Liverpool Daily Post - Comedy Blog

Mock the Mock the Week

2009-07-10T08:29:36Z

What a load of old toss.

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Mock the Week was back on our screens last night, unexpectedly in the slot of Krod Mondoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire. "Where's my topless Sean Maguire fix?" I lamented - and was secretly relieved to find I wasn't alone. It's on Mondays now, apparently. I imagine programme controllers thought Mock would be more of a complement to the shows that follow it on at the moment (namely, Mitchell & Webb and Psychoville).

But NO. Just NO. I'd rather have the silliness of Krod over the smug, testosterone-spewing self-righteousness of Mock the Week any day.

I'll incur the wrath of fellow blogger and Mock devotee Remote Control for this - but dear Lord, this show is just drivel, bringing out the worst in some very talented people and adulating comics who at best are overhyped.

It's the cheap, unsophisticated and boistrous nature of this show that gets to me - not to mention the fact the comics are being pandered to greatly for the most part, and just not encouraged to do their best.

Maybe it is just a boy's club - and there's nothing wrong with that, although Jo Brand has some interesting things to say on the matter - but when Gina Yashere can't get a word in edgeways, you know chaos is reigning.

Frankie Boyle's angry man act just gets my hackles up - so mean spirited and so over-rated, and I'm still waiting for Russell Howard to say something funny.

I much prefer the calmer, more thoughtful styles of Andy Parsons (or "bald sarky t**t" as one friend describes him) and Hugh Dennis. Last night, even elder statesman Frank Skinner didn't seem to have the desire to jump into the raucous melee.

It's not topical comedy, it's just a boy's own ego trip. Maybe I'm just a thirty-something oversensitive lady at the mercy of her hormones, but it's to Radio 4 for me, where The Now Show and the sublime News Quiz knock spots off this lowest-common-denominator bunfight.

Sorry, Remote Control.

Tom Stade - from Michael McIntyre to Baby Blue

2009-07-09T10:15:32Z

Comedy Central is very excited about this man...

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From tonight (Thurs, July 9) through the weekend, man o' the moment Tom Stade is the headliner at Comedy Central down at the Albert Dock.

Canadian stand up Tom's had a profile boost recently after an apprearance on madcap Marmite-esque (love-him-or-hate-him) Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow.

The bonus is on Thursdays the club, based at Baby Blue, offers two-for-the-price-of-one tickets. Tonight, compere Cole Parker introduces Tom, Hils Barker, Damion Larkin and a short spot from newcomer Ben Davids.

One Friday your host is Dom Woodward, with Jon Warburton taking over duties on Saturday, but the main line up is the same - Tom Stade, Anthony J Brown, and Steve Hall, who has never played the club, but has previously supported Russell Howard.

For tickets and more info, ring 0151 702 5834. Here's a taste of Tom in action:

Wimbledon japes from CBBC's Hacker the dog

2009-07-09T08:36:32Z

WIMBLEDON - not often very funny. So praise be for a little puppet doggy who caused a an inimitable form of havoc down at SW19...

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Oh, us children of the Eighties, swaggering about like we invented children's television. The broom cupboard, Philip Schofield, Gordon the Gopher, Ed the Duck, Andi Peters and Andy Crane...eh? EH?

Children's programming at the Beeb may have changed, got its own stations and gone all digital and whatnot, but current mascot Hacker the dog is clearly much funnier than anything that has come before. He can talk, for a start. Well, kind of.

I was introduced to him over the weekend and can't seem to stop watching his hunt through Wimbledon to find Sue Barker, nor stop singing his lovely little Sue Barker song. So if you're feeling a bit silly, and while it's still vaguely topical, I give you Hacker the dog:

Rogue builders - fake Brick Up tickets on the loose

2009-07-08T09:21:03Z

GOOD old Brick Up the Mersey Tunnels makes another comeback this week. But the Royal Court is warning people to be on the lookout...

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They say counterfeit tickets may be being circulated for the show, and that member of staff from the theatre overheard customers in a Liverpool café being offered tickets for any night for "less than you'd pay at the box office".

Iain Christie, marketing manager for Royal Court Liverpool said: "There are systems in place to prevent any members of staff accessing discounted tickets so we can only assume that the tickets are fakes.

"Anybody with forged tickets will not be allowed into the venue and their details will be passed to Merseyside police.

"We do not have agencies selling tickets on our behalf so if they are not bought from us here, then they will not be legitimate tickets."

Some shows are already, unsurprisingly, sold out. Brick Up runs from this Friday (July 10) to August 22.

