British Comedy Archives - Page 14 of 31

Seven Questions With… Damian Clark

June 15, 2016 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

Damian Clark is an Australian stand up comedian with an astoundingly energetic stage presence. Having lived in the UK for four years now, Clark has perfected a skill for dissecting elements of British culture and pointing out their absurdities. This comedian is certainly one to experience in a live comedy setting.

To find out more about Damian, I asked him these seven questions…

1) Where does your passion for comedy come from?

My passion for comedy started with watching The Muppets, Looney Tunes & Tex Avery Cartoons. A mouse hitting a cat in the butt with a plank of wood will always be funny to me.

2) What did you most enjoy about living in Australia?

Meat pies, choc milk, iced coffee, Cherry Ripes & Cheese Twisties.

3) Is there such thing as wasted time?

Probably but it’s one of my favourite things to do. All the best paintings start with a blank canvas… just dunno where to find a brush.

4) Do you have any tricks for maintaining energy on stage?

Keep talking about stuff that makes you excited or angry and the energy will be there. Delusion is also a great tool.

5) What is your worst character trait?

Being a drunk is probably my best and worst trait at the same time. Waiting outside an early house pub to open at 6:30am is both legendary and sad.

6) What do you miss about your life as it was ten years ago?

My life 10 years ago seems exactly the same as it is now, I ate a LOT more McDonald’s then though. Miss all those burgers.

7) Are you in control?

Naaaaaaaa.

DOWNLOAD DAMIAN CLARK’S LATEST SPECIAL ‘GRAND THEFT DAMO’

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Review: Katherine Ryan – Kathbum

June 8, 2016 by Becca Moody 1 Comment

Perhaps a bit late to the party, as her DVD record at the Eventim Apollo is due to take place the following night, hundreds of fans flock to Birmingham’s Town Hall to see Katherine Ryan’s critically acclaimed and Chortle Award-winning show, Kathbum.

Ryan varies her support acts throughout each tour, and tonight’s warm-up entertainment comes from Stephen Bailey, who, as Katherine rightfully states herself, better fits the criteria for a headline act than a support slot these days in terms of competence in performance. Stephen is a wise head on young shoulders; reassuringly secure in himself and his act in a way that enables him to take an audience under his wing. With an attitude of confidence and independence, blended with a humorous suggestion of neediness, Bailey’s material is slick, but not so slick that audiences have difficulty warming to him.

Katherine Ryan has blossomed over the past year and this is clear from the moment she walks on stage, greeted by bellowing cheers of excitement and endearment. She appears surprisingly relaxed, but humble, explaining her reasons for always bringing a support act with her on tour before progressing towards the heart of the show.

This comic is constantly developing as a writer and performer, which is some feat considering how smart and cutting her comedy has been since her first UK tour in 2013. This latest show is about evolving as an individual as those we grew up with do the same, and the inevitable drift from those we used to relate to. Ryan uses this as a tool to discuss issues relating to overcoming the judgements of others and being assured enough in ourselves to make the decisions that are best for us. The somewhat-obsessive interest in celebrity culture is still apparent, serving as a metaphor for greater issues in society such as racism and misogyny.

Katherine’s comedy is self-aware in a triumphant sense, rather than a defeatist one. Her craft is admirable, with each narrative carried out to its conclusion and perfectly timed callbacks that fit into the performance, rather than shape it. She is professional, yet personal; brutally honest but not irrational in her cutting remarks with each issue being clinically dissected and evaluated before any ill-informed opinions are able to be expressed. And whilst she may introduce challenging concepts, Ryan always has her audience’s best interests in mind, assuming an almost-maternal role that shines through brightest when she talks directly to young female audience members; whom we might deduce to be her target demographic.

Katherine Ryan is not fazed by anything, it seems, whether that be hecklers or significant life events. The quality of her craft is creatively motivating; the content emotionally uplifting, whilst remaining delightfully unpredictable, accessible and genuine.

KATHERINE RYAN’S DVD RECORDING OF ‘KATHBUM’ WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON

May: Comedian Of The Month #28, Tez Ilyas

June 5, 2016 by Becca Moody 2 Comments

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.

