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September: Comedian Of The Month #32, Lauren Pattison

October 6, 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.

Lauren Pattison is a stand up comic and actress from Newcastle who, having began performing at the age of eighteen, is still only in her early twenties yet has made the finals of the Chortle Student award as well as being runner up in 2014’s Funny Women Awards.

With an interest for improv and drama, Pattison is natural in front of an audience in a way that is not overbearing. Perhaps I like her comedy because I feel like her voice represents my own, what with us both being young, female and having a similar founding interest in comedy from a young age; it feels as though we are at similar stages in our lives and one indicator of good comedy is comedy that is relatable but still innovative and surprising.

laurenpattison-1

Lauren Pattison

In the most endearing of ways, this comedian gives the impression that she doesn’t really give a damn. It feels genuine because although there may be nerves involved with live performance, Pattison seems genuinely comfortable in who she is and what she stands for, which is why her comedy seems to be so authentic. She speaks confidently, as though older and with far more years of experience under her belt than she actually has, and in this way Lauren is able to entice an audience in with ease. Her disastrous tales of relationship and university mishaps are unique, yet still relatable; Pattison is easy to listen to and easy to like.

This comic’s writing is of consistently high quality, no surprise perhaps, as she has worked with Katherine Ryan in recent years, supporting her nationwide tours. Down to earth, humble and open about her ambitions and influences, Lauren Pattison has all the tricks of the trade to prepare her for the nationwide success that I have no doubt will unfold over the coming years.

For more information, follow Lauren Pattison on Twitter.

AUGUST COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH
Posted in: Comedian Of The Month, Comedians Tagged: British Comedy, Comedian Of The Month, Comedy, Lauren Pattison

Seven Questions With… Rob Rouse

September 24, 2016 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment
© Andy Hollingworth

© Andy Hollingworth

Rob Rouse is a Northern stand up comedian and actor who you may recognise from his recent role as Bottom in Ben Elton’s Shakespearean sitcom Upstart Crow. A gleeful performer onstage, Rouse is a comic who effortlessly exudes a positive energy, drawing audiences in with his cheeky delivery and down-to-earth attitude. Rob also produces a comedy podcast, The Rob Rouse Podcast, and this month he embarks on his latest UK tour.
To learn more about the man behind the comedy, I asked Rob these seven questions…

1) What is it like working on a Ben Elton project in Upstart Crow?

It was really exciting and slightly surreal. At the first recording Ben was talking to the audience saying that literally 30 years earlier he and Harry Enfield had recorded the first Saturday live in that very same studio. I remember watching that show as a kid and it opened up a new part of my brain and it’s a big reason why I’m doing what I’m doing now. It’s like being invited to join you favourite band.

2) Who are you wary of?

Anyone who has an absolutely unshakable certainty about anything really, or indeed reckons they’re any kind of ‘a big deal’. They tend to be a-holes.

3) Who is your favourite celebrity chef?

Delia Smith. I don’t think celebrity chefs nowadays use enough, or for that matter, appreciate mince like Delia did. In fact I’m sure she still does and still cooks with it 4 out of 7 nights of the week… The other 3 she does pork chop with boiled spuds (Tuesday), sausage and beans (Saturday – has it on her knee in front of the telly) and then cheese on toast or just leftovers (Monday). And if Gordon Ramsay came into her kitchen effin and jeffin she’d chin him, lay him out cold, one punch.

4) What did you used to want to be when you grew up?

First job I ever wanted to do, according to my mum, was a bin man. Apparently I said, “Because when I come home, you won’t tell me off for being covered in dirt.” Comforting to know that I always envisaged living at home throughout my adult life.

5) What animal is most misunderstood?

I haven’t got a clue what any of the animals are on about. So I’d have to say all of them… That’s assuming I’ve understood the question.

6) What do you do that you shouldn’t?

It would be great if we were in America, because I could just say, “Sometimes when I’m feeling really vulnerable I’m ashamed to admit I eat carbs” and that would be enough, but the truth is I don’t know how to answer that question because I have absolutely no sense of embarrassment.

7) Do you remember the first time you made someone laugh?

I was a hysterically ugly baby.

8) What is your current mood?

