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Sean Hughes: comedian dies aged 51

October 16, 2017TheGuardian

Hughes, who won Perrier comedy award in 1990 and was team captain on BBC’s Never Mind the Buzzcocks, died on Monday morning

Sean Hughes, the Irish standup comedian and quiz show panellist, has died, his former agent has said.

Related: ‘I matured very late in life’

Very sad news. Early this AM, the master of comedy Sean Hughes past away. @mr_seanhughes
A comic very much ahead of his time. pic.twitter.com/nv5DEn4CH1

In hospital

‘Sean was the youngest winner of the Edinburgh Comedy Award. He was a huge talent – a great comic & writer. He will be missed’ – Nica Burns pic.twitter.com/Ns86KGPwyr

Related: Sean Hughes: My family values

Very sad to hear about Sean Hughes. Started on the circuit with him back in the day. RIP.

Very sad to hear about Sean Hughes. A brilliant comic and a lovely bloke. RIP.

Sean Hughes. What a punch in the soul that is.

Horrible news. Another talent gone far too soon. RIP Sean Hughes x

Can’t believe the news… Sean Hughes will be sadly missed by myself and the rest of the comedy world. Thoughts are with you. Xxx

Tim Key review – spilt lager, Poohsticks and an agonising quest for romance

October 16, 2017TheGuardian

Soho theatre, London
His first standup set in three years works a treat as Key paints a slyly humorous and heavily ironic portrait of midlife disappointment

It feels both apt and unlikely that Tim Key should make a show about dating. Apt, because flirtation is integral to his standup style. A Key gig is like a game of cat-and-mouse with the audience: he teases, he makes eyes, he shows a flash of what we want then snatches it away. Improbable, because dating is the stuff of a hundred standup shows, and Key has never been a man to tread the beaten path. Yet here he is, telling the tale of a dream first date and a desperate morning after, a lonely schlub’s traipse across London to claw victory from the jaws of romantic defeat.

That story furnishes the backbone to Megadate, the first solo set in three years from the Alan Partridge sidekick and recent West End theatre star. After a couple of big-hitting, high concept shows, in which Key shared the stage with a working bath, a double bed and a dancer, Megadate takes him back to basics, insofar as any Key show was basic in the first place. It’s the combination that won him the 2009 Edinburgh Comedy award: sly standup, haiku-style comic verses, and wistful black-and-white films on an upstage screen. And it works a treat.

Ellie White: ‘Can you be jealous of a book? I am’

October 13, 2017TheGuardian

The Windsors star and character comic on the things that make her laugh the most, from Cold Comfort Farm to Basil the Great Mouse Detective

My mum gave me a red bonnet for Christmas one year. It had three woollen phalluses bouncing off the back. She was really offended when I didn’t wear it on Boxing Day.

Funny Cow review – Maxine Peake blazes in the dark days of standup

October 11, 2017TheGuardian

Peake is hypnotically belligerent as an ambitious club performer trampling over prejudice and sticky carpets on the 1970s comedy circuit

Maxine Peake dominates the screen as producer and star of this painful, angry film written by Tony Pitts and directed by Adrian Shergold, about a fictional female club comedian fighting her way to the top, or at least the middle, in 1970s Britain.

Maybe without Peake this would have looked merely strident or chaotic; and to be frank, even with Peake, it does flirt with some age-old cliches. Comedians are traditionally given centre stage in a drama on condition that they reveal themselves to be unhappy or empty inside. But Peake gives it a fierce, blazing energy and holds everything together through the magnetic force of her performance. Jim Moir, John Bishop, Kevin Eldon and Diane Morgan provide cameos (perhaps to underline the project’s comedy credentials) and the excellent Christine Bottomley is perhaps a bit underused as Peake’s mum.

