James Acaster: Recognise (2014)

2 Comments
Jack Barry

Jack Barry

Thursday night saw Artrix Arts in Bromsgrove welcome James Acaster and Jack Barry to the stage. It was a pleasure to see Jack, a comedian I was previously unaware of, supporting James on his tour, with relevant and relatable material that had a subtle hint of madness that could be detected only in his straight-faced delivery of subjects involving suicide and, strangely enough, super powers.

Despite a frosty start for Acaster, as a result of an adamant audience member on the front row refusing to move his drink off the stage (which I’m surprised isn’t picked up on more often by comics due to it’s disregard of any form of ‘fourth wall’ or downright respect for the performance), he comfortably dived straight into the confusing world of loopholes, demonstrating wonderfully complex and creative thinking from the outset.

This peculiar comedian has a remarkable ability to weave together the most absurd stories, such as his adventures as an undercover cop, through his use of well thought-out call backs, but was also able to fall back on instinct as a result of the audience not being very enthusiastic at all, which was certainly observed by James, to say the least. As a result of being a member of a disappointingly unsupportive, bordering on selfish, audience, the show took on a very different feel to what it would normally, with a great deal of tension (that ended up working in Acaster’s favour as he expertly turned the gig around).

James Acaster

James Acaster

Hidden within the whimsical story-telling, James is clearly an excellent observational comic as well, in a way similar to that of Noel Fielding. It has been said, and I too believe to be true, that Fielding would make an outstanding observational comedian due to his compelling way of noticing and conveying minor details within people and situations alike. The cleverest part, regarding both Fielding and Acaster, however, is that they don’t rely on their observational skills alone. These two comics evidently work very hard at developing a multi-layered aspect to their routines, and that is something to be appreciated and congratulated.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing both Jack Barry and James Acaster perform their routines and look forward to seeing them again in the future, maybe with a more encouraging audience that can give this excellent comedy the platform it deserves.

Top 5 Moments… Shooting Stars

Leave a Comment

Shooting Stars is without doubt the greatest panel show ever made, with it lasting for a healthy six series and spanning from 1993 to 2011. It remains a source of frustration for me that the programme was cancelled in 2011 as it definitely hadn’t exhausted itself in anyway. The best justification for this may very well be that the comedic style of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer was a tad too strange for a new and evolving audience, though there is still a gap in my life ever since its cancellation. I have very fond memories of being only nine or ten years old and absolutely crying with laughter at the madness that is Shooting Stars, from its Dove From Above round to Vic’s pub singing.

5) Jack Dee Finally Laughs

Every single week, Jack Dee was forced to listen to Vic talk disparagingly of his miserable face. Every single week, Jack Dee remained calm, if a little irritable throughout, until, finally on one fateful episode towards the end of the reign of Vic and Bob’s Shooting Stars, he snapped. The man with “a face like a neglected radish” actually cracked a smile.

4) The Arrival of Angelos Epithemiou

We were all pretty gutted to hear that Matt Lucas would not be returning as Man With The Scores: George Dawes in series 7, but the pain was dulled by the news that he was to be replaced by regular panellist and burger van owner Angelos Epithemiou (played by Dan Skinner). Angelos is a very complex character; an easily aggravated, no-nonsense loner, if you will, with his infamous carrier bag that contains a wild array of goods…

3) Larry Hagman

Poor Dallas star Larry Hagman was in for a big shock when he was booked to appear on the show when he clearly didn’t really understand what it was all about. In fairness, he was a good sport throughout the episode but it was an effort to hide the confusion he inevitably would feel when in the presence of the two madmen. A slightly bewildered Hagman responded to a question from Bob towards the end of the episode, “Are you beginning to think you may sack your agent?” with, “I’ve done some loony shows in my time but this is certainly the one”.