Review: Daliso Chaponda and Keith Carter

2009-07-03T10:17:54Z

The Malawian-Warringtonian stand up previews his upcoming Edinburgh show Westerners, Calm Down!, and the ubiquitous Mr Carter wheels out three characters who aren't Nige under the dubiously watchful eye of Stanley McHale...

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Last time I saw Daliso Chaponda I was impressed - he had a confidence that British stand ups almost inherently lacked - but although no doubt he can deliver a solid 20 minutes, I wasn't sure what to expect when he spread it out over an hour.

Needn't have worried, pleased to say. His preview (at the Slaughterhouse last Thursday) of his new show sparkles with wit and charm, he had good fun with a beligerant front row, and even when it looked as if he was running out of steam a tad, the man still has such a presence you realise that even if there's no punchline for a little while, the audience is still in rapt attention.

It's interesting to find out more about his unusual upbringing - from Malawi to Toronto to Warrington, of all the places in all the world - and although it's an interesting USP in itself, it gives a perspective that has really shaped his act. He tried out his Edinburgh show - about 75% complete - fell back on some older, filthier material that he was comfortable with, and had some fun just generally messing around.

Like Reginald D Hunter a couple of weeks ago, it really is a bit different to see comics at this time of year play with these more informal gigs in preparation for unveiling a new show. Capital of Comedy at the Slaughterhouse has a few more of these coming up in the next few weeks so keep your eye out for more.

We were told the night was going to be one hour of Daliso, a 15 minute break and then one hour of Keith Carter, bish bash bosh and home in time for Newsnight. Not a chance.

When Carter and McHale took over the stage the energy was incredible.

First up, was Ronnie Binks, a failing and increasingly desperate working mans' club Northern entertainer. It's been done many times before - a bit Phoenix Nights, a bit Little Britain's Des Kaye - so I was slightly wary, but Carter didn't waste a second in dispelling any doubt he couldn't make a go of it.

From his cheesy song about laughter bringing us all together to his eventual breakdown reprising the song in tears, I was laughing so much it was hard to breathe.

Next was Gerald Roberts, Radio Merseyside's 'taxi driver to the stars'. Carter seems particularly comfortable in this character's skin, a rambling Scouser who always goes off on a tangent about a random celeb, even when there's a pressing need to get to the point - in this case trying to promote his dubiously-named charity. A brilliant character study, but the segment did seem just slightly too long - probably a matter of Carter's own personal enjoyment on stage, than Gerald overstaying his welcome.

Then my favourite. Victor Wochalski (sp??!), a be-mulleted, Noo Joy-sey store detective pounding the beat of John Lewis. Aggressively focused and probably a little psychotic ("Stop that kid! He's stealing my essence!"), the dead-eyed stare is hilariously unhinged and his delusions, creepily daft.

Finally, a bit of classic Nige, whom after such a marathon of Carter, simply stormed the room.

Props to partner in comedy crime Stanley McHale, who created the role of Tony Diamond, a desperate, David Brent-ish agent trying shamelessly to get his discernably untalented acts booked, returning to the stage more dishevelled each time, bottle of Jameson's in hand.

Jon Stewart on Michael Jackson

2009-07-02T10:23:10Z

POOR old bloody Michael Jackson. Concert promoters still trying to make a fast buck off his name, his "last ever" pics gracing the front cover of the shameless OK Magazine, and the rolling news guff - oh my days, the rolling news guff.

It's just as well he'll only die once, as the Daily Show saw fit to demonstrate last night...

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The Daily Show was right on the money with this brilliant sketch, shown last night in the UK but the night before in the US (June 30).

Take a look at the RIPpys, Jon Stewart's own blistering ceremony for "outstanding achievement in obitutainment". Just when you think it isn't possible to love him more...

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

The Rippy Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Obitutainment

thedailyshow.com

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Jason Jones in Iran

Family Mahone live

2009-07-01T14:00:21Z

DJ MARK Radcliffe's Family Mahone comes to an outdoor stage near you

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The group - "Cheshire's foremost drinking band" - bring their "epic, raggle-taggle" sound to the outdoor stage of Alexander's in Chester on Friday night (July 3, tickets £10).

With three albums under their belt, Songs of the Back Bar, On the Razzle, and Mahone Brew, they say they have "plied their evil drinking song trade up and down the country and in just about every pub, club, toilet and opium den within striking distance of Chester".

NUJ comedy benefit night

2009-07-01T09:56:07Z

IT'S not all glamour in this game, you know.

