not to be missed.

CATCH SERIES ONE OF ‘THE KENNEDYS’ ON BBC IPLAYER

October: Comedian Of The Month #21, Luke Toulson

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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.

If there was ever a man who could make stand up comedy look easy, effortless even, then Luke Toulson is that man. His casual, relaxed stage personality is surely the subject of many a stand up comedian’s professional envy, but Toulson is an immediately likeable comic, so it can be assumed that he will be forgiven.

Toulson may be slick but he certainly doesn’t come across as false or vacuous, in fact, quite the opposite; Chortle have in the past described him a “gimmick-free”. Of course, it is impossible to decipher true anecdotes from amended or altered ones. His material openly references his children and their mother and their mother’s new partner, amongst other things, and perhaps elements of these narratives are constructed for comedic effect. However, it is indisputable that the core beliefs behind anecdotes are genuine, or at least hold a nugget of truth, because they come from such a self-depreciating place, therefore giving Toulson’s comedy an endearing quality that is crucial for forming a long-lasting audience relationship.

LT1Complaints and insecurities regarding fatherhood are common themes for male stand up comedians to tackle and when it takes an interesting, or perhaps darker, slant, the blend of emotional material and unpredictable writing can make for excellent comedy. This is a particular strength of Luke’s: a large portion of his material seems to talk about family, but it never becomes self-involved or overly indulgent on the behalf of the performer. There are enough sharp, cutting and sinister throwaway lines to allow him to get away with it.

Luke Toulson is arguably a performer before he is a writer (a compliment to his stage presence rather than insult to his material), by which I mean his movement around the stage and communication with, as well as consideration of, audiences makes him stand out against the majority of comics. He’s a natural story-teller and a very relatable one at that.

For more information, visit Luke Toulson’s website and follow him on Twitter.

SEPTEMBER COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

TV Review: Romesh Ranganathan Asian Provocateur

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Self-confessed ‘coconut’ Romesh Ranganathan has recently embarked on a traditional tour of the country of his heritage, Sri Lanka. Spending each episode with a different distant relative, Romesh has been introduced to various elements of the culture he feels he has been ignoring up until now, and the time has come to share those experiences with the public.

The Ranganathans may have Sri Lankan heritage but Romesh himself is from Crawley in Sussex and openly admits that he knows next to nothing about the culture of his parents. The extent of Romesh’s ignorance is surprising at first but also understandable, with much of the show’s humour deriving from such obvious naivety. But there is also a willingness to sample all aspects of the traditional culture that ensures Asian Provocateur is not just about messing around in an unusual environment, which allows the programme to be genuinely moving at times. A key thing to be noted about this programme is that the places Romesh visits are not being mocked. He may find humour in the ways they communicate or the things they do, but the cast and crew have certainly not embarked on this journey merely to poke fun at the people they visit. There is a genuine love and interest behind Romesh’s exploration of Sri Lanka, perhaps as a result of the comic wishing to learn more about the life his late father lived in the country, before Romesh was born.

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The addition of Romesh’s mother, Shanthi Ranganathan, is a brilliant new perspective for the show to take. If we were to compare Asian Provocateur to An Idiot Abroad, and let’s face it there are many comparisons to be made, it would appear that Shanthi has taken on the role that was once occupied by the likes of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. The interesting thing about the scenes with Romesh’s mother, as opposed to with Karl Pilkington’s bullying friends, is obviously the presence of a genuine, unbreakable blood connection between them. It shines through in their conversations regarding Romesh’s trip to Sri Lanka, with chat that is clearly unscripted and made all the more unpredictable by Shanthi’s motherly instincts clashing with Romesh’s comedian persona (which will undoubtedly be slightly shifted from his usual son role): “Your mother would be sad if you died, but part of me would be thinking, what a stupid son I had”. Romesh has also recently stated: “I think for her, in an ideal world, series two would not involve me. It would be a spin-off show where mum’s like: ‘So we got rid of Romesh and now we can really get into the show.’”

Asian Provocateur is starchy and awkward in places and these are the moments that allow Ranganathan’s brilliant comic timing to come through. The cultural and language barrier, despite Romesh himself being Sri Lankan, provides many of the laughs per episode, with the comedian being made to spend time doing some very unconventional activities, to say the least. Despite what Romesh has spent his entire career as a comedian trying to get us to believe, he is clearly a person who finds it easy to get on well with others. The relationships he is able to build with various uncles, cousins and tour guides are surprisingly strong, and these bonds enable the show to feel all the more homely and substantial.

Perhaps it is not the most original of television formats, but Asian Provocateur certainly feels like it has more of a point to it than other similar programmes, due to the cultural family connection as well as Romesh’s booming comedy profile.

