Seven Questions With…

Seven Questions With… Patrick Monahan

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patrickmonahanPatrick Monahan is one of the most energetic performers to ever come out of Ireland or Iran or even Newcastle. With an uncanny ability to get audiences animated through singing, dancing and laughter it is perhaps unsurprising that Monahan’s demographic spans a large age range. His material is largely autobiographical: it’s honest, uplifting and immensely enjoyable to witness live. And the opportunity to witness the force that is Patrick Monahan live may come sooner than you think, as he is rumoured to be announcing a tour in the very near future.
To learn more about his comedy, I asked Patrick these seven questions…

1) Do you consider yourself to be proactive?

I think to survive as a stand up you have no choice but to be proactive, your material is constantly up on every social media on line, clips are put up on YouTube filmed by audience at gigs or by the police on CCTV and uploaded. So you have to keep writing and developing new comedy routines and gags and stories, cos if people discover you on line, and come to see you, it’s nice for them to see you doing something different. It’s not like being a singer that can do their greatest hits on line and on stage, I’d love to be Justin Bieber or Adele, but unfortunately stand ups can’t be.

2) Where does your love of dance come from?

I’ve always loved physical comedy from growing up watching comics like Robin Williams & Richard Pryor, who not only tell the story but re-enact every detail of the story. And I love comedy about real life things that have happened at clubs or music venues that instead of just telling it, I can express it through dance to the audience. I enjoy dancing but I don’t know how many people like watching me dance.

3) Do you love or loathe the concept of New Year?

I think the whole idea of having a new year its great fun, but in reality it doesn’t actually change that much from doing comedy a week before or a week after. Although people actually out on New Year’s Eve at a comedy show are a lot better behaved than people out in December cos most people out on NYE are mostly couples or family celebrating who want to listen to the show as opposed to office parties who want to sleep with Denise in accounts & roast Dave from finance who are out on a Xmas works do.

4) What would you define ‘lazy comedy’ as?

Anyone who nicks routines of another comic is obviously lazy and should be punished by being sent to a remote island with a laptop and not allowed off till they can write a one and half hour show of their own stand up. I have to write a new tour show every year and I didn’t even know my alphabet till I was 14. If I can write regularly then no excuses for anyone else.

5) Which subject bored you the most at school?

School was interesting for me cos I went to a couple of different schools, so before I could get too bored me family had moved to somewhere else. But I definitely think if I went back to school now, I’d get more out of it than when I was a kid. Also most schools give away a free tablet to write on.

6) Do you enjoy being busy?

I love it. I get 2 days off a year, which is Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, but to be honest, by the evening of Xmas I’m scratching around at home looking for an impromptu gig I can sneak onto!

7) Does the audience your comedy attracts ever surprise you?

My comedy audience range from 8 years old to 88 years old, mainly cos me comedy is non-offensive, without any swearing or anything too blue. So my audience will consist of couples & families who bring out their kids & grandparents. I love it, I’d never complain.

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH PATRICK MONAHAN’S COMEDY WORK BY VISITING HIS WEBSITE AND FOLLOWING HIM ON TWITTER.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Scott Bennett

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Scott Bennett

Charismatic Yorshireman Scott Bennett is an instantly likeable stand up performer, with an admirably relaxed delivery style on stage that enables audiences to trust his comedic judgement; he is a reassuring comic. Having recently taken his debut show to the Edinburgh Festival, Bennett is quickly moving up the ranks as a recognisable face on the circuit.
To learn more about Scott, I asked him these seven questions…

1) Why did you choose to write a show all about your father?

I should say that it was because I wanted a fitting tribute to my father, something that could unite us both and a piece of work we could both look back on with mutual respect and affection. The truth is that he is an endless source of material and I could have probably written a couple of shows. I love studying him, like a David Attenborough documentary, he’s such a rich and intriguing character. I don’t think I could have written a character as fertile with comedic value as my dad and the fact that his escapades have more than a ring of truth to them, just makes it even more attractive.

2) What is your favourite thing about Yorkshire?