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It's very hard to get the world to feel sorry for journalists. It's a dirty job, as the cliche goes, but someone's got to do it - all these Michael Jackson cash-in souvenir supplements won't write themselves, you know. We all need to be shown a little love from time to time.

And what with newspaper offices closing, redundancies, and the usual vaguely-worded announcements doing the rounds hinting at darker things to come all over the show, sometimes you've just got to laugh.

So following the success of a similar event in London earlier in the year, a Stand up for journalism gig is to be held this weekend in the North West.

Specifically, the gig, organised by by the National Union of Journalists is taking place in Stockport to support editorial staff at MEN Media, which has removed all the journalists from the local office where the Stockport Express, South Manchester Reporter and Trafford Metro News staff were based.

Organisers say that across Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Lancashire, more than 36 editorial jobs on weekly papers have gone this year, and by October all of the group's local offices will be closed.

Remaining journalists will be based in central Manchester, much depleted and far removed from the patches they are supposed to be covering.

Worth a scoot up the M62, even for a rival paper, sez I.

BBC Radio Manchester presenter Chris Holliday will compere the show, and NUJ member Julia Brosnan from Mish Mash cabaret will perform along with Canadian stand up Wafik Nasralla, and Greg Cook. DJ Barter will be on the decks playing punk and ska beats.

Stand up for journalism takes place at The Baker's Vault, Market Place, Stockport, on Sunday (July 5). Doors open 8pm, tickets £5, with proceeds going to journalists who strike against cuts.

View Stand Up For Journalism in a larger map

Young comedian finals coming up

2009-06-29T13:40:15Z

THE Comedy Trust's Stand Out young comedian of the year competition takes place this weekend (and those are your finalists above).

Practically official Scouse treasures John Bishop and Les Dennis are among the supporters of the event, which takes place in the concert room of St George's Hall on Saturday (July 4).

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Now in its eighth year, Stand Out is a groundbreaking stand up comedy course for 14-18 year olds (it sez 'ere).

This year, 11 Stand Out course graduates from nine schools from across Merseyside, Lancashire and, erm, Strathclyde take to the stage to compete in the 2009 grand final.

John Bishop, stand up and member of Liverpool Comedy Festival Creative Group said: "Hosting the final last year was a great honour and the standard of all the entrants was exceptionally high.

"So much so I am sure we will be seeing Stand Out graduates on the UK circuit in the near future pushing fossils like me to make sure we are at the top of our game to keep up."

Les Dennis, patron of The Comedy Trust, added: "The Stand Out project is a brilliant idea. If it had existed when I was at school it would have been a massive help.

"Young people should be encouraged to follow their dream. Long may Stand Out continue."

High praise indeed.

The students get a six week course, taught by professional comedians, which aims to give young people a vehicle to improve their confidence, self-esteem, communication and presentation skills - and never mind the kiddiwinks, I could probably do with some of that myself.

In the last school year, more than 300 young people in 25 schools have taken part.

On Saturday night, the young comedians will battle it out in front of judges, with two winners being crowned on the night from different age categories (14-16 and 16-18).

Schools represented are: Maricourt RC High School, Maghull; Wade Deacon High School, Widnes; St Wilfrids RC High School, Litherland; Mosslands High School, Wallasey; St Mary's College, Wallasey; Hesketh Fletcher High, Atherton; Govan High School, Glasgow; St Wilfrids RC High School, Litherland; St Chads Catholic High School & Language College; and Runcorn Hillside High, Bootle.

For tickets, call 0870 787 1866 or visit thecomedytrust.com and click Stand Out.

Review: Reginald D Hunter, Baby Blue

2009-06-23T14:24:02Z

WORTH the wait? Oh yes...

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Braving hayfever of previously unforeseen levels, I moseyed out for my date with destiny. Or a bloke called Reg.

Last week's gig was, as I've explained elsewhere, the fourth time I've made an attempt to see this man live, and it was good stuff - a nice, laidback, confident effort in a decent setting that saw him trying out new material alongside some of the best bits from his 2008/9 show No Country for Grown Men.

So it was kind of experimental, but it worked just fine, beginning with a missive about what polite society calls "the 'n' word" - which is always dodgy territory amidst an audience of repressed white people. Okay to laugh 'cos Reg is? Giggling out of shock? Being made to feel uncomfortable? Just plain racist? Who knows.

But there's nothing if not food for thought in Hunter's shows (a couple of years ago his promotional posters for his show Pride and Predjudice and N----- were banned on the Tube). And it's not even a matter of shock value - he's too relaxed to bother with that kind of tactic, and himself admits the word has little bearing on him.

