Comedians

Seven Questions With… Michael J. Dolan

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Seven Questions With… Tony Law

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Tony Law is an absurd comedian to say the least, bettering himself with each passing year and crafting majestical shows which in the past have included musical numbers, finger lasers and puppet displays. The shouty surrealist is bringing his latest hour of nonsense Frillemorphesis to the Edinburgh Festival and it looks set to be another brash, bizarre yet beautiful assault of the senses.
I asked Tony these seven questions to learn more about the man behind the madness…

1) Why is your comedy so strange?

It’s not my comedy. It belongs to the earth. And I’d hesitate to call it comedy. Normal to some?

2) Which instrument do you wish you could play?

The flesh tuba. I’ve never learnt to masturbate. It’s high time. And piano. Be a great help the piano. Could fill my shows up with less words.

3) What bores you most?

Myself. Listening to me droning on about tree houses and cylinders all time. No one wants that.  

4) Where is your safe place?

Culverts. P47 thunderbolts. My family. Training with master Cho.

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5) If you were to write a book, what would the subject be?

Walking through landscapes and whistling new songs that are gone for ever on the wind. Just about that sorta thing.

6) How do you clear your head?

I’m afraid that’s rather easy, I just breath through my mouth and away I go. Really rather ……

7) What do you want your legacy as a comedian to be?

Hardest working man in show business. Loads of money to pay all these bills I forgot about. So then I could concentrate on whatever it is that I do on floors.

TONY LAW IS BRINGING HIS SHOW ‘FRILLEMORPHESIS’ TO THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL

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July: Comedian Of The Month #18, Adam Hess

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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.

Avid Twitter users will no doubt have come across my latest Comedian Of The Month before; Adam Hess has accumulated nearly 50,000 followers on the site as a result of his mastery of 140-character humour. He has a sharp wit, a necessary comic trait, but also an eye for the stranger kind of observation, pairing silliness with darker elements.

Hess’ character on stage whilst performing stand up is wholly separate from that of the level-headed, sarcastic comedian we see online. The intelligent twists of logic are still a core part of the package and he certainly presents ideas that are unusual, observational comedy of that which has perhaps never been observed. However, performance-mode-Hess is a bundle of frantic energy, of faux-nervousness and jittery giggles. It’s hard to not find it endearing upon first watching, but further viewing proves that this comic is, somewhat unbelievably, in full control, and not the foppish student he first appears to be.

A particularly admirable ability of this comedian is that he manages to pack a huge number of one-liner gags into a set, and a remarkable percentage of them actually land. It is a common downfall that I have found with many predominantly one-liner comics that a lot of the jokes are, completely unavoidably, stabs in the dark; things that cause uproar on one night may fall to the sound of silence the next. Adam’s apparent spontaneity brings a wonderful animation to each performance, which carries him through even when the laughter dies out (which, of course, is infrequently).

Having already won the Chortle Student Comedy Award in 2011, Adam Hess is making waves on the comedy scene and brings his debut show to the Edinburgh Festival this month.

For more information, visit Adam Hess’ website and follow him on Twitter.

JUNE COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

Edinburgh Preview: Alfie Moore – A Fair Cop Stands Up

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Alfie Moore-Tony BriggsIf you like your comedy shows to also be an educational experience, then Alfie Moore’s latest stand up hour A Fair Cop Stands Up may just be the show for you. Drawing upon his many years of experience as a policeman in Scunthorpe, Moore embarks on an hour of insightful observations and hilarious hypothetical problem solving. I caught a preview of the show at Birmingham’s MAC.

Alfie Moore arrived onstage armed with an abundance of facts and statistics which he delivered throughout the hour, using them as a springboard for jokes and anecdotes. There were occasional breathtaking moments of bitter sarcasm that gave the whole show a darker edge, such as Moore’s interjection regarding minority groups in the force: “we don’t allow people who are colourblind into the police force as they wouldn’t know who to stop search”. Other elements, however, remained endearing with the comic’s obvious nice character shining through, which served as an intriguing contrast against the shocking ironies of some of his lines.

Here we have a stand up who undeniably cares for his craft a great deal and the hours of work behind the material showed in the pages of notes he flicked through between segments. It felt at times that he was perhaps a little too eager to generalise ‘the public’ and our likes and dislikes, maybe this is a policeman’s trait, with some observational assumptions sneaking in as Alfie tried to tie his material together into a definitive narrative. I’m sure this is something he can work on over the coming weeks as the final parts of the show come together; it’s just a case of fine-tuning now.

