Comedy

March: Comedian Of The Month #14, Sam Simmons

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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.

Sam Simmons is an uncompromisingly weird Australian stand up. He’s a one-man variety performance, with musical overlays, flip charts and dancing. If you embrace the weirdness, his comedy becomes something entirely unique. Simmons works hard for his laughs, and they pay off spectacularly, but he also brings elements of art to his stand up. The video below features a fantastic moment where he throws bread into the crowd only to demand everyone suddenly launch it back, as he tries to hit the pieces with table tennis bats of course. It is a remarkable sight.

Fans of Noel Fielding, Tony Law and Paul Foot will certainly appreciate the wackiness of Simmons, but there is an additional element of organisation that is uncommon, or perhaps unnoticed, in these ‘alternative’ or ‘whimsical’ comedians. Sam brings his own set of rules as well as timed voice overs that make it clear the comedy is not spontaneous. It is highly crafted, and I think the details in the planning and the effectiveness of the timing are what make each performance so hilarious.

Sam Simmons seems to be one of those performers that splits every crowd, and with statements like, “if you don’t like it, don’t look,” I think he sees it too. I know for sure that there must be people at every gig who have absolutely no idea what is going on, which makes me think of that time Tony Law upset a lady on the front row because she didn’t understand why everyone was laughing.

I am a fan of Simmons because he is confident in his strangeness and that is something I’d love to see more of in the world, and certainly in the UK. Maybe our comedy has become a little too conservative, and this comic is one of the few working hard to amend that.

Follow Sam on Twitter or visit his website for more information.

FEBRUARY COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

TV Review: House Of Fools, Series 2

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Reeves and Mortimer mature like a fine wine. They somehow manage to out-do themselves with every programme they create, and building on the foundations of shows like Big Night Out and Shooting Stars, that truly is some feat. Series one of House of Fools was a comical violation of the senses, in the most enjoyable way imaginable. A fool would assume it couldn’t get any better. But it has.

This second series has shown the group really cement themselves as a unit, if a rather dysfunctional one, which gives the comedy so much more meaning and vigour, and the addition of Julie’s Bistro downstairs provides an interesting new dynamic. Rachel, Erik’s straight-talking Norwegian girlfriend, is a new character and is played by Ellie White. She fits into the group effortlessly and the possibility of Rachel just becoming a reflection of Erik’s character is successfully avoided, as she is the centre point of jokes from her very first appearance (such as her fear of non-flat things, which Bob inadvertently brings to the surface).

BBC/Christopher Baines

BBC/Christopher Baines

Dan Skinner continues to bring elements of his hysterically funny stand up character Angelos Epithemiou to his performance as Vic’s younger brother, Bosh, and similarly, Matt Berry approaches the character of Beef in his typical smooth-voiced and flamboyant style. These talented actors have certainly worked out who they are in terms of performance and this is expertly picked up on by Reeves and Mortimer in the character development and sharp script writing. And then we have Julie. Julie is absolutely magnificent. She is bewildering, extravagant and outrageous yet has the depth of a wholly decent character at the same time. Morgana Robinson’s performances truly are a sight to behold, with her enthusiastic slapstick and unpredictable line delivery, particularly regarding her temporarily tiny hands.

From the strange interpretations of celebrities like Bruce Forsyth and Alistair McGowan, to the arrival of The Butcher Boys, a dance trio made up of Tom Davis, Tony Way and Romesh Ranganathan, to the appearances of Sally Phillips, Simon Farnaby and Rufus Jones, amongst others, it can’t be denied that this programme is diverse. As well as the new energy in the cast, the fact House of Fools is recorded in front of a live audience adds something extra special to the performance, especially as they are seen at the beginning and end of episodes when the camera pans out. Fans of Vic and Bob do not sound like your average laughter track; they are boisterous, enthusiastic and clearly having a bloody enjoyable time. This homemade feel is enhanced by the decision not to remove the frequent corpses and mistakes made by the cast, which often highlight how preposterous the plot is and remind us that a great deal of the script is semi-improvised.