So, happy in the knowledge he's happy, we settle down, although you've got to wonder how relevant that kind of segment really is to a bunch of pasty northerners, even if we do watch too much of The Wire.

It's a short set, less than an hour by my watch, but his storytelling skills tap a rich vein. His matter-of-factness twinned with that incredibly alluring Southern drawl mean you can't help but listen.

Highlights included Reg recalling five years living in Birmingham ("people would say all kinds to me. 'You look like Lenny Henry'... 'Are you Lenny Henry'....") and a lengthy piece about getting to know his dad that was well worth the pay off.

With that, the evening kind of came to its logical conclusion. Perhaps it was a shade too short, but on the other hand there was no filler either. Quality all the way, and it will be good to see him come back in future when this year's show has shaped up properly.

Krod Mandoon, Mitchell & Webb and Psychoville

2009-06-19T12:10:25Z

I HAVEN'T been so well, but even that doesn't really explain how much I liked Krod Mandoon... or how much I was perving at Sean Maguire's abs.

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Three straight hours of watchable terrestrial TV doesn't happen much, so all hail BBC2 for its new Wednesday night output.

Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire had come recommended to me by a friend who recognised my soft spot for the usual never-the-twain combo of Scandinavian folk-inspired metal and deliberately crap jokes.

It's been slated everywhere, but what the hell, I'm going to stick up for it. While no means a classic, I like it's shameless silliness. It's a sci-fi comedy - think Red Dwarf meets Maid Marian and her Merry Men, and because of it's transatlantic funding (which explains Maguire's US accent and the involvement of Comedy Central) there's a warmth, and a sweet impracticality, to it - which the UK audience will probably dismiss - which quite sets it apart from anything else.

And Maguire - oh my goodness, Maguire - yes, him off of Grange Hill, who has made a name for himself in the States starring in Meet the Spartans (widely considered one of the worst movies of all time by right thinking people, it managed an absurd 2% rating on Rotten Tomatoes) - oh my days, he's all grown up. *Insert own joke about flaming swords here*

So then it was on to the new series of That Mitchell and Webb Look, which I didn't quite realise I was enjoying so much until I clocked how much I was laughing out loud. The sketch with Robert Webb as Dr Death, a mad inventor that kept creating evil death rays but only on the premise they are used for good, nearly had me in tears, and then of course the was the 'Hit and Miss' sketch which has the promise of a modern classic:

Their best solo stuff yet?

Finally, while I'm feeling so positive about everything, we had the debut of the highly promising Psychoville. League of Gentlemen-ers Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton didn't stray too far from their original formula but have set up one hell of an intriguing show and I can't wait to see how it all unfolds. I might turn into one of those sad sacks who write in to Points of View asking for "more, please!".

They have created six strange, rather disgusting characters (the scene with the mother enjoying her son brushing crumbs off her far too much, then declaring "I'm going to have 'alf an hour on me Bontempi" will haunt the dreams for quite some time - which of course is what our boys do so well), each the recipient of a hand-written letter proclaiming 'I know what you did'. I'm hooked and sat down in front of it feels - quite disturbingly - like home.

The reviewer in the Guardian yesterday thought all of the above shows were crap. Maybe I'm still off my face on Sudafed, but I for one (to continue with the Points of View parlance) am looking forward to watching them all again.

Chris Cairns with his pants around his ankles

2009-06-15T13:38:00Z

Apparently, I wasn't making my blog headlines enticing enough.

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So here's to many more hits. Maybe I should go with "Britney naked" next time and really keep the bosses happy.

Anyway. To the Slaughterhouse we went over the weekend, it's been far too long.

The titular Mr Cairns (below) really was on top form - easily one of the best compere sets I've seen him do. A small-ish crowd on the Friday night because of a stag night cancellation made for a really fun atmosphere (along with several gallons of wine on our parts). The trousers were dropped on stage, I suppose I should add - it's part of a great gag that I won't ruin here.

Co-headliner, Mancunian Des Sharples had some good material but needed bolder delivery - never something we can accuse Keith Carter of needing to tweak. It's always brilliant to hear Nige's take on the city as the years go by. I used to fear Nige would run out of steam, but that's still not happened yet. It's practically impossible to get bored - there's a joie de vivre in his scally chant 'unemployed - love the 'Floyd' that never fails to crack me up.

Slaughterhouse regulars Daliso Chapondra, Justin Moorhouse, Seymour Mace and Silky, as well as Chris Cairns and Keith Carter (as three new characters) will all be doing special preview shows there on Thursday nights across July before they all head up to the Edinburgh festival.