Many things, the accent, the thrifty money-saving mentality, even the food – which other county can boast their own savoury pudding? We also got a stage of a major cycling race recently; this was a big deal. I was tempted to go up there with a whippet tied to the back of my Raleigh Grifter with a bit of string and join the leading pack as they passed through Ilkley.

3) Do you think it is important for comedy to be relatable?

I think it depends on the subject matter and how it is conveyed. I think as long as the audience are made to feel part of the comedian’s world that’s the main thing. I love many styles of comedy, although I do have a soft spot for pure observational stand-up comedy. There is a real beauty in the simplicity of it; you can get a bigger laugh if the audience can immediately understand the direction you are taking them in.

4) What has surprised you recently?

How much I enjoyed the BBC programme “The Great Pottery Throwdown” – yes, it’s just people making pots, but it’s bloody marvellous. I think I am definitely getting a potter’s wheel in the shed. Imagine how good that would be, nipping out to put the bin out and then come back in with an ashtray and a vase; amazing. I am also going to be a father for the second time in January, which is fantastic. I probably should have mentioned that before the pottery programme really.

5) Which job role would you hate to have?

The Prime Minister. Imagine the stress of that job, the decisions you would have to make would terrify me. I know politicians aren’t perfect but it’s not an easy job. I’ve heard the way they get grilled at eight in the morning by John Humphreys on the today programme; it’s brutal. I am barely functional at that time of the day; I often have to slide out of my pit like a hungover Gollum, it’s an effort just to form words. Also as a comic I wouldn’t be able to resist the urge to slip material into Prime Minister’s Questions, or slam the leader of the opposition like a heckler in a comedy club. I’d also definitely fiddle my expenses; forget the duck houses and moats I would be sneaking through obscene amounts of Ginsters pasties, Red Bull and caffeine eye rollers, the staples for any road comic.

6) Do you look forward to retiring or dread it?

I am looking forward to it, as long as I am healthy and comfortable it could be great. I’m going to follow in my father’s footsteps and start paying the world back for the misery it has caused me. I could spend the mornings just getting out into rush hour traffic and getting in other people’s way, sitting in supermarket car parks with my indicators on just waiting for spaces and clogging up the queues at the post office just to buy a single stamp. Afternoons would obviously be spent on the potter’s wheel. I’m hoping my children would keep me; I’ll have two girls who’ll be grown up by then. The first one has already shown some aptitude for performance and drama, so if I don’t hit the big time, I will be focusing all my efforts over the next few years living my dreams through her, like any good parent should.

7) Are you content?

That’s difficult to say. In my personal life I would say yes, I’ve got a lot to be thankful for. My wife is brilliant. People often forget about the partners of those who do comedy or any type of performance, it’s a thankless task and they have to be unwavering in their support. It’s not an easy sell, “sorry love, I can’t stay and change the nappies; I’ve got to go on stage in Liverpool and seek validation from a room full of strangers! Bye!”

With regards to my comedy career, I am proud of what I have achieved but I am always looking to push things on. I want to develop as an act, do bigger and better shows and take my writing up a level. I have many projects I am keen to try and get off the ground; sitcom ideas, new hour shows, the list is endless! I feel as soon as you feel content with your comedy career you become complacent, you have to keep the pressure on.

SCOTT BENNETT IS CURRENTLY PERFORMING ACROSS THE UK

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Shazia Mirza

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Shazia Mirza 1 - pls credit Linda Nylind.jpegShazia Mirza is a comedian and columnist from my home city of Birmingham. Where others may stay well back, Mirza tackles difficult political topics head-on, effortlessly demonstrating to us all why comedy is so vital in this day and age and using her stand up as a platform to get us talking about important social issues. Shazia is currently preparing to take her 2015 Edinburgh show The Kardashians Made Me Do It on tour across the UK.
I asked Shazia these seven questions to learn more about her…

1) Is it important to you to find humour in serious subjects?

It’s not important, I just try to do material on whatever I feel something about. So if I’m angry, sad, happy about something, I’ll try and find jokes about that because at least I feel something about it. It’s when I don’t feel anything about anything that I feel stuck, which happens often, as you can’t care about everything and sometimes its tiring so I just think oh I’ll go to bed and have a cup of tea.