BBC/Christopher Baines

BBC/Christopher Baines

House of Fools is a microcosm of insanity and childishness. When Beef announces that his black cape is “made of the nighttime,” nobody bats an eyelid. When Vic proposes to save Bob’s underwear from a giant moth by shooting it dead, Bob dismissively sighs: “Vic, I don’t want my panties covered in shot.” It always has been and always will be an absolute joy watching these two fantastic comedy minds working together, and seeing them have so much fun in the process. Vic and Bob have unlocked a door to a phenomenally wacky and unsettlingly funny parallel universe, and I want to stay there forever.

CATCH UP WITH SERIES TWO OF HOUSE OF FOOLS ON BBC IPLAYER

Seven Questions With… Ray Peacock

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One half of stand up and podcasting duo, Peacock & Gamble, Ray Peacock is mischievous, multi-layered and an expert storyteller. He has appeared on Russell Howard’s Good News and worked as a warm up for shows including Not Going Out and The IT Crowd. He has also recently become one of the favourite presenters of Fubar Radio, regularly working with comedians Ed Gamble and Angela Barnes. Ray will be performing his latest solo stand up show Here Comes Trouble to the Soho Theatre from the 2nd-4th April.
I asked Ray these seven questions to learn a little more about him…

1) Is there too much stuff in the world?

There’s too much stuff in my house, let alone the world. I go a bit obsessive about stuff from time to time and collect things to the point of bursting. The most cathartic thing I’ve ever done was a massive eBay sale in January just gone where I got rid of sooooo much stuff. I basically made a list of stuff in my house that I could remember without seeing it and anything that didn’t make the list went on eBay- it was amazing. I’ve also gotten into a mood where anything that makes me sad is gone- so there were a fair few items purged that way too. I’d strongly advise everyone to do it- hugely freeing. Oh and I learned you can’t put animals on eBay- did you know that? Or people. 

2) What’s the best thing about being in a double act?

I don’t even know if I am any more, I’ve not seen Ed since October! I think we both found at the Fringe last year that we felt a bit lost initially after sharing the Edinburgh stresses for three years on the bounce. The first night we went and had a coffee together and then parted to go to our respective shows- that was heart-breaking- just walking slowly in different directions. We both looked back. So that, I guess, just the company of it. Some of our best shows were when we were looking at each other on stage and smirking when audiences weren’t going for it. When you’re on your own there’s nobody to smirk at when the nights are a struggle. So, yeah, the company. And the sex natch.

Ray Peacock3) Who would you most like to punch?

I get less and less inclined to punch people as I get older. I’m actually a bit more sinister than that, and at any given time I am plotting exhaustive revenge plans on plenty of folk who have crossed me. The last person I would have considered smacking was Jon Gaunt when he came onto Fubar and started attempting to chuck his weight around, but I managed to keep my cool for most of that as he got himself into a tizzie. He was demanding we were sacked (me and Ed) and all this nonsense, but it was a weird one because if he had done even a second of research on who he had picked a fight with then he would have seen that it might be a little more challenging than he anticipated. It was like he had gone into a boxing title match and not even watched a video of who he was up against. Which is always risky as you may get caught with a lethal uppercut and end up on your arse. Which is metaphorically what happened, and also a nice answer given your original question.

4) Do you worry too much?

Not any more, over the last couple of years I’ve got a proper perspective on who and what is actually important to me and it turns out that I’d had all my loyalties in the wrong places- personally and professionally- so I was always worried about how certain situations might impact on other people. When this wasn’t repaid, I got myself to a point where I will literally shrug off anything nowadays, inevitability remains inevitable whether you worry or not. I am being hilarious in this interview don’t you think? I’d definitely go and see my show…

5) What’s your opinion on reality TV?

