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Liam Williams

TV Review: Back To Life

November 10, 2019 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

We first meet Miri Matteson as she frantically hacks at her own fringe in preparation for a job interview. This kind of bumbling impulsivity is a staple of Miri’s approach to life, we soon learn.

Miri (played by Daisy Haggard) has just been released home after spending the last eighteen years in prison for murder. It’s not just that her family have been living their lives without her for nearly twenty years, but Miri has become completely isolated from the world she lives in. The world has moved on and didn’t wait for her, incarcerated, to catch up.

As we piece together what happened eighteen years ago, the true nature of the characters begins to become clear. Everyone is either afraid of Miri or absolutely despises her, or both, and this affects how they react to her now she has re-integrated into the outside world.

© BBC3

Most of the characters are energetic and peculiar, from brutally honest and antagonistic probation officer Janice (Jo Martin), to Miri’s new boss, chip shop owner Nathan (Liam Williams). These ridiculous characters contrast against the sensitivity of neighbour and potential love interest Billy (Adeel Akhtar) and also the uptight and, for some reason, furious former best friend Mandy (Christine Bottomley).

Set against the backdrop of Kent’s murky pebbled beaches, Back To Life develops a similar feeling of tranquil tragedy to that of Ricky Gervais’ After Life, which is, at times, rather breathtaking. Back To Life is a programme that shows us what we are capable of doing to each other, and that’s quite scary. But it also shows how people who love each other deep down under the surface are capable of putting their conflicts aside when it really matters.

Jauntily paced and saturated with sarcastic remarks thrown out between deeply flawed individuals, Back To Life is tense and filled with conflict. Haggard’s performance is stunning, yet utterly heartbreaking.

BACK TO LIFE IS AVAILABLE ON BBC iPLAYER

Posted in: Comedians, Television Shows Tagged: Adeel Akhtar, Back To Life, Christine Bottomley, Daisy Haggard, Jo Martin, Liam Williams

December Comedian of the Month #54, Liam Williams

January 15, 2019 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.

Leeds comic Liam Williams has an acerbic demeanour; a comic voice that the ear can’t help but listen to. He’s a comedian who demands some kind of response from every listener, but not in a grandiose or loud way. He is a relatively quiet speaker, calculating and calm, and something about him is rather captivating.

Liam Williams

In 2014, Williams created a series of Comedy Blaps for Channel 4 which are still available on YouTube and All 4. This is a series of 3 short videos (around 4 mins each) which explore themes of ‘Things’ ‘Monotony’ and ‘Home’. Other creators of these comedy blaps include Rose Matafeo, Tez Ilyas and Sam Simmons.

These comedy shorts really showcase Williams’ writing skill. The narratives have unexpected twists, and the dialogue is sarcastic yet poetic, making an almost uncomfortable watch. And similarly, Williams’ BBC Radio 4 series Ladhood has the comic’s trademark aptitude for captivating description, teamed with his unmistakable deep, rumbling vocal delivery.

For more information, follow Liam Williams on Twitter, or visit his website.

COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

Posted in: Comedian Of The Month, Comedians Tagged: Comedian Of The Month, Liam Williams

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