As I type this my dog is barking like a lunatic at some people on bikes outside. Really barking at them. He abhors people on bikes and it’s one of his life’s missions to let them know that. I used to try and make him stop, but have come to appreciate his commitment and my inability to change him, so in answer to your question – Submission.

PURCHASE TICKETS FOR ROB ROUSE’S UK TOUR NOW

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Posted in: Comedians, Seven Questions With... Tagged: Ben Elton, British Comedy, Comedy, Harry Enfield, Interview, Rob Rouse, Seven Questions With, Upstart Crow

Film Review: David Brent: Life On The Road

September 14, 2016 by Becca Moody 1 Comment

It would be difficult not to notice that everyone’s favourite brown-suited office worker David Brent is back. Ricky Gervais writes, directs and performs in David Brent: Life On The Road, which follows the sales rep’s debut UK tour (a venture that’s success is surely questionable from the outset).

As Brent embarks on his rockstar escapade, he is accompanied by rapper Dom Johnson (played by Ben Bailey Smith, who is also stand up comedian Doc Brown, known by many for his recents efforts in Greg Davies and Alex Horne’s Taskmaster on Dave). Bailey Smith and Gervais’s partnership came about a few years ago now, with the unveiling of Brent’s single Equality Street for Comic Relief in 2013, and their onscreen relationship is very interesting; it epitomises two undeniably different backgrounds complimenting each other, but also often clashing.

David Brent

David Brent: Life On The Road

There is an abundance of familiar faces scattered throughout, including Man Down‘s Roisin Conaty and Ashley McGuire, and Diane Morgan, aka Philomena Cunk, who plays publicist Briony. Brent’s band also features Andy Burrows, former Razorlight drummer and half of Smith & Burrows, along with Steve Clarke and Michael Clarke. And the songs are good. The lyrics are unanimously awful, skirting on the wrong side of bad taste, and utterly hilarious. It surely isn’t ignorant to assume that the repressed guilty laughter coming from the audience I sat in is reminiscent of the reactions in every cinema auditorium across the country.

Amongst others, Mandeep Dhillon is particularly brilliant as modestly sympathetic receptionist Karen Parashar, alongside humble and ever-forgiving Pauline Gray (Jo Hartley), both of whom are left behind at the Lavichem office as Brent goes in pursuit of his rockstar dreams, although it unfolds that these are not the only friendly faces the disrespected and under-appreciated Brent will encounter. Life On The Road is ultimately a showcase of the genuine goodness and care for the welfare of others that we can hope that every person holds. This portrayal of human nature at its most fundamental allows the tensions of Brent’s disjointedness to soften and shows the sales rep in his most vulnerable, yet endearing light; of course he is defensive and guarded: he has been ridiculed and wounded by many.

David Brent

David Brent: Life On The Road

This attempt to reignite Brent’s failed ‘rock career’ shows the man to be genuinely floundering (he explains his recent breakdown whilst implying that therapy is somewhat below him); he is nostalgic for something that simply never was. And yes, Brent’s plight is a sad and often cringeworthy watch but as is often the case with Gervais’ comedy, the prevailing feeling is bittersweet, with audiences feeling a faint sense of hope that emulates the character’s own relenting enthusiasm. Ricky Gervais has recaptured the essence of The Office in an adventure that was probably not needed but is certainly not unnecessary, and I am grateful that the character of David Brent has been revived, with live dates for next year having already sold out.

DAVID BRENT: LIFE ON THE ROAD IS CURRENTLY IN CINEMAS ACROSS THE UK

Posted in: Comedians, Films Tagged: Ben Bailey Smith, British Comedy, Comedy, David Brent, David Brent: Life On The Road, Ricky Gervais, The Office

August: Comedian Of The Month #31, Jayde Adams

September 7, 2016 by Becca Moody 1 Comment
Jayde Adams

© Stella Pictures Limited

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.

As the winner of 2014’s Funny Women Award and nominee for Best Newcomer at this year’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards, Jayde Adams is a name and a voice you will certainly be hearing a lot more of in the coming months.