I was literally typing that I don’t watch it and then I realised that I watch The Undateables and I guess that’s reality TV right? I like that one. I won’t watch any of the Simon Cowell ones, or anything that is a competition. I find those ones very morally ambiguous and I lay the blame for increasingly rude and appallingly behaved live audiences firmly at Cowell’s feet. He has single-handedly authorised disrespectful and prickish audience behaviour to a point of Armageddon and come the revolution he should be first against the wall.

6) What makes comedy exciting for you?

In the last twelve months I’ve had an average running time on my tour show of 2hrs 15 mins (with an interval) – all just me. That’s the most exciting thing in the world to me just now, the idea that I am touring a show where I easily fill the whole thing for that length of time – it would have been unthinkable not long back, and it feels like such a huge achievement. I can remember panicking about filling an hour, and nowadays I panic about getting it down to an hour. At the Soho theatre run I am doing the original fringe show which is 60 mins and I honestly don’t know how that’s going to be possible. Maybe some of that worry is coming back now. No banter- no matter what. I don’t care what your job is.

7) Did you see it?

No, I was busy misbehaving somewhere else. I almost certainly have the better story to tell.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TICKETS FOR RAY PEACOCK’S SOHO THEATRE RUN

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

Seven Questions With… Rod Woodward

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Rod WoodwardRod Woodward is a Welsh stand up comedian with a particular interest in sport, which adds an interesting and ‘niche’ dimension to some of his material. He has supported the likes of Paddy McGuinness and Russell Brand as well having performed at the ITV1 Royal Variety Performance in 2014. Rod will be at performing his latest show The Journey Starts Here at various venues across the UK during May and June 2015.
To learn more about Rod, I asked him these seven questions…

1) Should humans be trying to live longer?

That really depends on what kind of human we’re talking about. Good people should be brightening the world for as long as possible. Badduns should really have the decency to check out at their earliest convenience. In the words of the great Ken Dodd, “I hope to live long enough to see the end of the DFS sale!”

2) Can you knit?

No. But I admire those who can. I read that the world’s longest scarf was knitted in my hometown of Cardiff and measures nearly 34 miles long. How many times would you have to wrap that around your neck?!  By the time you got it on, the winter would be over. I wonder how long the previous record holding scarf was. I have visions of some old woman calling the Guinness Book of Records and saying, “I’ve just knitted what I think could be a record breaking scarf. How long is it? Well it’s from here to Swansea!

3) Why is sport important to you?

My Dad was a sports writer before he retired so I was brought up on sport. He covered soccer and boxing. In boxing, I can never understand why they hug after the fight. Maybe if they did the hug at the start they wouldn’t feel so obliged to try and kill each other. That’s why they get in the ring in their dressing gowns- it’s cause they know they’re going to hospital after the fight. If you look in those kitbags, they’ve got Lucozade and grapes in there. My favourite sport to play is golf thanks to the handicap system where you can be rubbish and still win. Years ago they worried that the term ‘handicap’ was offensive to people with disabilities but they weren’t bothered. They said, “Handicap?! I’m not the one wasting five hours in the pouring rain dressed like a blind pimp!”

4) Do you watch panel shows?

I have stopped watching them as they give me flashbacks to a pilot for a sporting/comedy panel show I was involved with when I had to go head to head with Frank Lampard in a keep-up competition. I was allowed to use a football and Frank beat me… with a pickled onion!!!  I am still in therapy over it.

5) Would you say you’re a brave person?

You never know how you will react to a proper fright until you get one. The other day my wife told me she was staying at her friend’s house overnight but changed her mind and decided to go home. When I got back from a gig very late, the house was in darkness and I assumed my wife was out like she’d originally told me. Little did I know she was hiding inside the darkness. She waited for me to turn on the lights, make myself some tea and toast, switch on the TV and start flicking through the channels. Then she jumped out from behind the sofa and shouted “BOO!”. Embarrassingly, my spontaneous reaction was to throw the tray in the air and scream “GET AWAY!” I don’t know what effect I thought the ‘GET AWAY’ would have. As if an actual intruder would say, “No, fair play you are right… I shouldn’t be in here really.”