Alfie Moore is currently performing preview shows of A Fair Cop Stands Up across the UK and will be taking the completed show to Edinburgh in August.

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Seven Questions With… Adrienne Truscott

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one-trick pony!Adrienne Truscott is bold; her comedy is exciting, fresh and uncompromising. Truscott is a prime example of a comedian who takes the art form by the throat, reshaping it in her own unique way to enable serious topics to become accessible and taboo subjects to become public domain. Her latest show Adrienne Truscott’s A One-Trick Pony! (which she’ll be performing at the Edinburgh Festival) is set to be high-octane, political and absurd, so surely it’s an occasion not to be missed.
To learn more about the woman behind the show, I asked Adrienne these seven questions…

1) What is the most important aspect of comedy?

Brains, timing, vulnerability and an absence of dignity. By all accounts, a fucked up childhood doesn’t hurt. Um, that’s five aspects. Apparently being good at ‘maths’ isn’t a comedic requirement.

2) Do you tend to get upset if you hurt someone’s feelings?

Yes I do. And I can lean towards an acerbic sense of humour, so sometimes I think things come out of my mouth faster than I mean for them to. I think usually however, my sense of humour is, at least, triggered by or at the expense of the powerful – which makes the target somewhat susceptible. as opposed to the powerless, as well as by hypocrisy – including my own. I’ve been the target of my own jokes a few times and really hurt my own feelings.

3) What is your favourite tourist attraction?

Any waterfall or cave anywhere in the world. I love those things and ideally those two things together. That said, as an American, a castle sort of does my head in. The USA post-revolution is so young, our sense of history can be pretty brief and self-serving over there – we don’t have castles, only mansions. The Edinburgh Castle is truly one of the most mind-blowing castles of all time. And I swear on a beheaded queen I’m not just saying that because it’s Ed Fringe. Over in the US, we conveniently exclude ourselves from the notion of more barbaric times, dungeons, plagues, etc. and even though it could be wrongly romanticized, an actual castle inspires a pretty boundless sense of adventure and imagination for this gal. In that way, the midnight tours of the underground city with some bourbon is sort of an amazing combination of castle and cave.

4) What is the worst thing anyone could say to you right now?

‘Did you vote for President Trump?! High Five.’  Both Trump and high fives make me uncomfortable in equal measure.

5) Are you a secretive person?

Oh God no. I spill the beans about myself too easily I think. Too many good stories. But I’m good with other peoples’ secrets. I have one person’s secret that I’ve still never told – even though revealing it would have dug me out of a deep hole and served as my defence in a delicate matter. But it didn’t seem like my secret to tell, even though I took a bit of a hit for something that wasn’t really my fault. Alas, it was worth it. But some secrets are good to tell and it depends on who is the keeper of the secrets. For instance, I think it’s great for artists to talk to one another about their deals, etc. and not keep them secret. I don’t think, in that instance, secrets do the right people the right service.

6) Do you enjoy competition in your profession?

I think I can be pretty competitive. I was a jock for a lot of my life. But I think I’m mostly competitive if there is a ball involved. Not a ball like a fancy dance, and not a testicle – when those are involved I say everyone have at it! I mean just a round ball, that’s in play. I’ll wanna get it.

7) What core message does your latest show convey?

Hmmm, that definitions and categories about comedy and types are irrelevant… which might not be as fun as these other messages: that irony is ironic, that pancakes are delicious, vaginas are hilarious, hookers are nice and I’m the toughest wrestler in town. Or that the late, great, legendary Andy Kaufman was a feminist performance artist. Or, that the best comedians steal. Take your pick.

ADRIENNE TRUSCOTT IS BRINGING HER SHOW ‘ADRIENNE TRUSCOTT’S A ONE-TRICK PONY’ TO THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL NEXT MONTH

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Seven Questions With… Carl Hutchinson

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Carl Hutchinson is a charming stand up comedian who has in the past been described as “uniquely stubborn, outright impractical and undeniably hilarious,” and having previously supported fellow Northern comic Chris Ramsey on tour, his name is becoming an ever more popular one. Carl is currently adding the finishing touches to his latest show Learning The Ropes, which he will perform at this year’s Edinburgh Festival.
To learn a little more, I asked Carl these seven questions…

Carl Hutchinson© Ashley Maile1) Would Britain benefit from having a siesta?

I certainly would, when I was a teacher I always said if I could start at 10 I’d be much more productive, poor kids.

2) Are you a responsible adult?

Yes, I wash dishes and everything.