Bristol-born stand up comic Jayde Adams is boisterous, bright and bossy. She sets an agenda early on; there are things to do and simply no time for mucking around: “I haven’t got time for your insecurities,” she barks at an audience member who reluctantly joins her on stage. Here we have a performer who is incredibly easy for me to write about; she is loud and provocative, with colourful costume, dance and props making her sets visually interesting, as well as a powerful singing voice and abundance of musical tracks to diversify her sets.

Her 2016 Edinburgh show is entitled 31 (and may I point out here that it is a complete, yet undeniably satisfying, coincidence that Adams is MoodyComedy’s 31st Comedian of the Month) and is a vibrant tribute to the singer Adele. And many comparisons can be drawn between the two performers, both refreshingly honest, uncomplicated and effortlessly funny. But beneath the colour and noise, Adams’ latest show is concerned with the fragility of confidence, whether that be onstage or within oneself.

© Edinburgh Comedy Awards

Best Newcomer nominees at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2016 © Edinburgh Comedy Awards

And there are layers, parts of this comedian that we have to wait patiently to learn, and though there is a limited availability of these moments to view online, one only has to read an interview with Jayde to witness her willing vulnerability in opening up about her personal life. Her openness is what makes her likeable, whilst earlier behaviours may lead an audience to assume that this comedian does not feel the need to be liked. At the end of the day, Jayde Adams knows what she is good at, and ultimately that is making people laugh.

For more information, visit Jayde Adams’ website and follow her on Twitter.

JULY COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH
Posted in: Comedian Of The Month, Comedians Tagged: British Comedy, Comedian Of The Month, Comedy, Edinburgh Comedy Awards, Funny Women, Jayde Adams

Ask The Expert: Robert Popper (Writer and Producer)

August 31, 2016 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment
Robert Popper

Robert Popper

Robert Popper is an award-winning comedy writer and producer. As well as co-writing the popular mock-documentary Look Around You with Peter Serafinowicz (Shaun of the Dead, The Peter Serafinowicz Show), Popper is the brain behind Channel 4’s Friday Night Dinner, which stars Tom Rosenthal and Simon Bird as bickering brothers Jonny and Adam, alongside Tamsin Greig, Paul Ritter and Mark Heap. Friday Night Dinner is arguably one of the best sitcoms on television in terms of joke economy and originality, and that is why the show recently returned for a fourth series.
I asked Robert a few questions about his past and current projects in order to learn more about his creative processes…

How did you get into the comedy industry?

I didn’t know anyone in TV when I decided I wanted to give it go. I was basically clueless, but I knew that if I just sent off my rather dull CV I would just get rejection after rejection. So I created a new CV for myself, one that looked completely normal and totally bland, but the more you read it, the more you thought, ‘Huh?!’. It said that, aged 3, I was the sole survivor of an air crash in Canada, and that I was rescued and reared by wolves. It also had all these strange job references I’d mocked up on fake letterheads. There was a syrup factory that I worked in, until I fell into a vat of boiling syrup and spent years having skin grafts. There was a reference from the chief surgeon at the hospital I was sent to, and one from a guy who was my boss in a company that bottled urine as a drink. His reference was written on prison notepaper. Anyway, my stupid letters got me lots of interviews, and led me to work with Peter Richardson – who was one of my comedy heroes – at The Comic Strip. I remember when I went to his office for the first time, I heard him calling from upstairs, ‘Bring me the wolfman! Bring me the wolfman!’ I knew I wanted to work there right away.

How does your own life inspire Friday Night Dinner?

The characters are very loosely based on my family, but that was very much just the starting point. My dad rarely wore a top in the house when I grew up, and did say quite a few of the things his character says in the show – ‘Shit on it!’ being one of them. My mum does have red hair and was always really excited when my brother and I would come back home for dinner. My brother and I used to – and still do, sadly – playfight and put salt in each other’s drinks – so those things are definitely true. The more I wrote, however, the more the characters became their own people. I guess, what I was trying to do with the series was capture the rhythms and melodies of the way my family, and a lot of my friends spoke, growing up, and also share that central idea – that, no matter what age you are, as soon as you go back to your parent’s house, you become a kid again.

What is your aim with the latest series of Friday Night Dinner?