An interesting performer featured on the BBC’s recent online stand up showcase, Live From The BBC, is Tez Ilyas, a 33-year-old comedian who has been working as a stand up for around six years.

This bright-eyed comic is smart, self-assured and unperturbed. Ilyas has a cheeky chappy demeanour about him, particularly with regard to his material stemming from his religious background and Pakistani heritage. This is somewhat similar to that of Imran Yusef, with both performers having free reign over their subjects in such as way that other comedians would have difficulty accessing. This ability to break through any potential discomfort when approaching ‘taboo’ topics such as racism or terrorism and gives Tez Ilyas a subtly powerful stance in the room.

Much of his material that is available online stems from a few of this comedian’s core values, with this emotional accessibility making Tez an immediately likeable performer. The laughter often comes from a desire to be onside with Ilyas, with his approachable demeanour breaking down taboo topics into more accessible elements. Tez Ilyas brings his latest show Made in Britain to this year’s Edinburgh Festival.

For more information, visit Tez Ilyas’ website and follow him on Twitter.

APRIL COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

Review: Bramall Comedy Night Wayne Deakin, Ivo Graham & Andrew Ryan

May 25, 2016 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

Ivo Graham

The latest comedy night at the Bramall at the University of Birmingham sees two returning acts to the stage, compèred Australian stand up Wayne Deakin. Deakin’s enthusiastic demeanour allows him to win over a crowd within the first couple of minutes, even a particularly quiet, low-energy gathering it seems. He flits around the room, asking surprisingly interesting off-the-mark questions to audience members about their jobs and relationships. Deakin is able to effortlessly create an atmosphere of familiarity and goodwill, summoning an energy from apparently nowhere which enables him to break through any starchy feeling that a compère may be faced with.

Next, Ivo Graham ambles on stage, announcing that there is a “nervous energy in the room,” of which he seems to feed off. Graham is apologetically middle class, appearing rather defeatist in his outlook at times, perhaps due to an apparent concern for the way others might perceive him. Immediately adopting a ‘loser’ status, it seems that this comic wishes to be likeable but also slightly enjoys the alienation that comes with playing up to his Eton College upbringing. Ivo proves himself to be a very capable and efficient storyteller, incorporating a sinister element to his delivery that may be caused, in part, by the inevitable tension caused by confiding in an audience about his schooling.

The final performer of the evening is Andrew Ryan. Charming and bright-eyed; eager to entertain and unafraid of sharing more intimate details about his life in front of a live audience. His anecdotes are confident and consistent, his delivery assured, and even relatively untested material seems to have legs. It appears that this gig provides particular benefits for the structuring of Ryan’s narratives, with the comic feeding off his own energy to propel him in all sorts of directions, providing plenty of room to develop these for his latest Edinburgh show.

BRAMALL COMEDY NIGHTS

Seven Questions With… Ben Norris

May 21, 2016 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

Ben Norris has been on the stand up comedy circuit since the early 1990’s and has compiled an impressive back-catalogue of writing and television credits over the years. With a somewhat more light-hearted style of comedy than his stern demeanour may suggest this comedian is effortlessly able to incorporate sinister elements into more topical and accessible material.

To learn more about Ben, I asked him these seven questions…

1) What is the weirdest thing about your life?

It might be that I have three children who were all born on the same day 10 years ago.

2) Do you like to plan ahead?

Planning ahead is part and parcel of being a comedian. We are booking gigs into our diaries 8, 9, 10 months ahead of time. I’m always booking cheaper train tickets in the same manner. Having said that I often don’t think beyond the next few days or even look at the following weekend in my diary until it comes up.

3) What is your least favourite kind of audience?

Judgemental, entitled, drunk and stupid… that was a tough night.

4) Is everyone a conformist?

I think most people are. Sadly conformity is hugely popular. I, on the other hand, am a free thinking radical… with a wife, three kids and a mortgage.

5) Do you have many unpopular opinions?

I think animals have rights and ought not to be factory farmed and eaten. It appears that’s an opinion not shared by the majority. (Of people that is, I reckon animals would be in total agreement.)