2) Which part of the country is your favourite?

I love the Midlands, because I was born in Birmingham and the humour feels very familiar when I go home. I feel like they get me, they are laughing with me, and I can make in house jokes that only we can laugh at. I can also talk ‘Birmingham’ – that is my lingo with my accent, which just makes people run from me if I do it elsewhere.

3) What is it that made you quit being a teacher?

The tipping point was when someone kept stealing my mug in the staffroom. I thought I’m not having this anymore. Also I was doing jokes in the classroom, which they just didn’t get, and I thought I could make more money doing this out in the clubs, so I did. 

4) Which month of the year is your favourite?

September. I can go on holiday, it’s cheaper but it’s still hot and the kids have all gone back to school so there is peace and quiet on the beaches of the South of France.

5) Are you usually early or late for things?

Late. Because I try to fit in 20 things in one day. For some reason I still think I can do a gig in San Francisco and Leicester on the same night.

6) Do you fear failure?

I’ve failed so much that I can’t imagine progressing any further without failure. If I don’t fail at something every few months, it feels weird. Everyone needs a car crash to remind them they are not invincible. 

7) Is 2015 a good time to be a comedian?

I have been a comedian in other years too, but it seems like now there is so much you can’t help but joke about. There is so much in your face that’s getting people angry and frustrated every day that there is loads to say. Everyone is being affected by something these days that can make them angry. 

SHAZIA MIRZA IS TOURING HER LATEST SHOW ‘THE KARDASHIANS MADE ME DO IT’ IN EARLY 2016

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Luke Toulson

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Luke Toulson 1October’s Comedian Of The Month, Luke Toulson, is an immediately likeable stand up comedian, with his relaxed and casual delivery enabling him to secure an immediate audience connection. Undeniably slick yet simultaneously coming across as sincere, Toulson is a comic who excels on the live circuit.
To learn more about Luke, I asked him these seven questions…

1) Why are you a stand up comedian?
A combination of being the least smart of 4 kids and playing the fool to get attention, failing at an awful lot of things during my 20s, and then seeing a Bill Hicks DVD.

2) What kind of person makes you feel the most frustrated?
People at the front of self-service queues who aren’t paying attention, people who believe the Tory economic argument, and lazy comedians.

3) Do you want people to think that you are clever?
Yes, but I don’t mind when they think I’m stupid.

4) What will you always have time for?
I love every second I spend with my kids, which is sadly less than I would like. Even an amateur psychologist would suss out that those two statements are probably related.

5) Have you conquered any big fears in your life?
I guess quitting drinking falls into this category.

6) Which film could you watch on repeat?
The Blues Brothers.

7) Are there any comedians you aspire to be more like?
My favourite stand-up is Bill Burr, but I don’t want to be more like any comedian, I just want to be a better version of the comedian I am. However, I would gratefully accept Sara Pascoe’s bravery and work-ethic, Henry Paker’s mind, and the looks of various comedians it would be too embarrassing to name.

LUKE TOULSON IS CURRENTLY PERFORMING AT VENUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

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…

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…

Seven Questions With… Harriet Kemsley

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Harriet Kemsley is a delightful stand up comedian with an undeniably sinister edge. With her endearing, almost-childlike delivery of material that expertly blends the silly with cutting, bitter and sarcastic elements, Harriet is rapidly crafting a distinctive comedy persona. She has recently been supporting the likes of Katherine Ryan and Stewart Francis on their UK tours as well as appearing on The One Show Edinburgh Showcase in August.
To learn more about Harriet, I asked her these seven questions…

1) Are you at all similar to your parents?

I have inherited the best of both worlds. I got my Mum’s overwhelming anxieties and my Dad’s massive head.

2) Do you write your material down?

Yes. Because otherwise I would forget. I have to write everything in my life down or I won’t remember. I write very basic things I have to do on my hand and then I wake up with them smeared to my forehead and I go about my day.

harriet-kemsley-edinburgh-fringe

3) What did you most enjoy about university?