As with every series of FND, I just want to make people laugh out loud. That’s all I want really. It takes a while for viewers to get to know characters, but I feel that by series 4, they’re pretty well bedded down now, which makes my job a little easier in that I know the show is an easier watch now for people. At the same time, trying to come up with new stories, when basically the characters are in a house for 25 minutes each week, becomes harder and harder.

What was your first writing project?

Writing on a panel show called The Brain Drain. I was crap.

Which writers are your favourites to work with?

I’ve worked with quite a few, and they’re all so different. I’m lucky to have worked with so many great writers, either producing or script editing their shows. I’ve worked particularly closely with Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong, so I guess I know their style, and way of working the most. They’re ridiculously good, and also have that thing that great writers have – they are totally easy with criticism.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CURRENT PROJECTS, INCLUDING SERIES FOUR OF FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER, VISIT ROBERT POPPER’S WEBSITE

ASK THE EXPERT…

Posted in: Ask The Expert, Interviews, Television Shows Tagged: British Comedy, Comedy, Friday Night Dinner, Robert Popper

TV Review: Fleabag, Series 1

August 27, 2016 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

At first glance BBC Three’s new sitcom Fleabag may give the illusion of being like any other modern day sitcom. A young, attractive but troubled lead with a turbulent love life, an uptight sister and a struggling small business; what more could writer and ‘Fleabag’ Phoebe Waller-Bridge bring to the table? But within the first episode the narrative is already swept in an interesting direction, with the suggestion of darker aspects to this person’s life than one might previously have assumed.

Beginning life as a one-woman Edinburgh show in 2013, Fleabag is a confessional tale of a young woman trying to succeed in her relationships, business ventures and in herself, but desperately treading water. Waller-Bridge’s writing is rude and provocative but refreshingly open and self-deprecating. Yes it is dark, and heavy at times, but this sitcom is undoubtedly really funny. The production itself is artistically daring in places, with dream and flashback sequences packing particular punch. And the coy looks to camera are a welcome release of tension for viewers, with Waller-Bridge’s knowing eye drawing us in for personal in-jokes that teach us more about her character, rather than serve as cheap laughs.

© BBC

© BBC

And the cast is not to be scoffed at either, with W1A‘s Hugh Skinner playing Fleabag’s intermittent boyfriend as well as Hugh Dennis as unsupportive bank manager and Olivia Colman as somewhat self-entitled step-mum. The small group of core characters are diversely peculiar, with each of their stresses manifesting in traits such as a limitation to the fluidity of their social skills or an avoidance of adult responsibilities.

There are plenty of laugh out loud moments provided by our star, drawn from her highly socially inappropriate sense of humour and an apparently uncontrollable mouth. But the issue at the heart of this unsettling comedy is one of great personal loss; whether that be the ongoing pain of having her mother die when she was young or the recent shock of losing her best friend in a horrific incident, Fleabag is coming to terms with her status in the world, and within her own disjointed family.

Fleabag is almost a comedy of errors; it is a narrative of social nonconformity: a depiction of a young woman struggling to accept herself, apparently terrified of real affection. Our almost-tragic lead is the receiver of everyone’s sympathy but does not often receive any genuine care. Disjointed, snappy and vibrant, Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag establishes itself very quickly before evolving into something else entirely; there are numerous moments in this programme that are absolutely exquisite.

FLEABAG IS AVAILABLE TO WATCH ON BBC IPLAYER

Posted in: Comedians, Television Shows Tagged: British Comedy, Comedy, Fleabag, Hugh Dennis, Hugh Skinner, Olivia Colman, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sitcom

July: Comedian Of The Month #30, Luke Heggie

August 20, 2016 by Becca Moody 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.

In March of this year, I spoke briefly with comedian and podcaster Stuart Goldsmith (the brain behind potentially the king of all comedy podcasts, The Comedian’s Comedian). I asked Goldsmith if there were any episodes of his podcast that he wished more people would listen to; any particular comedians he had interviewed who he thinks deserve a listen from every comedy fan. The name he instantly put forward was that of Luke Heggie, and now, just four months later, it is my turn to recommend Heggie to you, just as Stu recommended him to me.