6) Is the comedy industry over-populated?

It’s a meritocracy so it’s hugely over-populated at the bottom end but that only serves to keep the quality up further up the pecking order I guess.

7) Are you young or old at heart?

I’m 48.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT BEN NORRIS’ WEBSITE

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

TV Review: Flowers, Series 1

May 18, 2016 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

If there ever was a sitcom that could bring about feelings of discomfort and sorrow whilst also being oddly life-affirming, it is Flowers. Starring Julian Barratt and Olivia Colman as the leads, Flowers is a story of a disjointed and deeply unhappy family; each person within it acting and speaking with the best of intentions but possessing an inability to communicate their innermost thoughts and feelings.

Flowers is the artistic creation of 29-year-old Will Sharpe, who wrote and directed the series as well as playing the character of Shun, a young and enthusiastic Japanese artist who lives with the Flowers family and works for Maurice (Barratt). Deborah (Colman) and Maurice are a likeable but floundering pair, desperately trying to cling to each other as all manner of chaotic events and disruptive people threaten to reap havoc with their personal lives.

The subject matter of Flowers is morbid, the series begins with a suicide attempt, but the production is aesthetically dark also, along with a delightfully jarring score. With a rapidly developing narrative, yet still managing to capture a meandering, morose tone, as well as nurturing a fondness for each individual character as we learn more of their backgrounds and aspirations. Sophia Di Martino and Daniel Rigby (Big School, Undercover) effortlessly capture the mannerisms of, and tensions between, bickering twins Amy and Donald, who are 25 and still live at home. This dynamic is explored thoroughly but sensitively; yet another example of idiosyncrasy in the production, successfully avoiding lazy or over-generalised observations regarding how siblings interact with one another, and how the ‘children’ fit within the wider family. Maurice’s narrated excerpts from his Mr Grubb children’s novels add further sinister element to the overall production, with these readings from the struggling children’s writer giving Flowers a hint of The Babadook about it.

It seems to be rather wasteful for the entire series to have been broadcast over the course of one week, though this is perhaps an indicator of the changing habits of British television-viewers. This does, however, make it easier for eager viewers to binge-watch the series in one sitting and then step outside three hours later, blinking into the light and exhaling that breath they’d been holding since episode two.

It’s quite some feat, considering the magnitude of this cast, that the stand-out performance for me is that of Sharpe himself, particularly as his role develops from that of a jester to an emotional reconciler as events dramatically unfold. In an interview with The British Comedy Guide, Sharpe sums up his artistic aims with the project: “The show is about melancholy and family, and it’s about people feeling trapped or alone. It’s also about how your own state of mind can affect those around you.” Here is a prime example of a case where a distinct creative vision has been successfully defined and then translated into a stunning piece that seems to encapsulate everything it intended to, whilst also alluding to more. This melancholic masterpiece is hands down the most spectacular piece of television I have ever seen. Flowers broke my heart and then fixed it again.

FLOWERS SERIES 1 IS AVAILABLE ON ALL4

Seven Questions With… John Dredge

May 11, 2016 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

John Dredge is a comedy writer and podcaster best known for his absurd sketch show, The John Dredge Nothing To Do With Anything Show. This podcast serves as a deliberate move away from long-form narrative, incorporating surreal storytelling with plenty of musical interludes and sounds effects.

I asked John these seven questions to learn more about him…

1) Is podcasting a liberating art form?

Yes, it is for me, because it’s a medium which allows me to give free reign to my peculiar imagination in a ‘safe’ context. Nobody’s going to say ‘You can’t do that!’. The audio environment is ideal because I can create the strangest of situations and make them sound real with a few voices, sound effects and pieces of music.

2) Do you have much spatial awareness?

No, but I do have a piece of knotted string. I was thinking of exhibiting it in the Hayward Gallery but they don’t seem very enthusiastic, even though I wouldn’t need much space. On reflection I do have some awareness of how much space my display would take up. I am also very much aware of the space-time continuum, although I have never invited it to the Hayward Gallery.

3) What do you do when you’re angry?