ROMESH RANGANATHAN: ASIAN PROVOCATEUR IS AVAILABLE ON BBC IPLAYER

Seven Questions With… Magnus Betnér

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Magnus BetnerMagnus Betnér is a Swedish stand up comedian, often heralded as one of the biggest names in Scandinavian comedy. Luckily for us here in the UK, Magnus also regularly performs his material in English; he has even performed at the Edinburgh Festival multiple times. With material that fearlessly tackles taboo social topics, this comedian proves himself time and time again to be a brave and challenging performer, making him an interesting one to watch.
I asked Magnus these seven questions to learn a little more about him…

1) What makes you nervous?

Not much anymore but some gigs in English, the opening of a new tour and some TV stuff still gets the adrenaline pumping.

2) What is your favourite childhood memory?

Does anybody really remember their childhood? I guess it was pretty great most of the time and nothing really comes to mind except vacations and trips with the family. That was extra nice.

3) Which language do you prefer to gig in?

Swedish because I’m still much better that way.

4) What surprises you most about British culture?

That your system of polite “he was here first” nods in bars actually works better than the Swedish whoever pushes hardest to get the bartenders attention wins system.

5) Do you care if your comedy offends people?

I don’t like to offend just for the sake of it but I tend to do so anyway and I’m fine with that if I can justify it for myself. People have a way of being offended no matter what you say so you can’t let that bother you too much if you want to do comedy.

6) Do you consider yourself to be an outsider?

Yeah. I think I always have.

7) What is annoying you at the moment?

That fascism and xenhophobia is spreading across Europe again. And fast. That’s probably at the top of the list at the moment but in short what’s annoying me are different kind of idiots. Lots of idiots around these days…

MAGNUS BETNÉR IS CURRENTLY TOURING IN SCANDINAVIA AND HIS STAND UP SPECIAL IS NOW AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Film Review: Benny & Jolene

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Benny & Jolene (2014) is a film about folk-singing duo Ben (Craig Roberts) and Jo (Charlotte Ritchie) who are attempting to navigate their way through the confusing ins and outs of the music industry as well as finding their place within it.

This film is bursting with familiar comedy faces including the likes of Tom Rosenthal, Dolly Wells and Laura Patch. Rosamund Hanson stars in a role she is well-practiced in: that of a dopey PR girl (note her previous role as Cheryl in Life’s Too Short). Hanson is one of the stars of the show, being the source of the majority of laughs and serving as a real tension-releaser for when the situations the characters find themselves in become a little too exasperating, which is often. Roberts (Submarine) and Ritchie (Fresh Meat, Siblings) are excellent throughout and they just keep getting better; they’re sure to become household names within the next few years if they continue at this pace.

© Verve Pictures

© Verve Pictures

With beautiful lighting and a frequent cut and pasting of narrative, this piece of work is visually pleasing as well as being successful at holding pace. There are definite, and most likely deliberate, imperfections in the smoothness of camera shots which add to the personal feel of the production, making it feel more natural and endearing as a result. I found that many aspects of Benny & Jolene shared similarities with the television series Doll & Em, not least because Dolly Wells stars but also due to the intentional style of awkward-comedy that jars at first but gradually warms and softens.

Though this is probably rare, in the case of Benny & Jolene the plot of the film doesn’t feel as important as the general feel of the whole production. I will probably forget the story in time. Instead, however, this film is valuable as the warm, funny heart-warmer it undeniably is, with sharp writing from Jamie Adams. The competency of the cast shines through both in and around the dialogue, showing an applied understanding of tension and comedic relief. This is a production with true soul.

‘BENNY AND JOLENE’ IS AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE HERE

Seven Questions With… Suzi Ruffell

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suziruffellSuzi Ruffell is a popular name on the British comedy circuit, having travelled the country with two stand up hours (most recently with her show Social Chameleon which explored themes involving family, adolescence and identity). She has recently supported the likes of Romesh Ranganathan, Kevin Bridges, Josh Widdicombe and Alan Carr on their UK tours and is currently writing her next show.
To find out more, I asked Suzi these seven questions…

1) What is your plan for the day?

It’s 10am and I have already been to yoga so I am feeling quite smug. I have a tea and some porridge in front of me. I’m sat on my sofa, the news is on in the background, the cat is staring at me and I am trying to write. I am currently working on what I think will be a new show for Edinburgh next year. Later I am writing with a friend then off to a gig.

2) Are you avoiding anything right now?

Bread. It’s really hard though as I love sandwiches.

3) What makes you sad?

Injustice and bad coffee.

4) What is it that appeals to you the most about stand up comedy?

I love being a comic. I enjoy life on the road. I have toured loads, I love doing the support for bigger acts, seeing little parts of the country that I never would have otherwise. I also really love playing great comedy clubs like the Glee’s or The Stand. I also really like not having a boss and that every day is different. Also I am a massive show off.