Heggie is a no-nonsense Aussie performer. A builder by day as well as being a husband and father, he’s a busy man and he clearly doesn’t spare much time for messing around. Perhaps this is the reason for his word and joke economy being so high, then, with his punchy, fast-paced delivery and an almost aggressive, subversive attitude making for an impassioned stand up experience.

© Danny Aarons

© Danny Aarons

Openly embracing cynicism, Luke has an angry energy about him, and this energy is consistent throughout each set, whether that be expressed through snappy one liners or longer-form anecdotes, which the comic himself confesses can “border on ranty sarcasm but I don’t really give a shit.” He has a powerful voice, and he refers to issues that, although specific and detailed, can be related to by audiences as we can each draw different things from his narratives.

And even though Heggie holds so much resentment for so many idiots he encounters in his own life, we can’t help but pray that we don’t fit the descriptions of the resented, because this comedian has a strange ability to make his audience wish he would accept us, rather than us accepting him. Luke Heggie has been working on the circuit for around six years now, but one could be forgiven for assuming he has many more years under his belt, with his slating character assassinations and acerbic stage presence effortlessly asserting him as the most powerful presence in a room. You can listen to Luke Heggie’s interview with Stuart Goldsmith here.

For more information, visit Luke Heggie’s website and follow him on Twitter.

JUNE COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH
Posted in: Comedian Of The Month, Comedians Tagged: Comedian Of The Month, Comedy, Luke Heggie

The Edinburgh Interviews: Seven Questions With… Tamar Broadbent

August 17, 2016 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment
Tamar Broadbent

© Steve Ullathorne

Tamar Broadbent is a comedian and musician known for her work developing musicals and producing solo shows that consider the perils of modern day life and how we can learn to embrace the more difficult or ‘ugly’ things that face us each and every day. Tamar’s latest show Get Ugly is a musical exploration of those little niggles in life that we often don’t talk about, shining a beacon of positivity and good humour and tackling problems big and small that inevitably pop up from time to time.
I asked Tamar these seven questions to find out more…

[Read more…]

Posted in: Comedians, Edinburgh, Seven Questions With... Tagged: British Comedy, Comedy, Edinburgh Festival, Interview, Seven Questions With, Tamar Broadbent, The Edinburgh Interviews

The Edinburgh Interviews: Seven Questions With… David Ephgrave

August 16, 2016 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment
One half of comedy duo Doggett and Ephgrave (can you guess which?), David Ephgrave is a comedian and musician who has been working on the circuit for over nine years. He is bringing his latest show Mostly David Ephgrave to this year’s Edinburgh Festival as well as blogging his experiences at the Fringe. Publishing a piece of writing every single day, as Ephgrave does with his blog, is surely a fantastic way to encourage creativity and avoid stagnancy.
To find out more about David, I asked him these seven questions…

1) What is your most prominent Edinburgh Festival memory?

The time I got stuck inside a pouffe at the bar at the Pleasance Dome. I was chatting with my double act partner Glyn and a couple of other comics, when the bit of the footstool I was sitting on fell through, meaning I fell through with it. I tried to style it out, which is a physical impossibility.

[Read more…]

Posted in: Comedians, Edinburgh, Seven Questions With... Tagged: British Comedy, Comedy, David Ephgrave, Edinburgh Festival, Interview, Seven Questions With, The Edinburgh Interviews

The Edinburgh Interviews: Seven Questions With… Lazy Susan

August 15, 2016 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment
© Bobby Goulding

© Bobby Goulding

Lazy Susan are a sketch double act made of Freya Parker and Celeste Dring, who have been making waves in recent times with shows that get bigger and better each year. Their sketches are unpredictable, silly and surreal, no surprise, then, that they were nominated for the Foster’s Best Newcomer Award in 2014. Lazy Susan bring their latest show, Crazy Sexy Fool, to this year’s Edinburgh Festival, and it is one that everyone seems to be talking about.
I spoke to Lazy Susan’s Freya Parker to find out more about the double act…

[Read more…]

Posted in: Comedians, Edinburgh, Seven Questions With... Tagged: Celeste Dring, Comedy, Edinburgh Festival, Freya Parker, Interview, Lazy Susan British Comedy, Seven Questions With, The Edinburgh Interviews
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