My anger usually turns into fairly savage comedy. I tweet a lot to get it out of my system. I’m fairly obsessed with the media so it’s usually something to do with that. You can follow me @johndredge for an alarming insight into the myriad problems with my brain.

4) Who are your comedic influences?

My favourite double acts would have to be either Orm and Cheep or Sarah and Duck. I’m also greatly influenced by Bernard Tharggg who had the largest collection of cagoules in Europe.

I’ve always loved anyone who seemed comedically insane. I wouldn’t be doing this had I not heard The Goon Show at an early age – that did my head in. The inventiveness of the language, the use of sound, the creation of an imaginary world, it all had a big effect on me. I still listen to that show now. I’ve always liked Vic Reeves, who amongst other things had the confidence to present a really weird comic vision to the world. Tiswas was a big one for me. It was so joyously chaotic and off-the-wall. I want to get some of that spirit into my work if I can. Noel Fielding has similar influences to me, although he kind of puts them together in a different way, so I’ve always followed his work. I’m also influenced by the magazines and comic books of my youth like Look-in and Krazy, which nobody has ever heard of, including me.

5) Who is your favourite artist?

My favourite artist of all time is Kenny Everett, and to me his greatest achievement was the series of Video Shows he did in the late seventies. Those shows were so innovative in their use of sound and vision, and were completely unique to him. He was such a charismatic performer, and completely round the bend. I’ve always been drawn to artists who create their own world. Escapism is necessary for me on a daily basis. Make of that what you will – a large paper hat, for example.

6) What is your ultimate career aim?

To boldly go where no man has gone before – or Lewisham if it’s raining.

I’ve always wanted to make a TV version of my podcast series, a mad, fast-moving, frenetic sketch show. I thought Noel Fielding’s sketch series was fascinating, so maybe something in that area. Or in the Lewisham area. I do a lot of YouTube videos that seem to do quite well, so I don’t think it would be a problem to translate my humour to a visual medium. I would also like to make a sitcom about a family of talking pipes.

7) What aspect of your life bores you?

Having to get up at 5am to deliver pinecones to Buckingham Palace. I’ve been doing that for ten years now and it is extremely boring. How many pinecones do they need? There’s got to be a better job out there. I’m open to offers.

LISTEN TO ‘THE JOHN DREDGE NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING SHOW’ HERE

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

April: Comedian Of The Month #27, Spencer Jones

May 4, 2016 by Becca Moody Leave a 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.

Spencer Jones is certainly a performer that takes some getting used to. Appearing as his character The Herbert, a strange and spritely figure with bright clothes and hunched shoulders, Jones approaches the medium of stand up comedy in a way I haven’t quite seen before, throwing out customary communication norms with little regard for them.

In a recent interview with Stuart Goldsmith for The Comedian’s Comedian, Spencer states that it is important to “Let people know you’re under pressure but really happy about it,” and this mantra sums up his style of comedy effectively. The comic gives frequent non-verbal signals to audiences that he cannot quite understand how he is getting away with this; the look on his face suggests a query of, ‘Why am I here, and why are the laughing?’. Often it seems as though he has little control over his own actions on stage, though closer inspection can determine that his act is incredibly closely crafted with the chaos that Jones alludes to serving only as dramatic illusion.

It all seems very innocent; Spencer utilises music, costume and props that all have an air of the home-made about them. His facial expressions are often reminiscent of Rowan Atkinson’s Mr Bean and it does seem that The Herbert would make a fantastic children’s television character. In the meantime, though, Spencer Jones’ recent performance on Live From The BBC is still available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

For more information, visit Spencer Jones’ website and follow him on Twitter.

MARCH COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

Review: Bridget Christie: A Book For Her Tour

April 29, 2016 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

Bridget Christie is currently touring her latest show A Book For Her across the UK in conjunction with her debut novel of the same name. The catalyst for this show is the relatively recent launch of a BIC pen specifically designed for women, named A Bic For Her, which Christie based her 2013 show around. Unfortunately for society, though perhaps fortunately for fans of the wrath of Bridget Christie, not a lot has changed in more recent years.