6) Which person on the planet scares you the most?

My wife (see previous answer. Incidents like that one are becoming a regular occurrence which makes me think she must have me insured to the back teeth). Last night she woke me up with a start and told me there was a noise downstairs and that I should go and investigate and flick the kettle on while I was downstairs. “Arm yourself,” she said handing me a backscratcher with a plastic hand on the end. “Great! If there is someone in the house let’s hope he’s an itchy burglar!”

7) Which comedian working today is the most admirable for you?

I am a huge fan of Jerry Seinfeld and was lucky enough to see him live at the O2 arena.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ROD WOODWARD’S 2015 UK TOUR

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

TV Review: Alan Davies As Yet Untitled, Series 2

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Last July, a trial-run series of a new chat show hosted by Alan Davies was broadcast on Dave, and frankly, I was over the moon. The programme aims to recreate the atmosphere of a green room at a comedy gig, inviting four guests for a chat with a minimal agenda. The format is truly up and running now and a full series was broadcast, starting in January.

With the series spanning ten episodes, and four guests each week, As Yet Untitled presents a large number of guests, comedians in particular, including some that we haven’t heard from in a while. The legendary Ricky Tomlinson (Royle Family) and writer Grace Dent both feature, as well as some true comedy greats including Sarah Millican, Ross Noble, Julian Clary and David Baddiel.

© Dave

As Yet Untitled also promotes a new ‘wave’ of comedians that appear to be taking over the British comedy scene, including Nish Kumar, Angela Barnes, Elis James, James Acaster, Roisin Conaty and Tom Wrigglesworth. As this show grows it would be nice to see it gather more and more attention for the younger generation of comedians coming through which would help them get a solid grounding earlier on and enable audiences access to some incredible talent. It also features fantastic comedy talent from different parts of the world, some possibly making their debut on British television, including Aussie stand up Felicity Ward and Catastrophe‘s Rob Delaney.

The chat is often awkward and stunted in places, possibly due to editing, but this can be expected when a group of people who don’t necessarily know each other are asked to entertain themselves and a live audience; it can’t ever appear one hundred percent natural. In my opinion, this honesty add to the authenticity of the programme and also enables us to see another side to some comics that may have seemed (understandably) distant. Jimmy Carr especially appeared to settle into the informal atmosphere as the first episode wore on, showing a more natural side to him that his job, as panel show host in particular, hasn’t often allowed in the past.

© Dave

© Dave

We also get to see a kind and sensitive side to Alan Davies that isn’t necessarily catered for in other panel shows purely due to the format. He shows himself to be very inclusive and supportive of all the guests, though it is hard to judge that when watching the televised cut, and is skilled at nurturing the conversation which seems to help all the guests relax into the strange format. The discussion is more structured this series, with each guest starting with a strange fact about themselves, or a suggestion of something obscure that once happened to them, and then taking their turn to explain in more detail. The transitions are occasionally disjointed, but often the guests are relaxed enough to continue the conversational feel despite a swift subject change.

I think we have a programme here that is very much a niche type of entertainment programme, but I hope its audience continues to grow as it truly is a very enjoyable and interesting watch.

CATCH UP WITH ALAN DAVIES: AS YET UNTITLED ON DAVE ON DEMAND OR ON YOUTUBE

Seven Questions With… Roisin Conaty

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Roisin Conaty is a stand up comedian, actress and writer. With her optimistic outlook and often silly sense of humour, Roisin is one of those comics that makes you feel happier, which is so much more than just making you laugh. She plays the hilarious layabout, Jo, in the fantastic sitcom Man Down, which will return this year (starring Greg Davies and the late Rik Mayall) and also wrote and starred in her own pilot GameFace. As well as this, Roisin is currently filming for a new comedy series, Taskmaster, which will be fronted by Greg Davies and Alex Horne.
To learn more about Roisin, I asked her these seven questions…

1) What makes you laugh?