Anarchy at the ice rink: when comedy, theatre and nonsense collide

October 11, 2017TheGuardian

Tony Law is going where no comic has gone before: staging a play about global warming – on ice. Our writer gets his skates on and crashes into a chaotic rehearsal

You might not guess it from looking at this bunch of brightly dressed characters, skating haphazardly around Alexandra Palace ice rink in London with an armchair in tow, but in just a few days they will attempt to put on what is surely a theatrical first: a two-hour comedy stage show on ice. About global warming. And Stalin.

“I don’t know what will happen, but it will 100% be entertaining,” says Adam Larter, the founding member of Weirdos Comedy Club, who wrote Tony Law and Friends in the Battle for Icetopia. That seems a safe bet: the project is a collaboration between Law – a cult figure on the alternative comedy circuit – and Weirdos, both of whom have form when it comes to anarchic, seat-of-your-pants live comedy. The former embarks on wild flights of time-travelling fantasy during his live shows, the latter built a cult audience through their annual charity pantos, which have tackled everything from feminist mermaids to war epics revolving around KFC’s Colonel Sanders.

One character is a combination of Phil Collins and Donald Trump, captured in foam form

Tim Minchin: ‘The world feels a bit post-jokes’

October 8, 2017TheGuardian

The comedian-composer on his children’s book, Australia’s same-sex marriage vote and why he’s glad to be leaving Hollywood

Australian composer and comedian Tim Minchin, 42, was born in Northampton but raised in his parents’ native Perth. After an award-winning comedy career, he wrote the music and lyrics for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s global hit musical Matilda, followed by the stage musical adaptation of Groundhog Day. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Sarah, a social worker, and their two children.

Tell us about your new children’s book, When I Grow Up, which is based on the lyrics of the song from Matilda.
It’s awesome – I didn’t even have to do anything [laughs]. That’s the incredible thing about Matilda, it keeps manifesting itself in different ways. It’s profoundly gratifying to have something else beautiful put into the world that was sparked by something you wrote eight years ago.

In a global world, nationalism is a fantasy and it’s poison. It used to be appropriate but it’s not any more

Learning laughter: an expert’s guide on how to master standup comedy

October 4, 2017TheGuardian

Stephen Rosenfield, founder of the American Comedy Institute, reveals how to make an audience laugh while using on-stage nerves to your advantage

As the founding director of The American Comedy Institute, a dedicated student of standup, and someone whose tutelage has bolstered the careers of Lena Dunham and Jim Gaffigan, Stephen Rosenfield is an authority on the complicated craft of standup comedy. And in his new book, Mastering Stand-Up: The Complete Guide to Becoming a Successful Comedian, he makes an otherwise terrifying art form – Americans reportedly fear public speaking more than they do death – remarkably accessible to both the layman and the comedy buff. Rosenfield spoke to the Guardian about the finer points of standup, from structure to subject matter, that are included in his book.

‘So the universe implodes – no matter’: comedians share their best one-liners

October 4, 2017TheGuardian

In Steve Best’s new book Joker Face, standups pick some of the funniest gags they’ve told. Here are 10 of our favourites

Jenny Collier: The worst sport ever is throwing a hand-sized round thing as far as you can. Discus.

Candy Gigi: Who’s a northerner’s favourite R&B star? Our Kelly.

Alistair McGowan – your questions answered on piano, football and why he’ll never impersonate Trump

October 3, 2017October 4, 2017TheGuardian

The TV comic revealed how much he had to practise for his new album of piano classics, who he’s most asked to impersonate, and why he’s not as big a Leeds supporter as people think

2.12pm BST

Thank you for your questions. Time for some toast.

2.08pm BST

SundridgePete asks:
What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever done, and is it worth watching?

I did two football videos called Football Backchat in the late 90s. I think there is a clip on YouTube of me re-voicing Les Ferdinand as if he is auditioning for a Bond film. I think that may be my funniest moment. Having said that, I’m hoping The Piano Album is more Katherine Jenkins than Florence Foster Jenkins.