Gender inequality is still clearly a distressingly vast problem despite recent minor victories such as the abolishment of the tampon tax. But the problem is slowly moving and as a result; so is Christie’s comedy. Feminist issues still hold an integral part of this latest show but it feels as though there is a branching out of comedic focus. Christie’s latest hour feels more personal than her previous two shows, with a stronger autobiographical element to match the tone of her book, with the comedian often reading directly from her own copy on stage.

Christie’s absurdist roots still form the basis of her comedic insight and you don’t have to look too closely to observe them. In fact, these surrealist, almost-slapstick routines are all the more pleasing within this new show as they aid the breaking down of the heavier, political material. Recounting her 2010 show A Ant allows the comic to revisit her surreal character-comedy foundations, much to my delight, though she frequently has to express, “I’ve not gone mad,” to a quiet but appreciative audience. Beginning her show so unassumingly, with such quiet self-assuredness, it is quite remarkable to reflect on the development of Christie’s material over the hour.

Bridget skilfully builds layers of irony, to extents where the thought of audience members misunderstanding the message concerns her so much that she needs to check all in the room are on board. Although dampening the effect of her sarcasm to some extent, a great deal of self-awareness is shown as a result. Perhaps there is a need to cover her own back, as an outspoken political comic, and this quality is endearing, as much as it is disheartening that there are people who may misinterpret. Christie also has a talent for manipulating timing, cleverly sneaking a great deal of important statistics into her routines and allowing their inclusion to become increasingly prominent as the material progresses.

Let us not forget that Bridget Christie is an ever-developing performer, appearing to change the focus of her comedy to fit the time of writing, and this is a hugely admirable trait in an act, reducing the possibility of any stagnancy. Yes, feminism is a greatly talked-about topic, and it can get boring to have to keep covering old ground as the issues refuse to be resolved, but it is to Christie’s credit that this is not her first show with the issue of inequality at its core, and we are yet to get bored. Bridget Christie is a re-inventor, an innovator and voice of absolute sanity. And she and I would like to have it noted that we both look quite like Oliver Cromwell.

BRIDGET CHRISTIE IS CURRENTLY TOURING ‘A BOOK FOR HER’ ACROSS THE UK

Josie Long: Romance and Adventure

April 26, 2016 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

Josie Long’s latest creative venture comes in the form of Radio 4 sitcom Romance and Adventure, a programme about 30-something-year-old Josie who has recently lost her job at her local library and, having lived in London all her life, has decided to pack up and move to Glasgow. Written by and starring Josie Long and produced by Colin Anderson, it seems that Romance and Adventure has gradually evolved over a good few years, sharing its title with Long’s 2012 Edinburgh show and having had a pilot air on Radio 4 in 2014.

Romance and Adventure is reminiscent of Katy Brand’s debut novel Brenda Monk Is Funny in the sense that it works to capture the spirit of Scotland, with both writers seeming to take the view that the country is massively under-appreciated. Long’s salutation to Glasgow, however, is not so much focussed on comedy, showing perhaps that writing about what you know doesn’t mean you simply have to write about your job. And one can’t help but wonder if the job of a librarian is something that Josie Long would love to do.

There are frequent allusions to autobiography, with some of the dramatised Josie’s confessional monologues being very reminiscent of the comedian’s own stand up, which is remarkably honest in itself. But this character isn’t merely a mouthpiece for Josie’s own views. If that were so, there would be far more room made for political comment of which fans of Long are used to. Although there is the odd anti-Tory remark, causing the occasional surprising splutter of laughter, these stand out all the more against the day-dream-like fantasy. And that is what listening to Romance and Adventure feels like: living in a day dream.

As the episodes progress, London begins to represent ‘real-life’ as it were, and Glasgow a distinctly timeless Utopia that we all secretly wish we could escape to. Romance and Adventure is blissfully easy listening and shows us a more vulnerable side to Josie Long as a creative performer. With her trademark openness and relatability, Long demonstrates an admirable respect for the role comedy plays in communication and emotional wellbeing.

LISTEN TO JOSIE LONG’S ‘ROMANCE AND ADVENTURE’

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH JOSIE LONG