2) Baked Potato

Out of George Dawes’ wonderful back catalogue of ingenious songs, Baked Potato is the one that made me laugh the most. All of the giant baby’s tunes have proved to be very catchy and, of course, hysterically funny over the years but something about the addition of a talking potato really made this song special. This particular number taught its audience many moral lessons such as “do be happy, don’t be sad” and “do be early, don’t be late”. Once you’ve heard it a few times you will find yourself singing it all day everyday so “Thank you Baked Potato!”

1) Tiny Eyes

Not only is the song in this clip absolutely absurd, the visuals also aim to shock: with the eyes of all involved literally being of minute proportions. It is honestly quite difficult to find Tiny Eyes unfunny, especially for a person who ‘understands’ the comedy of Reeves and Mortimer, which appeals to both old and young. The sequel to Tiny Eyes is another must watch due to the faultless insanity and that is entitled Tiny Hands, I’ll leave you to guess the rest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9UYWa0zZf0

It is important that we celebrate Shooting Stars for the treasure that it was and appreciate the sheer amount of comedic skill hidden beneath the surface, underneath the apparent madness. What is your favourite Shooting Stars moment of all time? Let me know in the comments, or by tweeting me at @moodycomedy.

Want to know what my top five IT Crowd moments are?

Brenda Monk Is Funny

2 Comments

They say write about what you know, and that is certainly what comedian and writer Katy Brand has done in her debut novel Brenda Monk Is Funny.

brenda monkIt is refreshing to be told about the inner workings of the comedy industry in the form of something other than a stroppy article or bitter passing comment. In today’s world it seems like a large majority of people get their information from such sources, which is understandable, and don’t feel the need to find out what a different person on the inside might have to say due to the effort it might take to find the information. Katy Brand, however, has made it easy for us, so we really have no excuse for being ignorant.

Brenda Monk is the girlfriend of successful and entirely intolerable circuit comic, Jonathan Cape. She loves comedy, but Jonathan is the one with a career in the industry and she has always accepted that. However, this is a time of change for Brenda as she begins to question things she has never thought about before: could she cut it as a stand up comedian?

Brand has effortlessly cumulated her skilful storytelling with her in depth knowledge of the comedy industry to great effect. She has fairly and honestly represented the highs and lows of being a stand-up comic as far as I can understand, whilst also scratching the surface of more controversial topics such as the role of women in comedy and the different ‘classes’ (for want of a better word) within the industry.

“People who come here are grown ups. If they can’t handle it, they shouldn’t come. Or they should just go and see the big tours of the nice, safe stand-ups they know they already like and will never say anything that will challenge anything they already think and feel.”

On a personal level, I found this book to be very relatable and even reassuring as a result of Brand’s dealing with the nitty gritty aspects of what being a comedian entails. As well as being interesting, this story is also very endearing and the development of Brenda’s character has been dealt with fluently and sensitively, whilst being sufficiently informative and therefore a useful read.

And there is still benefit to be gained for those who don’t share my interest in stand up comedy. Brenda Monk is Funny gives a powerful message to its readership, one of striving to achieve an end goal.

“and thought, “I could say anything I want to. I could say anything I want to.” She was reeling from that one moment alone. The rest was just a matter of writing some jokes.”

PURCHASE ‘BRENDA MONK IS FUNNY’ ON AMAZON NOW

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH KATY BRAND

Review: Tony Law – Enter The Tone Zone

Leave a Comment

Tony Law bounds onto the stage over an hour late, dressed in a black lycra catsuit and armed with a trombone. It’s what we have all learned to expect by now.

If you saw last year’s Tony Lawshow, Nonsense Overdrive, you might think that previous hour of material was relatively normal in relation to this one. There was shouting, brass instrument playing, beach ball throwing, plastic snake wielding, dancing, and even dreaded audience participation. Though the Tone Zone allegedly has no material and no plan, he certainly, and somewhat unbelievably, had absolute control over his audience who were hanging on to every whimsical word.

With the sound of a foghorn, Tony was off on a surreal adventure that spanned an array of absurd subject matter from viking quests to the death of a pet. And just as the insanity all got a bit too much, Tony would expertly change the pace with a reference to mainstream comedy such as Live at the Apollo or 8 out of 10 Cats, both of which this comic is slightly too weird for. With Apollo-worthy anecdotes about his beloved dog, Cartridge Davison, and his two trolls (human twins), Tony showed emotion, though he had to change his accent to suit this, naturally.