Everything. Eventually. Life is pretty ridiculous really, I mean, we are spinning in a ball in space. Any part of it slowed down, held up and examined is equally beautiful, tedious, painful and funny.

2) How good are your timekeeping skills?

Ooof awful. It honestly feels like minutes sneak away from me, out of my pockets, under the door. They leave in groups of 10, silently, hiding my phone/shoe/keys on their way. The bastards. Then sometimes they have the audacity to show up when they are not needed, all pissed and slow, like when I am waiting for a night bus or dominoes to open.

3) What one thing could you not live without?

The brilliant work of other women who ensure my safety, my rights, my voice. Women who have worked and continue to work tirelessly for progress and equality. Women who put themselves above the parapet, so they are seen and heard. The brilliantly funny and supportive women in stand up comedy who I need for inspiration. They are my sisters in arms. Basically women… oh yeah and men for kissing and sexing and stuff.

Roisin Conaty4) Do people talk too much?

No, sharing our stories & communicating with each other is how we feel connected. I think ultimately that’s all humans want, to feel connected to someone or something. It’s the motivation behind everything. Good and bad. Small talk is something I find hard, I think a lot of comics do. It has all the hallmarks of connection but you feel drained and deflated at the end. A really honest, intimate conversation about your fears, ideas, hopes and experiences with a mate can be better than a holiday in my experience.

Also, women speak on average 10,000 more words a day than men and I think that must be one of the reasons why we are not as violent… it’s a shame a lot of those 10,000 words are just us repeating ourselves, as men pretend they didn’t hear our great ideas the first time.

5) Would you eat insects for money?

No… well, how much money?… No… well, unless there were condiments involved. Boy, do I love a condiment. I have the best condiment selection I have ever seen.

6) What irritates you most?

Pomposity & shit pillows. Wait, that sounds like the title of a rubbish indie film, I mean separately. Pomposity in people and shit pillows wherever I seem to stay… Don’t get me started on shit pillows.

7) If you stopped working in comedy, what would you do next?

Country and western singer. DONE.

WATCH ROISIN’S COMEDY PILOT: GAMEFACE ON 4OD

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH…

TV Review: Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe, Series 3

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Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe may just be the smoothest comedy programme on television. It is also one of the bleakest satirical programmes I have ever seen, but I am well and truly addicted.

Here we have a programme that makes me hate so many aspects of the world, but then laugh at them and regain control. Charlie Brooker expertly exposes everything that is wrong with humanity but also shows that we’re not the only ones who are disheartened by it all. Stick with it, and you can find the positive message.

With comment on topical media-related things as well as politics, this programme doesn’t spare many people from the mockery. Jake Yapp regularly relays various programmes like The One Show and The Voice in a matter of seconds, flawlessly encapsulating their most irritating elements and imitating an array of presenters and celebrities in the process. Brooker also scrutinises over phenomena like Eastenders, Broadchurch and Fifty Shades of Grey, aided by comments from Philomena Cunk and Barry Shitpeas.

A common downfall that I have found with shows like Weekly Wipe is the quality and originality of the sketches used to break up the larger proportion of denser comedy. However, this programme is truly unique in its creation of innovative and hilarious weekly sketches, from the wonderful Philomena Cunk and her “Moments of Wonder”, to the arrival of Morgana Robinson. Robinson (House of Fools) proved a fantastic addition to the Weekly Wipe team with a scarily faultless YouTuber-parody and humorous impersonations of Russell Brand. Yet again, the great minds behind this show have proven such specific observational skills as well as, in Morgana’s case, a talent for impressions (which was already common knowledge for those who watched Very Important People, I’m sure).

Brooker is undeniably a very intelligent man and has a mysterious ability to articulate what millions of us seem to be feeling, even if we hadn’t realise it yet. Weekly Wipe is a perfect example of a programme taking control over political matters that we can’t seem to change in a valiant attempt to regain power, by laughing at it. And there are many laughs indeed.