3) How nervous were you before your first gig?

Very!

4) Would you say you’re obsessive?

No, I mean Yes, wait No, Yes? I don’t know, let me count to 107 and I’ll let you know then.

5) Which sport shouldn’t exist?

Snooker, televised Snooker.

6) Do you want to stand out or fit in?

It really depends on the situation.

7) Why is comedy important to you?

It was my entertainment as a child, my escape when I was an adolescent & my living as an adult. It’s always been my passion.

CARL HUTCHINSON IS BRINGING HIS SHOW ‘LEARNING THE ROPES’ TO THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL IN AUGUST.

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Edinburgh Preview: Rob Rouse

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Rob Rouse

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Rob Rouse is a name I knew, but a face I did not, so it was great to finally be able to put a face to the name of this rising star in stand up comedy, at one of the Edinbrum Preview nights at the MAC in Birmingham.

Rob’s energy is consistently intense for the duration of his time on stage, perhaps reflecting who he is as a person. The general enthusiasm he presents his show with is admirable and would probably have been enough to see him through even if his material was sub-standard. But, of course this wasn’t the case and Rob’s delivery merely served to enhance what is already a well crafted, and satisfyingly personal hour, with material about his ‘wife’ and two young children, as well as delving (perhaps a little too far) into the details of his own health and recent visits to the doctor.

Throughout the show, especially towards the end, it appeared that a lot of what was being said was entirely impulsive, with Rouse bouncing off the audience as well as exploring his own ideas within the written show a little further. He showed skill in his noticing of which parts got the best reaction and running further with them, persistently driving ideas through to, and often past, their apparent conclusions, in order to get the most out of his material. Not only does this show great artistic bravery as a performer, it also allowed Rouse to demonstrate what an able storyteller he is, often delivering hilarious anecdotes that didn’t necessarily need any punch lines as such. The look in his eyes told us he couldn’t quite believe this untested, spontaneous material was going so well, which only added to the enjoyable element of comedic danger present in the room.

This hyperactive evening of comedy was greatly enjoyed by Rob’s audience and certainly, it was clear, by the comedian himself. It will be interesting to compare the end product of this show to the inner workings we were able to see.

Rob Rouse will soon be performing his new show across the UK.

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Do The Right Thing, Series 5 Preview

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Do The Right Thing is a relatively long-running comedy panel show podcast hosted by comedian and radio presenter Danielle Ward with team captains stand up comic Michael Legge and comedy actress Margaret Cabourn-Smith, recorded at the Soho Theatre.

22lHV9XtRecorded in front of a live audience, Do The Right Thing has the feel of a respectable and well-established teatime radio panel show but there are exciting elements to the production also, making it instantly recognisable from other such podcasts and radio shows. The language is often vulgar and there is a lot shouting and disarray, but perfectly contained in a well-intentioned, surreal little sweary bubble. Given the strangest of hypothetical situations, panellists are invited to pose the best thing to do to solve a dilemma, with naturally funny consequences; there are film references galore, absurd anecdotes and some very dark humour.

Each episode features two guest panelists as well as an expert guest who features for one of the rounds, including the likes of author and psychopath expert Jon Ronson as well as a submariner, taxi driver, historian and flower importer. A favourite of mine would have to be photographer Idil Sukan (S5E2) who has recently been making waves via her moving piece about gender equality, which I urge you to read.

Danielle Ward is very skilled at manoeuvring conversations and ensuring there are no starchy pauses, though it seems unlikely that there would ever be any, due to the good relationship between the three regulars and the guests. Participants are often even given the chance to plug their own shows too, a further gesture of good will, and producer Ben Walker is made a crucial part of the show, providing some of the questions, all of the answers and the scores. Here we have a really upbeat and enjoyable comedy podcast, with a unique concept and a rich array of interesting comedic guests.

SERIES FIVE OF THE ‘DO THE RIGHT THING’ PODCAST WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD FOR FREE FROM ITUNES

Seven Questions With… Thünderbards

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The comedy double-act Thünderbards is made up of comics Glenn Moore and Matt Stevens and has been described as “without question one of the funniest sketch shows on the Fringe” by GQ. With clever word play and punchy sketches and anecdotes, Moore and Stevens have an admirable energy on stage, which never seems to waver. They will be bringing their third hour of comedy, a show named Chapter III, to this year’s Edinburgh Festival.
I asked Thünderbards these seven questions in order to learn a little more about the duo…

1) What annoys you most about performing as a part of a double act?