2.02pm BST

saidzebedee asks:
Are you comfortable impersonating a black person, or an Asian (i.e. Jamaican, Indian accents)?

Yes, of course. Certainly in my stand-up act. It would be strange to ignore voices of people on television and in film simply because of their colour.

2.00pm BST

Tarantella says:
The episode of Who Do You Think You Are? where you discovered your part-Indian heritage was, for me, one of the best of all the explorations in genealogy. How has it affected your sense of identity?

I had never felt a need to belong to any particular group, changing the football club I supported is evidence of that. I’ve also jumped around in my career from actor to impressionist to writer and now to pianist. I often wondered why I did not feel the need to belong and wondered if it was a weakness in me. Doing Who Do You Think You Are? made me realise that I came from generations of people (on my father’s side) who had not really belonged. It was a comfort to me that this genetic trait may explain my fleet-footed attitude to life.

1.59pm BST

mugsey asks:
Do you not find yourself desperate to do Trump?

A lot of people do him very well. Especially Rory Bremner and the not-well-known-enough Lewis MacLeod. I have not been drawn to do Trump simply because to get an impression right you have to listen endlessly to that person and I cannot bring myself to listen to that awful man for a second longer than I have to. Call me a coward, if you will.

1.57pm BST

TheSentinel asks:
Can you do Jacob Rees-Mogg, because you look a bit like him?

Funny you should say that. He is on my list of people to do. All new voices have been put largely on the back burner for the last year while I’ve been absorbed in the piano project.

1.52pm BST

jimble675 asks:
Do you think people who have studied in Leeds should have a natural affinity for Leeds United?

As a student in Leeds in the 1980s, I was surprised how many of the people I met there had chosen to go to Leeds because they had supported Don Revie’s legendary Leeds United team. I was one of them. Controversially, once the the players associated with that great team left the club, it didn’t feel like my Leeds anymore. I switched my allegiance to Coventry City, who were my nearest team when I was in my late teens. I now follow neither with anything more than a passing interest. I have been misrepresented online as being an ardent Leeds United supporter. It was the Revie era when I was totally absorbed by the club. Sorry to disappoint! It would be great to see them both back in the Premier League – I think Leeds will get there ahead of The Sky Blues.

1.46pm BST

Chris Lloyd asks:
Who plays Chopin better between you and Alan Rusbridger?

I read Alan Rusbridger’s book about trying to conquer the Ballade and found it very inspiring. There is no doubt that he is at a much more advanced level than I am. There are lots of amateur pianist I’ve been on courses with – the majority of them were better than me. I’m well aware of just how fortunate I am to have had the chance to make an album. I was careful to choose pieces that I felt were potentially within my grasp. Having the challenge of the album, was the biggest incentive to improve during the nine months that I had to rehearse and record it – and feeling and hearing that progress was absolutely thrilling. I would urge any amateur pianist to set themselves time-related goals. There is nothing like pressure for making you practise.

1.40pm BST

davidabsalom asks:
Why didn’t you do series two of Leonardo?

It clashed with a show that I was working on for ITV called You Cannot Be Serious for which I had great hopes. YCBS was great fun to do, was moved around the schedules and largely flopped after one six-part series. There was some good stuff in it but maybe I should have done the second series of Leonardo after all.

1.37pm BST

Cammy100 writes:
I saw your Erik Satie show last year in Edinburgh and it was truly wonderful. How technically difficult are Satie piano pieces to play, or is it more about getting the mood right? (Either way I have to say you absolutely nailed it.)

I’m thrilled you liked the show. Certainly Satie’s three Gymnopedies and his Gnossiennes 1-4 are fairly straight forward (Gnossienne 2 is probably the easiest). I made the mistake of thinking his Cold Piece (Danse de travers iii) was straight forward and never got through it without a mistake somewhere in the 28 Edinburgh shows. But, yes, the mood is everything with Satie.