For tickets and more information go to www.thecapitalofcomedy.com or call Paula on 0151 728 9898.

Liverpool Comedy Festival - an apology...

2009-06-10T08:57:29Z

IT may not have gone unnoticed round these parts that this year the Comedy Blog seemed to have completely bypassed the Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Holidays, night shifts, and a soupcon of general nihilism - dearie me, everything seemed to get in the way.

But it would be silly to let it pass by without mention. So over to our lovely (and first ever) guest blogger, stand up Sam Avery, to fill us in on what we missed. He writes:

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I love the Liverpool Comedy Festival. Yeah, so it's not as big as Edinburgh but who cares? It's on my doorstep which means I can walk to most of the shows, and I'll take convenience over size any day. Just ask the overflowing bin in my living room. (It won't answer back because it's a bin.)

This year was another success as star names mixed with up and coming talent and brand new local acts just starting on the comedy ladder.

The Best of Liverpool show is always a great send-off for the festival on the final night. Mickey Finn (pictured) seems to steal the show every year and it never ceases to amaze me what a great performer he is.

It was an honour to be sharing the same bill as the likes of Mickey, Sean Styles and Willie Miller, and some of the guys that were heroes to me when I started off in comedy like Brendan Riley, Simon Bligh and Steve Gribbin.

Some alternative comics I've met in the past tend to look down their noses at the more traditional guys, believing them to be a level below on the comedian's caste system. This opinion tends to come from shortsighted acts who don't know their La's from their Lloyds Bars. For me, the Best of Liverpool is a great snapshot of the different styles of humour and comedy that buzz around this city, and the crowd lapped up every minute of it.

My favourite part of the fezzy has always been the legendary comedy pub crawl Drink Up Stand Up. Four pubs, with a different comic in each. Not only was this my first 'proper' paid gig a few years back but the catalogue of incidents during these shows have become the stuff of legend.

Audience members getting arrested down Lark Lane during the show, acts falling off tables posing as makeshift stages, scally girls punching the compere, venues flooding hours before the hordes of punters arrive, the list goes on.

But these incidents don't detract from the experience, they only enhance it. As a comic, I always like a challenge. (N.B. read 'always' as 'once a year'.) It's an easy trap to fall into of phoning your set in every night, telling it rather than selling it. You'd better not do that on a Drink Up Stand Up gig or you'll get eaten alive (and possibly bottled).

With the compere leading the drunken army of comedy fans between each venue with a megaphone, the next venue is always a secret to the punters, and sometimes to even some of the staff in the venue itself!

Head of PR for the festival Iain Christie once coined the term, 'guerilla comedy' which comes pretty close to describing the whole affair. It's a truly unique night out and I always think it's a shame that it doesn't run all summer long as the demand certainly seems to be there.

Although I'm not sure whether I'd ever want to get too used to doing stand up perched on the end of a bar...

* Read more from Sam on Channel 4's food site at http://blogs.channel4.com/food/author/sam-avery/. Completely coincidentally, he's also on the bill of Rawhide this weekend (June 12 and 13) at the Royal Court, with Richard Morton, Stan Stanley and Justin Moorhouse.

Guess who's back, back again, etc

2009-06-09T10:45:04Z

Is fourth time the charm for Reginald D Hunter?

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I've tried to see Reg three times in the past three years and always been foiled. First he cancelled, then the Comedy Festival put the wrong start time in their brochure and I turned up just as he was finishing, then he cancelled again (most recently last month).

But huzzah! He's actually back in town next week, when he'll be taking to the stage at Baby Blue on Tuesday (June 16), with his show No Country for Grown Men.

Brilliant. Tickets are £8 from 0151 702 5834 or www.jicomedy.co.uk, and there'll be a review up here next week.

Toofer Blue

2009-05-28T08:55:03Z

A toofer-one, if you will

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BABY Blue is continuing its 2-4-1 offer on all Thursday tickets throughout June. It's been a successful ruse throughout May, so they've extended it for another month.

Blue Thursdays are so named in keeping with the venue and not the style of entertainment less "take my wife" than take your pick from rather good line ups including Alun Cochrane (pictured) and Jarred Christmas at just £10 for two.

Cochrane appears with Isla Almas, Chris Mayo and MC Chris Wilkinson on June 4, with Christmas joining Paul Smith, John Robbins and compere Dave Twentyman on the 11th.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 0151 702 5834 or in person at Blue Bar at the Albert Dock - or punters can pay on the night up until 8pm. For further information and full listings visit www.liverpoolcomedycentral.com.