GM: Having to split our earnings after each gig. I just feel that if we were going at it alone, we’d be filthy rich by now, and it becomes increasingly frustrating going home with up to £2.50 each after a gig, when I know that it would have been such a game-changer having that fiver all to myself.

MS: Performing with Glenn is great, I feel really comfortable on stage with someone who I have performed with for years and who I know is instinctively funny. His punctuality is a nightmare though, he’s late for everything.

2) Do you ever worry that people won’t like you as a person?

GM: This is literally the only thing I think about.

MS: Always. Everything I do on stage is a character of some sort, even when I’m nominally playing myself between scenes. I’d hate the idea of really exposing the true me on stage to a room of strangers in case they hated the show. That would feel like a judgement on me as a person. I love a lot of really personal, confessional comedy, but I think people who do it really well, like Simon Amstell for example, pay a price of insecurity for giving themselves over to an audience to be judged as a person.

3) What makes you feel safe?

GM: In terms of comedy gigs, any sign of friends, family or returning audience members watching it. Outside of comedy, any form of public transport that isn’t the night-bus, and any TV show starring Martin Clunes.

MS: On stage? Tried and tested material and/or our own audience (ie. not a club or mixed bill night). In life, I’d say that my girlfriend makes me feel safe, in that if she is calm and not worried about an issue, I tend to be too.

4) What do you really not care about?

GM: Any TV show that doesn’t star Martin Clunes.

MS: Fashion vloggers. There’s nothing that any one of them could say or do that would make me even feign interest.

5) What part of your childhood do you refuse to let go of?

GM: Ren and Stimpy, Angel Delight, and Key Stage 3 exams (year after year, I insist on signing up to them).

MS: Haribo.

6) Is it hard to maintain your energy on stage?

GM: It’s not hard maintaining it onstage, but it’s unpleasant to deal with offstage. I don’t tend to realise I’m getting exhausted during a show, but I do sweat an awful amount throughout each one, and at the Edinburgh Fringe tend to get through more than one t-shirt per show. It’s so awful.

MS: I find that on stage energy is quite closely tied to how the audience are responding. If a show is going well, then it tends to get better as it goes along as I throw more and more into it. My weakness is allowing a bad show to change how I perform and drop my energy and commitment.

7) Why did it happen? (interpret as you wish)

GM: Because we needed to make the former third member of Thünderbards realise that he made a serious career error by leaving the group. Saying that, if we’re looking at this in terms of the Hindenburg disaster, we have to take into account the frailties of blimp technology at the time, and whether the pilots were fully equipped to deal with any overheating of machine parts.

MS: I’ll interpret that as being why did doing Thünderbards at the Fringe for a third year running happen? Well, I still see it as a university housemate joke that has got way out of hand. If I were to interpret the question as why did it happen in relation to the Hindenburg disaster, I’d say that it was probably because of the pure-hydrogen environment in the blimp and an overheating machine part.

THÜNDERBARDS WILL BE PERFORMING THEIR STAND UP SKETCH SHOW ‘CHAPTER III’ AT THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL IN AUGUST.

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Edinburgh Preview: Angela Barnes: Come As You Are

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Angela BarnesAngela Barnes is a name I have followed for quite a while now, and I’ve even interviewed her, but only recently found the opportunity to see her perform live at the MAC in Birmingham: a preview of her second stand up show, Come As You Are.

Things have been changing for Angela in recent times. She has found love, had various strange health hiccups and her friends have all started having children. And though she is keen to share all that she has learned with her audiences, it is clear that her adventures and successes career-wise have not gone to her head. Her general demeanour on stage is very approachable and friendly, which made the whole affair feel a little like a lovely, small village meeting rather than a stand up show, particularly as a result of the decision to abandon the microphone early on.

The show itself oozed competence and natural flair, despite it being a work-in-progress with infrequent pauses and note scribbling (which was of course to be expected). The content fitted together well and it felt as though we, as an audience, left feeling like more of a collective, such is the relatability of Angela’s material.

This new hour contains multiple incredibly dark elements (a sick reference to Nigella Lawson here, an anecdote about a lonely pensioner there) which seem to crop up out of nowhere and really lifted the whole experience to a new level. Often following up her delightfully grim comments with questions like “was that too dark?” as though that’s a bad thing makes me worry that Angela might actually remove them from the show, but I greatly hope that she keeps them in. I’d argue that there’s still room for her to add more.

Angela Barnes is currently performing preview shows of Come As You Are across the UK and will be taking the completed show to Edinburgh in August.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH ANGELA BARNES

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