This, teamed with the strangest audience I have ever been a part of, made for a very intense comedy experience, or in other words: absolute chaos. Tony effortlessly dealt with challenges from a disheartened lady in the front row who “just didn’t get it,” and replied to her cries of “I just wanted to have a good night,” by explaining that she really should have done her research before booking tickets to see Tony Law of all people, which is fair enough. It is no surprise that the two complainers left during the interval, and it brought the rest of the audience together beautifully in a unified defiance.

You could be forgiven for assuming there could be no greater finale than that of last year: an interactive musical puppet show. But this time we were treated to a truly incredible performance, despite inevitable technical difficulties, including a slideshow and a trombone solo. Tony Law left in a Tony-Law-fashion: late for a train and clutching a deflating beach ball. It’s fair to say, the women on the front row would have absolutely despised the second half.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH TONY LAW

Tony Law

A Birthday

1 Comment

Today marks one year since I first decided to start a blog about comedy. It’s unbelievable how quickly this first year has flown by and how many brilliant opportunities have come from that one decision last October and though I wouldn’t normally have thought to write a post of this nature, I am doing so because I am honestly quite shocked at how much I have managed to achieve in one year. When I first began writing about comedy on the internet, I could never have predicted that Moody Comedy would become such a big part of my life; one that I am proud of and eager to share with anyone and everyone.

The past twelve months for me have involved seeing some incredible shows from Rob Beckett, Lloyd Griffith, Paul Foot, Tony Law, Joe Lycett, Sara Pascoe, John Robins and Bridget Christie as well as having a few more exciting potential trips planned for the near future. I have continued to collect autographs, most recently from Aisling Bea, Rhys Darby (of Flight of the Conchords), Richard Herring and a letter from the living legend that is Harry Enfield.

The site has evolved from previous basic reviews and short chatty posts to develop an array of regular, and one-off, features including A Week in the Life, Comedian of the Month, Comedy Catch Up, Top 5 Moments, The Mighty Boosh Revisited, Garth Marenghi Revisited, and, most amazingly, my Seven Questions With feature which has allowed me to interview some fascinating people.

One of the main reasons I set up this site was to be able to express to the creators of the comedy I love how much I admire and appreciate their work. This is why I am very active on Twitter and enjoy encouraging comedians, actors and writers to read what I have said about them and their shows. My favourite correspondences include comments from Graham Linehan, Bob Mortimer and Alan Davies as well as a retweet from the one and only Noel Fielding (which sent my stats into meltdown!).

A Birthday

It has been an absolute pleasure maintaining and expanding Moody Comedy and I have been lucky enough to receive advice, encouragement and publicity from the lovely people at The British Comedy Guide and The Velvet Onion, especially Mark (founder and editor of The British Comedy Guide) and Paul Holmes (editor of The Velvet Onion). It has been brilliant to be able to gain insight into the professions of these interesting and successful people whilst learning the ropes myself.

Considering this website is a purely a hobby of mine and that I am still only sixteen, having just completed my GCSEs and now starting my AS Levels, I’m going to do what I rarely allow myself to do: to tell the world that I have worked bloody hard and that I am proud of it.

I also want to encourage anyone reading, regardless of age, to follow where your interests take you. The world is a busy place and it’s easy to get caught up in just keeping yourself running, rather than trying to achieve something new or something that requires more effort. With a little hard graft, your interests can become your hobbies or even your passions, and who wouldn’t want to do a little more of what they enjoy?

Thank you all so very much for supporting Moody Comedy and myself; it has been a joy writing for you and I can’t wait to see where another year may take us.

TV Review: Rhod Gilbert’s Work Experience, Series 5

Leave a Comment

Rhod Gilbert is the King of Similes and the possible love-child of Dylan Moran and Paul O’Grady. Words cannot easily express the comedic talent of this man, nor is it a simple task to pinpoint his style of comedy without relying on a selection of direct quotes.

