British Comedy

TV Review: Doll & Em

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Yesterday, I visited my best friend, Phoebe, and we watched the final two episodes of the gorgeous show that is Doll & Em. I knew I would love this show because I had seen a pilot clip of Dolly & Laura (a very simliar concept with Dolly Wells and Laura Patch) before from quite a few years ago, which features Noel Fielding (my absolute favourite), and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. Doll & Em follows two best friends, both aged fourty-something. They are Dolly, a clumsy, almost naive but entirely loveable lady who has just broken up with her longterm boyfriend, and Emily, the successful Hollywood actress with a load of famous phone contacts. At the start of the first episode, Em decides to hire Dolly as her personal assistant as an excuse for the two of them to spend more time together while the actress films for her latest movie project in LA.

phoebe & becca

Phoebe (left) and I (right)

The show is endearing, hilarious and extremely uncomfortable in places because Dolly often manages to say or do the wrong thing that leads to her either looking an idiot to the Hollywood stars or completely showing up Emily. The funniest moment for me happened pretty early on, where Dolly goes for a swim in the pool outside Emily’s apartment and ends up getting locked out there all day. Both Doll’s clumsiness and charm really come out in this scene and it had me and my friend laughing until we were in tears. The fact this show appeals to both of our senses of humour is great and I definitely feel that Phoebe and I have a similar relationship to that of Doll and Em (though we have never had an argument and neither of us are good at acting). This might be why I like it so much, it’s almost a sneak-peek into the future of our own friendship in a weird way.

What really makes the programme work is the fact that Doll and Em, much like Phoebe and I, have been best friends since they were little girls in real life and it really shines through beautifully. Their personalities are entirely different yet they bounce off each other brilliantly and have such a close relationship that it borders on dysfunctional. Also, I have loved Dolly for a long time due to her role in Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy but had never come across Emily Mortimer before… until it was pointed out by a hilariously slow customer at the restaurant where Dolly works that it was her in Shutter Island. I love that film, and almost feel like I have achieved something from learning this information: I feel like I already know Emily in the way I already knew Dolly.

doll and em

Doll (left) and Em (right)

The absolute cherry on the cake was the appearance of Noel towards the end of the final episode. Although he is acting so has toned his fashion sense down ever so slightly (he still wears a poncho, of course), when the camera pans out you can see the glimmer of his silver chelsea boots which I thought was fantastic. The final few scenes of the series featured Noel, which is always a positive, but the performances of both ladies were flawless: I could feel the love they have for each other radiating through the screen.

I’ve never seen a programme quite like Doll & Em and I can really tell it is a product of love, both for the show and for each other. I will be over the moon if this beauty is commissioned for a second series and I can imagine there being a wonderful film adaptation of Doll & Em one day.

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Noel’s scene

TV Review: The Alternative Comedy Experience

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The Alternative Comedy Experience is important because it aims to show what intimate comedy gigs are actually like so for people who don’t see a lot of live comedy, or only have experience of big arenas, it really shows a whole new world. The show consists of a whole load of individual stand up sets that have been chopped up into small sections and made into thirty minute episodes with as many as four or five comedians featuring in each one. The premise of the show was thought up by the genius that is Stewart Lee and features snippets of interviews conducted by Lee with each comic. The general criteria for the comedians is ‘alternative’ with some being more commonly known than others and I was drawn to the show because many of my favourites feature such as Paul Foot, Tony Law, Henning Wehn and of course, Stewart Lee.

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Programmes like this are great because they introduce a whole range of new comics to the viewers. For example, I fell in love with David Kay’s down beat tone which had everyone laughing in the breaks between talking, which is a talent. I had only ever seen Josie Long on panel shows before but I adored her brilliant political views that were hilarious and not too heavy. I think it’s important for comics to discuss politics in their material because young people especially need to be more familiar with things that directly effect them. And Britain’s politicians are laughable in themselves, lest us forget.

I only own series one of The Alternative Comedy Experience and know a second series was released early this year so need to get myself a copy of that. From what I did see though, I definitely wish there could have been more of Paul Foot in particular as I know he is a genius but he didn’t seem to get much stage-time. There were others who I would like to have seen more of also, including Bridget Christie, Robin Ince and David O’Doherty (I have many of his weird songs on my iPod- he’s fantastic, like the love child of Tim Minchin and a child? a chimp? I don’t know).