5) Who was your role model when you were younger?

My dad’s pretty good. Mum is too. Neither are comics. Comedically, Victoria Wood, in particular Acorn Antiques, French and Saunders, and Lily Savage. I found her hilarious, I remember seeing Lily on Parkinson and just thinking she was the best.

6) What animal would you like as a pet?

I have a cornish rex cat, she’s really good. Probably better than any other cat in the world, ever.

7) Do you aspire to perform comedy in the biggest venue possible?

No. My favourite venues are old fashioned music halls, I love ones that feel like they are bursting with history. It feels exciting to play somewhere that feels like it’s full of stories.

SUZI RUFFELL IS CURRENTLY PERFORMING AT VARIOUS VENUES ACROSS THE UK.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Ask The Expert: Carl Chapple (Artist)

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Carl Chapple is an artist based in South Wales, particularly renowned for his portraiture work with subjects including actors, dancers, poets and musicians as well as comedians. He can often be found at events such as the Edinburgh Fringe and Machynlleth Comedy Festival, painting subjects in their own environments.
To learn more about the job of an artist working with comedians, I asked Carl a few questions…

When did comedy and art meet?

I started painting my comedians series in early 2013, though it was only after a few months, when I painted Lloyd Langford, that a joke made it into a picture.

Lloyd sat (horizontally) wearing the banana suit from his recent Edinburgh show, and somehow went straight into a Classical pose associated with the goddess Venus. I’d been about to start a small monochrome painting on panel, but happily had a large canvas to hand, so changed my plans. The combination of the Classical reference, the daft costume and Lloyd’s deadpan expression made me laugh out loud several times as I worked.

david trentSimilarly, David Trent had some suggestions (demands) for his sitting – namely that I provide him with a lawnmower and he pose wearing only Speedos. As it turned out, David wasn’t happy with the mower I’d got for him (a Flymo), but he gallantly went ahead with the session with hardly any complaints. I painted this picture in quite a dark and dramatic style, as befitting a portrait of such a serious fellow.

Have you found painting comedians to be any different to painting people who are not comedians?

Performers in general – or at least those I’ve worked with – may be a bit more physically self-aware and comfortable being looked at than some other portrait sitters (I’ve never had a performer overcome by a fit of the giggles at the start of a sitting, for example), but that’s about it. It’s been a lovely mix – some people arriving with clear ideas about how they’d like to present themselves, and others who work it out on the day, sometimes going for quite traditional, formal poses.

In a lot of cases sitters came to my studio as they were passing through Cardiff on tours. This was great, in that I was able to work with people I might not otherwise have been able to, though a few times it was quite challenging in that they could only spare a couple of hours. This brought an urgency to the work, which was always fun, though the results may have been a little hit and miss.

Where is the strangest place you have had to work?

I recently painted a portrait on bus for the Wales Millennium Centre’s Ar Waith Ar Daith project (commemorating ten years of the WMC), though so far all but five of my comedians paintings were made in my studio in Barry.

Of the others, four were made in a theatre space in Edinburgh (thanks to Sweet Venues) and one in Rhod Gilbert’s front room in London, so nothing particularly strange there – just unfamiliar light and the need to take everything I might need with me, which was harder than I expected (in the case of going to paint Rhod, I forgot to take a palette, which was a bit ridiculous).

Top tip for portrait painting during the Edinburgh Festival: don’t make it the final week. People are tired. Heroic Nat Luurtsema battled exhaustion throughout her sitting, nodding off a couple of times.

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Which comic would you most like to work with?

Too many to list, though Bec Hill and Marcel Lucont both modelled for a portraiture workshop I ran at this year’s Machynlleth Comedy Festival, and were brilliant. I envied everyone else, with their easels and charcoal, and wanted to join in. Also the excellent Jordan Brookes – ‘He has a beautiful face’, as my mum rightly observed recently.

What would you like these paintings to convey?

If I can convey just a little of the warmth, kindness and exquisite good looks of comedians everywhere, then it’s all been worth it.

CARL CHAPPLE’S PAINTINGS ARE AVAILABLE TO VIEW AND PURCHASE FROM HIS WEBSITE

Ask The Expert: Sian Harries (Writer)

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Sian Harries is a comedy writer and performer who has recently worked on television shows such as Man Down and Never Mind The Buzzcocks as well as writing and performing in the radio sketch show Here Be Dragons. Sian is currently working on a new sitcom project with her husband, comedian Rhod Gilbert, and has recently announced that a third series of Man Down is also currently in the works.
To gain insight into the career of a comedy writer, I asked Sian a few questions about her work…

What is the biggest perk of being a comedy writer?

Getting to laugh a lot every day with some of my favourite people. My husband Rhod and I are writing a sitcom together and last Friday we were in a meeting discussing it with Henry Normal when he said “isn’t it wonderful that it’s Friday afternoon and we’re laughing about dirty underwear and this is our job?”