Work Experience is a show that sets a challenge and then sees it accomplished. During each episode, the comedian is made to learn all about a new profession for the first time and complete a trial run of that career choice. It sounds simple enough. But what Work Experience teaches Rhod, and the television audience, is that there are a great number highly underestimated and undervalued workers out there with incredibly arduous jobs. When the slightly odd format and incredibly deadpan comedy of Gilbert are combined, this makes for real entertainment.

Rhod Gilbert

Not only is the programme humorous, but it is also informative and eccentric, with stunning camera work (particularly evident in episode one: Fisherman). With such a massive amount of laughs and lessons crammed into half an hour, you’d think it would feel heavy or even boring, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

These mini documentaries leave you feeling educated, entertained and contented (the latter being down to Rhod Gilbert’s presence alone). It is light-hearted, friendly and often pretty stupid (again, down to Rhod) and is one of those programmes that feels so personable, it’s as if we are reading funny man’s own diary. He allows himself to be vulnerable and makes it clear when he is afraid or out of his comfort zone and that is something of great value and importance to me as a viewer.

To catch up on the latest series, visit BBC iPlayer

TV Review: The League of Gentlemen

1 Comment

The League of Gentlemen is a dark comedy classic, full of hideous characters and disturbing events. It is often a very difficult show to watch, if not only for the sheer number of times we must see Mark Gatiss die in the most brutal of ways. That would be pretty traumatic for anyone.

Royston Vasey is a place for misfits; a place for the flawed, the unsettled and the peculiar. It is obvious when there is an intruder in the village, and we all know what happens to intruders, to un-locals. From the iconic married couple: Tubbs and Edward, who insist that their shop is a “local shop for local people”, to the patronising head of the Job Centre: Pauline (who would have guessed that Steve Pemberton would make such a wonderful woman?), The League of Gentlemen covers a wide range of characters and sketches.

There is one advantage to being fifteen years late watching this programme and that is that I can clearly see how it has influenced, and shares similarities of, our British comedy culture today, especially shows like Little Britain and The Mighty Boosh. Another development that should be clear to today’s viewers is that of Inside No. 9: the most recent work from Shearsmith and Pemberton, and another dark and twisted comedy delight.

It is clear that a huge amount of care and general hard graft went into the making of this programme and this is evident in the fragments between sketches, such as posters for crazy things like missing fingers and downright disgusting things like an exploded tortoise stuck to the roof of a taxi. The camera work is wonderful at sweepingly through the village and showing some of the various absurd places and people.

The League of Gentlemen is a programme that no comedy-lover should miss, though I expect most people haven’t missed it at all; it was only I who was stupid enough to do that.

September: Comedian Of The Month #8, Tom Wrigglesworth

1 Comment
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.

Tom Wrigglesworth could be from absolutely anywhere: a circus, the local park, or another world entirely. His image ranges from regular man with incredible hair, to insane circus ringmaster dressed in purple and blue and green. Tom is endearing and accessible yet obviously intelligent, whilst often hinting at teetering on the edge of controversy, though he is always in full control.

A particular favourite example of this would be Tom’s material about his neighbour, Fatima, who wears a burkha. The point is that she covers her face and body so nobody else can see her, yet also wears a pair of glasses that enable her to see everyone else, a paradox in itself. It’s ridiculous, but it’s funny too: apparently you can only have one, religion or science, let’s not be greedy.

Wrigglesworth is a comedian with lots of observational material. What makes him stand out, however, is that he truly understands what it is to observe. He sees the things that absolutely nobody else sees, he makes things up, he connects the dots in a way that most wouldn’t think to. This is where observational comedy becomes an art form to me, especially considering that many of the anecdotes are unlikely to have actually happened and therefore rely on imagination alone.

I know I often compare comics to Paul Foot (aspects of them, of course, as it would be impossible to be anything like him as a comedian in his entirety due to his extreme quirkiness), but I will yet again draw a comparison. Tom reminds me of a slightly more put-together subtype of Paul, and that leads to almost sinister viewing (considering his style choice in the clip above).