Tony Law got quite a lot of time which was brilliant because as you know, he’s one of my all time favourites. I worship that guy, seriously- his material is quick, insane and SO surreal which is everything I could want. Henning Wehn was also on top form as usual (he is rapidly becoming one of my favourites) and I can’t wait to watch the DVD I have of his latest stand up tour: No Surrender.

I am looking forward to series two of this show but in the meantime, I will be looking out for names like David Kay, Alun Cochrane and Bridget Christie in particular as these new names stood out for me. Also, I have an important query- HOW ON EARTH IS BRIDGET CHRISTIE 42?! She must be a time traveller or something, she looks wonderful.

I don’t really know anyone who watches this show, so let me know if you do and restore my faith in humanity thanks!

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March: Comedian Of The Month #2, James Acaster

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james acaster

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.

I’ve known who James is for quite a while but only seen him on the odd panel show here and there so this month I made a conscious effort to check out some of his work. I decided to do this after seeing his recent appearance on 8 Out of 10 Cats where he was absolutely hilarious- a complete weirdo, but a brilliant one. He really stood out during this episode as he seems to carry a strange kind of energy with him that is really refreshing to a panel show as they can get tedious very easily if the panel isn’t rotated regularly enough.

I think I like James because he reminds me of Paul Foot, one of my all time favourite comedians, though of course he has his own quirks that make him so original. They both have brilliant confidence that is hidden behind an apparent shyness, so it is surprising when they come out with something either quite profound or very shocking. His presence on panel shows is a powerful one: he just needs to give a certain look and everyone will be laughing and I think that must be a really hard skill to master.

James is young-looking, wide-eyed and innocent but also incredibly quick-witted and wise for his age. I thought his material about the apple in the orchard, featured in the clip below, was very clever yet didn’t feel self-indulgent in any way. With complicated material, many comics get caught up in the selfish side of it: of appearing clever or superior, but James doesn’t do this at all. He remains charmingly simple but we can see he has a sharp mind.

I definitely recommend you check James Acaster out as he is gaining more and more fans with every passing week. His twitter is here so follow him if you’re into that twitter malarky.

For more information, visit James Acaster’s website and follow him on Twitter.

FEBRUARY COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

Podcast Review: The Comedian’s Comedian Podcast

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Stuart Goldsmith

I thought I’d share with you my favourite ever comedy podcast, made by a really nice guy, and something that I think every comedy lover should know about. The Comedian’s Comedian Podcast was created by stand up comedian, Stuart Goldsmith and began in 2012  (though I only started listening in the past year or so). It is my favourite for a number of reasons:

Firstly, the guests are all absolutely  brilliant comedians. Although I haven’t listened to  all of the episodes as of yet, the ones I have picked out and listened to have been hilarious but interesting as well. Brendon Burns, Tony Law and Gary Delaney’s episodes proved particularly engaging because as well as being obviously funny people, they actually offered details into how they workand what their comedy means to them which is something other podcasts don’t offer.

Stuart Goldsmith himself is very funny and extremely knowledgable which I think is very important as you can see he is passionate about what he does. I always love seeing people get excited about the work they do and this was particularly clear when Stuart interviewed Tony Law (and who can blame him). Tony is one of my all time favourite comedians, I met him last year and he is just as lovely as he is hilarious.

Sara Pascoe

Listening to this podcast has taught me a lot about comedy but it never feels as though I am being lectured: it’s an entertaining kind of learning. My all time favourite episode was Sara Pascoe’s because I learnt so much about her but also about the kind of person it takes to be a successful comedian. She described the general personality type that ends up in an art form such as comedy and also explained how she works; how she forms her shows. Sara is another of my favourite comedians/actors because she has a unique comic style and is also just a really nice person, which is always good.

Basically, you should definitely check out this podcast, even if podcasts aren’t really your thing (I don’t listen to them all that often). As I’m doing my GCSEs very soon and Art is one of my best subjects, I spend a whole lot of time sat on my own painting or drawing or whatever but listening to Stuart Goldsmith’s shows really help to pass the hours!