It also means I am never bored as I can find the funny in anything. I think it was all those years spent going to church as a child and being forced to sit and do nothing but be in my brain for an hour. I’d make up relationships between the vicar and the old ladies in the choir stalls; affairs, scandals, you name it. By the time it was over it was like I was watching an episode of Dynasty.

How was your experience writing for Man Down?

Writing a sitcom is hard. I think Greg once described it as “trying to do a jigsaw designed by Satan” and I’d take it one step further and say it’s like “trying to do a jigsaw designed by Satan, that you’re trying to finish in record time as your mother hoovers around you.” There were days where I thought I’d be sick with laughter making up hosts of funny characters and acting them out with Greg and Steve; other days where all we’d done was drink far too much coffee and written down the phrase “oh Bobby!”

Rik Mayall dying was such a shock. We’d written for him on the first series and he was our childhood hero. The day of his funeral we all abandoned our work and drove to Brighton, in a car with no roof, playing The Smiths very loudly, got smashed and went on a log flume. I don’t know why but it seemed rebellious and a bit Rik-like I suppose. It was extra difficult because a few weeks later Greg’s real life dad died as well. So that Christmas Special episode was incredibly poignant for us and we knew we had to address Rik dying. You can’t not mention the king is dead. To us he was irreplaceable.

Here Be Dragons

The cast of Here Be Dragons, with Sian Harries (3rd from right)

Are there any unexpected differences you have found between writing for TV and writing for radio?

I love writing for both TV and Radio. With TV I love how you can have a small visual gag happen in the background to undercut something a character is saying e.g. in the first series of Man Down I wrote a scene where Dom the guru is giving a motivational speech whilst in the background several ornaments are being knocked over by his enormous bottom.

Radio however, is far more freeing, you aren’t limited to what can happen within that little space. The audience have to use their imaginations so you can set radio comedy pretty much anywhere you want without spending any money. Furthermore, because less money is being spent, it also means there are fewer people in nice jackets telling you what you can and can’t do.

Would you rather be performing or working behind the scenes?

I think the dream for me is to write something I think is hilarious and then to perform it the exact way I imagined it being done. Although there are plenty of times I’ll write for someone else and I’m blown away with how funny they make it themselves. I have no interest in doing stand up. I far prefer it when I’ve learnt a scene off by heart and I’m working with people I find funny and I can mess around with. I would hate to be recognised in the street like Rhod is, it’s not for me. I enjoy leaving the house looking like shit too much to go back to having to think about my outfits. It’d be like being a self-conscious fifteen year old again. I also love eavesdropping too much, listening out for funny bits of dialogue or exchanges, and you can’t do that if you’re recognised.

Who would you most like to write a role for?

The ideal person I would write for would be Judy Dench as I think her comic timing is impeccable. I saw her in a brilliant  play called The Vote and I think she said the F-word and it brought the whole house down. She reminds me so much of my wonderful late grandmother and it’d be a dream to have her play a character I’d based on her. There are so many women I’d love to write for though; Julia Davis, Jennifer Saunders, Emma Thompson, Celia Imrie, Alison Steadman, Sharon Horgan… far too many to list.

ASK THE EXPERT…

September: Comedian Of The Month #20, Sarah Kendall

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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.

Australian stand up Sarah Kendall, one of the nominees for this year’s Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award, is the epitome of a child trapped in the body of an adult, in the most entertaining of ways. Bringing a lack of self-consciousness and an upbeat demeanour to the stage, Sarah’s words often seem to ring true, even if they are absolutely ridiculous throwaway comments. This is a result of her charming confidence that assures audiences that the slight possibility of derailment is in fact totally controlled, but the possibility that it might not be is enthralling.

Not all stand up comedy in this world is completely enjoyable to watch; comedians are constantly working hard to challenge audiences in terms of their material and general performance features, because that is what makes comedy successful, innovative and exciting. However, what is even more exciting, for me at least, is to find a comic who ticks all of those boxes in terms of creating original, intelligent material, but who is also continuously fun. Sarah Kendall’s energy rarely dips and her enthusiasm on stage is truly enjoyable to see.

Footage from Sarah’s performance on Russell Howard’s Good News in 2009 could easily be mistaken for content from a recent series. Her material feels timeless in a way similar to that of absurdist stand up Paul Foot: topical cultural references are not necessary here and it seems that Kendall might be making a conscious effort to avoid them. This comedian strikes a chord with audiences due to the blend of a sweet and relatable personality with a certain subverted weirdness that works under the surface, shining more brightly when she plays up to surreal scenarios. Sarah Kendall is rapidly becoming a big name in the UK as well as in Australia.

Read more about Sarah Kendall here and follow her on Twitter.