Tom Wrigglesworth is a comedian who is interesting and interested, and there isn’t really a lot more you could ask of a performer.

For more information, visit Tom Wrigglesworth’s website and follow him on Twitter.

AUGUST COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

TV Review: Gadget Man, Series 3

Leave a Comment

I know I talked last year about Gadget Man but I feel I can’t not write something new about its wonderful new series and the hilarity that is Richard Ayoade.

As always, Gadget Man is a programme that shows us, obviously, plenty of exciting and wacky gadgets but it is presented, with thanks to Ayoade, in a punchy, intriguing way that stands out against the handful of other gadget-related shows out there. Armed with a fluorescent orange suit with a knitted blue tie, Ayoade exudes confidence and sass. When this is teamed with his pessimistic comments and constant sarcasm, he really is a man not to be messed with.

Richard’s clear disgust at the prospect of public transport, during episode two, really resonates with me and to feel I am in some way similar to this genius should welcomed openly by us all. Richard’s general hatred of everything is summed up in one sentence uttered to fellow comic, Russell Howard: “being with you has reminded of how much I prefer being on my own”.

There are often two guests per episode in this series and these include Tim Vine, Marcus Brigstocke, Adam Buxton, Russell Howard, Phill Jupitus and Ade Edmondson amongst many others. It’s obvious that this show is at it’s best and I would watch a new episode everyday if that was possible.

The series so far is available, as usual, on 4OD and you can watch the next episode on Channel 4 at 8.30pm on Monday.

Review: Bridget Christie – A Bic For Her & An Ungrateful Woman

1 Comment

Sat in the middle of the second row of a small arts centre with nobody sat in the seat in front of me, it wouldn’t have been unusual to feel on edge, exposed or even anxious at the thought of spending two hours sat eye to eye with the force that is Bridget Christie. But it may come as a surprise for you to hear that as an audience member, I have never felt more comfortable than when sat listening to Bridget perform her material.

Two slightly shortened sets were performed, Bridget’s 2013 show: A Bic For Her, and her latest one: An Ungrateful Woman. Both followed a similar theme (because, believe it or not, she hadn’t quite ran out of material on feminism just yet) and supported each other well, with well-informed subject-matter that never leaned towards feeling heavy or boring. Unknown to some, Bridget Christie’s shows haven’t always been so orientated around social change. In fact, in a recent episode of the Comedian’s Comedian podcast, she divulged that in her earlier years, she once dressed as a pea and sat on stage with just her head outside of a box, watching her audience be seated.

An Ungrateful Woman

It is clear to me that this lady is afraid of very little and with this, she can do very much. She talked of her own personal triumphs that help deal with misogyny on a small, day-to-day level, involving a hilarious anecdote about magazine stands in supermarkets, but also interweaved material around issues surrounding suggestive advertising, FGM, Michael Gove, a certain snooker player and Beyoncé.

So, we know that this comic can do surreal as that’s what she’s done in the past, but these two shows were different: they were hard-hitting and informative yet still immensely enjoyable. There are still elements of the fantastical within her comedy, with energetic and preposterous slapstick routines that accurately portray what others have hinted are “things a female might do”. Packed to the brim with sarcasm and a slight hint of derailment, A Bic For Her and An Ungrateful Woman bring to the forefront how important feminism is in today’s society and remind us that there is no such as thing being satisfied with something as insane as one nation having “better” inequality than another.

With her assertive self-confidence and, dare I say it, actual proposed solutions (so you can stop your “raging feminist that just moans about everything” stuff now), I left Bridget’s show feeling assured that someone else, well, the woman herself, had the situation in hand.

You can see where Bridget Christie is on tour right now by visiting her website.

(And an additional side note, that I am sure you are all aware of: I encourage you to watch Emma Watson’s speech to the United Nations that she gave this week. It is inspirational in the same way that Bridget’s performance was for me.)