Save BBC3

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On Wednesday, a large part of the nation was swept up in fury when they heard the rumours that the BBC were planning to axe BBC3. It all developed extremely quickly and now there are people all across the country desperately trying to save the channel. This has been done through articles (like this but actually with an audience), petitions and Twitter trends (#SaveBBC3). We have been assured that all BBC3 shows will still be available online but this offers no comfort to me as there will be thousands of people without internet access who will now miss out altogether.

The reason this is so high-profile is because it is an insanely massive decision and will affect so many of us, including hundreds of well-known celebrities who’s work relies on broadcasts from BBC3. Some of the biggest names to speak out about it this week include Russell Kane, Jack Whitehall and Greg James.

This was the particular article that inspired me to write. It pointed out that the BBC plans to spend £30 million on Drama and also wants to create a BBC1+1 which seems pointless as we already have iPlayer. When I first heard of the plans, a small part of me thought fair enough, they are on financial difficulty. But they’re not! They just want the £100 million to put back into the other channels and the difference won’t even be that noticeable. What a huge sacrifice for a change that nobody wants. Not to mention that most of this money comes from the nation’s pocket: my parents’ money and one day, my own. So we are paying for something we don’t actually want?

The Mighty Boosh

BBC3 has brought us so many influential and brilliant programmes, from The Mighty Boosh in 2004 and Little Britain in 2003 to last summer’s Mental Health Season: It’s a Mad World. I admit that some other programmes have been less well-received but at least the channel is taking risks. It is the major platform for new comedy in the UK, for example, Uncle was broadcast earlier this year and was brilliant, in my opinion. Other SitComs that the nation loves have been produced by BBC3 like Gavin & Stacey and brought new, young people into the public eye.

If this decision goes ahead, I, as a young person who loves comedy, am going to lose out on so much. The majority of my school are going to be affected also and I know a lot of them are as outraged as I am. Ja’mie: Private School Girl was a massive hit with the older years of my school when BBC3 first broadcast it recently. Most of the people who watched it probably wouldn’t have if it hadn’t been on television as it is easier to access.

Talking in general terms, I feel as though the BBC are completely skipping out the younger generation. BBC1, 2 and 4 often focus on the more serious side of things such as the news and The One Show, history documentaries and programmes about antiques. If you axe the main source of our comedy and innovative documentaries- what do we have left?

I honestly don’t know if we can make a difference but we can’t just sit there and let them take away our favourite channel. Please sign this petition to show the BBC that actually, we will not let them disregard us so absentmindedly. Sharing this blogpost would also be a massive help, we need as much support as we can get- surely the BBC can’t ignore so many people?

Review: Joe Lycett and Friends

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Comedy HutYesterday, on March the 5th, I went to the first comedy night at the Custard Factory in Digbeth and it was a really unique experience as there were only 100 seats so the crowd was really nice. The night was hosted by Karen Bayley and featured sets from Freddie Farrell, Jon Pearson and of course Joe Lycett.

Freddie Farrell is local to the area and reminded me of some Brummies I know. I really liked his often sarcastic and down-beat tone because it is reminiscent of Jack Dee. His material about his girlfriend and kids received big laughs, his impressions of his children with their Birmingham accents especially. Jon Pearson was next and I also really liked him as he was kind of a hybrid of lots of comedians I’ve  seen. He has a skill for building a story and while constantly flitting back to things he mentioned at the very beginning in a similar way to that of Rhod Gilbert (though he didn’t have enough time to build it to Rhod’s intensity).

Then it was finally time for Joe Lycett, one of my favourite comedians ever and just a really nice guy. The set was hilarious and heavily featured the two Mexican students sat in front of me who were adorable. At one point, Joe had climbed over the front row and was sat flirting with Diego and Ivan. Joe showed us some of the material for his new series Junk that is about to be recorded, and I am really excited for. The junk he had was pretty disturbing to be honest- it featured a frog doll with a baby’s head, holding a wasp- incredible. I would have liked his set to be longer as I thoroughly enjoyed what I saw of the set and will definitely be seeing him again soon!

Also, if you live in or around Birmingham, do look into the Comedy Hut in Stourbridge and Digbeth as they show lesser-known acts and could do with support from people like us.