I really really enjoyed the last day. I found Uni unnecessarily stressful, but I did enjoy having my rent paid for by my student loan.

4) What kind of people do you like making friends with?

I particularly like fun people. They are my absolute favourite. Big idiots that can laugh at themselves. If I was to go on friend Tinder I would swipe right for big fun honest idiots.

5) Do you pay much attention to detail?

Awlays. I am completely paranoid about everything so I have to read an email about 3000 times before I send it just to check I haven’t subconsciously written something like YOU’REABIGIDIOT in the middle. It’s the same with everything. It took me ages to wrap presents last Christmas as I became paranoid I was going to wrap dirty knickers up with them.

6) Which comedians inspire you most?

I am in love with Amy Schumer and Maria Bamford and Sarah Silverman and Katherine Ryan. They are all just perfect and I want to marry them.

7) Do you know what you want?

I think so. I really like doing comedy and I really want to get great at it. I would really like a proper home as I live in squalor with disgusting boys and one day I would really like to wake up to the sound of birds singing and not someone masturbating in the shower. And I would also like a little dog.

HARRIET KEMSLEY IS SOON TO BE PERFORMING HER DEBUT SHOW ‘PUPPY FAT’ AT VARIOUS VENUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Andy Hamilton

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© Steve Ullathorne

Andy Hamilton is an award winning comedy writer and stand up comedian, perhaps best known for co-creating and writing Outnumbered, who has recently been working on satirical television shows such as Ballot Monkeys and the comedy film What We Did On Our Holiday with fellow writer Guy Jenkin. Now he is back on the road with a new stand up show: Change Management.
To learn more about this fascinating comedian and writer, I asked Andy these seven questions…

1) Which piece of your satirical writing are you most proud of?

That’s a difficult ask. A lot of what I’ve written I’ve now forgotten. But I’m very proud of Drop the Dead Donkey, Old Harry’s Game, and a TV film called 11 Men against 11. And there is quite a lot of craftily-hidden satire in Outnumbered.

2) What frustrates you most?

I find frustration very frustrating, so I try to avoid it. Sadly, however, I have to use the tube every day. So I tend to bypass frustration and go straight to rage.

3) Do you like to plan ahead?

Not really. As a freelance writer, my life is dictated by the decisions of others, so I go with the flow and see where I wash up.

4) When was the last time your job got you in trouble?

When a van-driver greeted me in the street as “Satan”. It caused a bit of a stir. I got away in the end.

5) Where would you go if you could go anywhere?

Antarctica. My boyhood hero was Captain Oates. No, I’m kidding. I’ll go anywhere there’s room service.

6) What were you most afraid of as a child?

Mr Rayner. A teacher who thought kids were percussion instruments. I’m probably safe from him now.

7) Can comedians say anything?

Yes, unless they’re mimes. And provided that what they say is funny and not just saying stuff.

ANDY HAMILTON IS CURRENTLY TOURING HIS NEW SHOW ‘CHANGE MANAGEMENT’

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Fred MacAulay

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© Andrew Ogilvy

Fred MacAulay is a name known to many a Radio 4 listener having appeared on The News Quiz, Bridget Christie’s Mind The Gap and The Unbelievable Truth, to name just a few. The Scottish comic has also featured on episodes of QI , Have I Got News For You and Mock The Week and is currently touring his first stand up show since 2012 named Twenty Fifteen. MacAulay clearly has a great deal of experience working on the comedy circuit, having performed at the Edinburgh Festival 27 times in his career so far.
To learn more about Fred, I asked him these seven questions…

1) Are you glad that comedy wasn’t your first job?

Yes. And I’m equally delighted that it’s my last job. Can’t see me doing anything different ever. Maybe acting. Maybe singing. But they’d be sidelines. Comedy first.

2) Which time of year is your favourite?

Toss-up between summer and winter. I love the fresh crisp winter days when the hills are white with fresh snow, but I love the summer mornings when the sun is streaming in through our front door to greet me as I come downstairs to feed the dogs. If you could give me one such winters day with 16 hours of sunshine I’d be a happy man.