1.33pm BST

Geoffbill asks:
I find it hard to keep up interest in my piano playing as I don’t know where to find the music or what to choose. Do you have a playlist related to your album or a reference/ biography? I can play up to grade 4/5. I don’t have a teacher at the moment.

This is the main reason why I was happy to do The Piano Album. I really hope the pieces I have chosen will appeal to somebody of your level. Do find a teacher. They will, at the very least, teach you how to get the best out of your practice time. There is a playlist related to the album which will guide you to other similar pieces. My chosen pieces are probably easier. I always look for something with the words lent or adagio at the top. That helps!

1.31pm BST

LedBoots asks:
Who won the FA Cup in 1942?

Trick question there was no FA Cup between 1939 and 1946. Portsmouth, I believe, won it in 1939 and held the trophy for six years. A record. Acquiring facts like that is why I didn’t study the piano when I was younger.

1.29pm BST

elephantwoman says:
I’m currently trying to learn to play the piano by ear, but am finding it really hard going. Do you think I should start using my fingers…

It does help but do cut your nails first. If you persist in playing by ear, it’s also best to de-hair them.

1.27pm BST

ThreeGirlRumba asks:
If you were stuck on a desert island forever, would you have the television and film comedy output of Europe or the USA? You obviously have an ever working TV!

If I had to make a choice I would rather have a radio. And I would listen to classical music all day long, although I would switch to the sports coverage for the football on a Saturday afternoon.

1.26pm BST

JayRayner, restaurant critic and pretty good pianist too, asks:
How regularly do you curse NOT having got a full grounding in the piano when you were a kid, by practising for hours then, when your brain was like a sponge and your fingers’ ability to develop muscle memory was intense?

I do wish I’d learnt more then. But I was convinced by a wonderful young musician called Lucy Colquhoun that it is never too late and the best thing about taking up/going back to the piano in later life is that you know more music and know what you want to play. And you possibly play it with more feeling after all that life has thrown at you by the age of 52.

1.22pm BST

MarkelG asks:
Can you recommend a funny programme?

I was a huge fan of Morgana Robinson’s last series The Agency. I thought her impersonations were brilliant, the material was original, very funny, well written and unusually moving. When I met her recently, I was very sorry to hear the series had not been recommissioned. It was a work of genius on the part of all involved.

1.20pm BST

25aubrey asks:
Have you ever conned yourself by persisting with an impersonation your not overly comfortable with doing? but do it all the same.

Frequently. As impressionists, we all know that certain impressions we do are better than others. I for several years did an impression in my act of Michael Portillo which was not very accurate. I used it to illustrate a point about how surprised he was that the industry in the towns he went to on his train programme had vanished, when perhaps governments he was involved with might have been responsible for that. I couldn’t miss the opportunity. The gag worked better in places like Chorley than it did in Tunbridge Wells.

1.16pm BST

Alan Ween asks:
Which impression are you pestered to do most?

Definitely Richard Madeley, with David Beckham a close second. Requests happen less and less now!

1.15pm BST

DWFan1 asks:
What’s your favourite Pixar film?

WALL-E. It’s witty, profound, poignant and images of it have stayed with me ever since. I still see overweight people flying around in cars in my ever-approaching nightmares.

1.12pm BST

1.00pm BST

Who’s the hardest person to impersonate? David Beckham? Boris Johnson? Or could it be Johann Sebastian Bach? This seems to be the challenge Alistair McGowan set himself with The Piano Album, his new collection of solo piano works that represent something of a curveball for the TV mimic.

McGowan was not a renowned concert pianist when he took on the task of recording The Piano Album, but much like mastering a new voice or a new set of mannerisms, he devoted himself to the practice. And after rehearsing for up to six hours each day for nine months, he finally got a grip on the instrument that had eluded him since he was a boy. The point of putting an album out, he says, is to “encourage people of any age to play the piano, but perhaps particularly those at an age where it’s easy to think that it’s all too late”.