House of Fools

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January marked a much awaited time for Vic and Bob fans: the arrival of the brand new surreal sitcom, House Of Fools. The programme follows the troubles faced by Bob [Mortimer] and his group of unreliable and slightly insane ‘friends’ (plus his Norwegian son, Erik) who all insist on lodging in his house whilst continually mocking poor Bob as he manages to fail in all aspects of his life.

The casting of the programme is near on perfection, featuring Matt Berry as Beef, Dan Skinner as Bosh, Morgana Robinson as Julie and of course Vic and Bob themselves. I was pleased to see a new face on the programme: stand up comedian Daniel Simonsen as Erik, whose role in the show is refreshing, maybe because the exaggerated Norwegian accent is hilarious in itself.

Reeves and Mortimer have said in interviews that the aim of the show was to take the conventional idea of what should be in a sitcom and completely turn it on its head by recreating typical situations but in a new way. For example, when a neighbour tells the protagonist that they need them to look after something very important, the audience are immediately aware of the inevitability that something will soon go drastically wrong. The double act recognised this and made it the plot line of episode two, The Pork Pie Affair, in which Julie asks the group to look after an oversized pork pie that is to be given to Bruce Willis that evening.

The programme is broken up with songs of nonsense, that Bob describes as a “shortcut to telling a plot, so we set everything up via the gift of song.” The words are constantly going round my head on a daily basis and I can’t seem to get them out so beware!

No More All-Male Panel Shows

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Today the BBC announced they were to make sure every episode of shows like QI and Mock the Week are to have at least one female guest. My first reaction was along the lines of: ‘sure, this is coming from a good place, women should be greater represented in comedy. The idea behind this is a sound one.’ However, I don’t think this is the correct way to go about it in the slightest. Speaking as a young female, I felt embarrassed to hear that women would get such special treatment. From now on, even if it is untrue, every comedienne that is asked to appear on such shows will feel that they are just there to fit the BBC’s new criteria. They are being completely undermined.

mock the week

© BBC

Females comics don’t get half the recognition they deserve and some of the funniest people in the industry I know of are women. For example Katherine Ryan, Sara Pascoe, Dolly Wells, Morgana Robinson, Roisin Conaty, Sarah Millican and Aisling Bea, are amongst some of my favourites. I think women add a valuable new dimension to such panel shows. They make it interesting. So seeing my favourite comediennes on television is always a highlight for me as like most people, they have earned their place on the panel. Years of hard work goes in before people come anywhere near to performing on programmes like Mock the Week.

It makes me sad to think that the women mentioned above may feel undervalued in the future when invited to appear on BBC panel shows because they deserve to be commended for their hard work. In many cases, they deserve additional recognition purely for the way they have surfaced above the hundreds of male comics in the UK while facing constant discrimination along the way. How many times have you heard the phrase: ‘she’s funny for a female comic’ or ‘no female comics are ever funny’. These make my blood boil- do they have no idea that humour is not purely in your genetic information? Have they not stopped to consider that intelligence, wit and life experiences might have some influence?

Some Girls, Series 2

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I tend to try and watch all new sitcoms that appear on the BBC and Channel 4 in particular as comedy is clearly thriving in Britain at the moment, but the main thing that originally drew me to series 1 of Some Girls was the fact that it starred Dolly Wells (Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy).

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Some Girls follows a small friendship group through their experiences at high school; most of the girls in the group are very odd. Viva is the character with the main focus as we are introduced to her family, which includes her pregnant stepmother Anna Hitchcock (‘Bitchcock’) who is played by Wells. Anna is also the girls’ school football coach and has most of the funniest lines in the whole show. One of my favourites from this new series was along the lines of: [In a full school assembly] “As most of you know, Mr Andrews has died. For those of you who didn’t know, Mr Andrews has died”. I found her sarcasm and impatience throughout the episodes hysterically funny.

The cast is refreshingly young and skilled. Amber (Alice Felgate) and Saz (Mandeep Dhillon) are completely insane characters and have such contrasting personalities- Amber is a typical ‘dumb blonde’ character with a really kind heart and Saz is sarcastic, angry and hilarious. Some Girls is surprisingly original and enjoyable; I found myself laughing out loud a lot.