3) What motivates you in life?

I’ll be honest with you… I like earning, it’s not the sole motivation, but when I was a boy I was envious of the rich kids who had great skis and the best ski boots. I had wooden skis and lace-up boots, and I was determined that one day I’d be able to have the good gear. Having said that, I was doing very well in my previous occupation, so the REAL motivation is that in work terms… I get to do what I love to do. Simple as that. Ask anyone who does that and you’ll find a degree of satisfaction that is missing from people on jobs they ‘make do with’.

4) What attribute do you wish you had?

Wisdom.

5) What are you bored of?

TV shows like Cash in the Attic or Shit in the Loft or whatever it’s called. Surely there’s NOTHING left for the BBC to evaluate.

6) What is the most frightening thing about performing comedy, for you?

That I’ve no idea what the next routine is. Or even worse, the end of the current one. The former has happened, the latter thankfully, never.

7) Are you at peace with the world?

Most of it. I’m not as forgiving as I should be, so there are a few people I’ve got issues with. Given the chance to settle scores, I probably wouldn’t. I generally avoid hassle and direct encounters.

INFORMATION ABOUT FRED MACAULAY’S LATEST TOUR IS AVAILABLE FROM HIS WEBSITE

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Diane Morgan

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© Matt Crockett

Diane Morgan is a face many will recognise, having starred in countless sitcoms such as Phoenix Nights and Uncle, being half of comedy double act Two Episodes of Mash with Joe Wilkinson and also performing stand up. But Diane is perhaps most well known for her hilarious role as Philomena Cunk on Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe, where she explores various ‘moments of wonder’, such as “what is clocks?” and “where does your lap go when you stand up?” which are valid questions, I’m sure you can agree.
To find out more about the comedian behind the character, I asked Diane these seven questions…

1) Clockwise or anti-clockwise?

Are you asking if I prefer things that go clockwise? Because most things do. I don’t know why. It’s none of my business. Hey, let’s try and get John Cleese to make Anti-Clockwise! (The sequel.)

2) How do you feel about the result of this year’s election?

I found it utterly unfathomable. The Tories are an absolute unmitigated disgrace of a party. An abomination. Deluded. Lacking in empathy and devoid of all humanity. Too much? I don’t think so. If I ever meet Cameron, Osborne or Ian Duncan Smith it will take all my strength not to kick them in the balls repeatedly.

3) Who would you most like to impress?

Peter Cook. Now sadly no longer with us of course but if he was I’d gladly iron his newspapers before he read them, do his shopping and learn to make his favourite dish. I’d basically become his servant. I don’t think I’d impress him. I’d be too eager to please. It would be revolting.

4) Do you waste a lot of time?

The whole of my 20’s were wasted. I sat around staring into space a lot. I had a string of dead-end jobs. I went to drama school so I’m not qualified to do anything useful.

Most people waste their 20’s, it’s tradition. I do wish I could go back in time and shake myself. I didn’t start doing stand up until I was 28, although there was no way I could’ve done it before. Now, I feel sick if I waste a day watching videos on YouTube instead of writing.

5) Would you visit Mars if given the opportunity?

I would not visit Mars. There’s nothing up there! You can see that from down here! I can’t even be bothered to look at pictures of it in a book. Also, it’s asking for trouble. You’d probably need jabs and everything. Holidays are generally quite stressful and disappointing. So no thanks.

6) What is your favourite thing about performing as a comedy character?

It’s like wearing a suit of armour. Not literally of course. I mean you feel protected. You can pretty much say anything you like and get away with it because it isn’t you. It’s very freeing.

7) What stops you from being bored?

I’m never bored. Not now we have the Internet. I also have lots of funny friends and admin, and writing and food. I’m good at doing nothing too! (see question 4.) I can very easily just sit down in an empty room and not be bored. I’d make an excellent prisoner. I’d keep everyone’s morale up.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SHOWS AND FUTURE PROJECTS, VISIT DIANE MORGAN’S WEBSITE

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…