SERIES THREE OF CHARLIE BROOKER’S WEEKLY WIPE IS AVAILABLE ON BBC IPLAYER

Review: Bramall Comedy Night, Laura Lexx, Andy White & Christian Reilly

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Last Thursday brought the latest comedy night at the University of Birmingham, and, not wanting to break tradition, I obviously went along.

Laura Lexx

Laura Lexx

The compère for the evening was the lovely Laura Lexx, a comedian I had never heard of before, and proof that going to comedy nights such as these are vital for comedy fans who want to expand their knowledge and understanding of who is actually out there performing material. Laura is one of the sweetest and most delightful comedians I’ve watched perform, who was able to balance her well-spoken, polite voice with the occasional dark humour and abstract concepts. She was also the first person to ever pick on me in the “who-are-you-what-do-you-do?” sort of sense which is surprising given the number of gigs I’ve attended over the years, but maybe more of a shock for my friend who was also singled out and had never been to an event like that before.

There is something a little magic about hearing stand up material about the specific area you live in, and, coming from Birmingham himself, Andy White was able to give that to us. Referring to an audience member from Harborne as “Your Majesty” and making humorous digs at Birmingham City University (not to be confused with the university he was performing at), Andy crafted a set that was meaningful to the people in the room. With his naturally chilled manner and remarkable red velvet jacket, this comedian comes across very confidently on stage, which is always reassuring as an audience member in a relatively small crowd.

Christian Reilly

Christian Reilly

Christian Reilly was the only comic on the bill who I’d heard material from before, by which I mean occasionally hearing him sing a couple of songs on TotalRock radio with Jeff Leach. As well as obvious musical skill, Reilly has an aptitude for pushing boundaries with risky subject matter which gives his songs an extra, often sinister, layer. His style of comedy is all-or-nothing; he takes a stance regarding a topical issue or popular celebrity and works from there, incorporating harsh criticisms hidden in between bouts of silly humour. A highlight would have to be an Avril Lavigne song in the style of Brian Ferry.

As always, the comedy night at the University of Birmingham certainly did not disappoint and, again, I encourage you to join me at next month’s event on April 9th.

BRAMALL COMEDY NIGHT: FEBRUARY 2015

TV Review: The Last Leg, Series 6

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The Last Leg is the kind of popular satirical television show that our world really needs to watch because it enables all of us to understand and appreciate major social and political events a little better. The show is presented by Australian comic Adam Hills, with help from his co-hosts: stand up comedian Josh Widdicombe and journalist and presenter Alex Brooker.

It talks about increasingly pressing topics, such as misogyny, discrimination, terrorism and war but to an ever-growing Channel 4 audience, meaning people are continuing to talk about these massive issues that affect us all. If anyone needed proof that The Last Leg is influential in this sense, you would only need to check the hashtags trending worldwide on Twitter while the show is live on air, such as #page3no which trended on Friday 23rd January this year.

The Last Leg enables audiences who are disillusioned with world politics and our own government here in Britain to take control over the global situation by simply making fun of it. A fantastic addition to the show is the awarding of “Dick of the Year,” where past victors have been Vladimir Putin and Nigel Farage. As well as all this, the comedians even managed to convince Nick Clegg to make an appearance and the fantastic results are below.

Another topic made open for discussion is that of disability in today’s society. With host Adam Hills having only one foot due to a birth defect and Alex Brooker being born with hand and arm defects as well as having to have his leg amputated when he was a baby, not only does this programme show us disability, but it allows us to laugh about it, to laugh with Adam, Alex and Josh and not feel bad about the fact we might be talking about something ‘taboo’.

A great sense of freedom is gained from watching The Last Leg as politics is opened up to the wider public in a way that, for once, isn’t entirely depressing. I hope it continues to work its stupid magic for years to come.

CATCH UP WITH SERIES SIX OF THE LAST LEG ON 4OD