Where are you going tonight?

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Went to see One man, Two Governors at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. Quite compact, old school venue, packed out too, with the majority being old farts! This made me a bit apprehensive tbh, but i gave a tenner for two small plastic disposable cups of wine and sat down in our seats on the front row of the royal circle. Didnt know what to make of it really, we definitely enjoyed it, but it might just have been because it was a novel experience. That was my first ever proper play having only been to the odd musical or panto before. Im glad it was comedic, im not sure i could invest in a more dramatic play. Need to check one out, but don’t fancy another fifty quidder! It was funny, the songs were good, the actors were good, most had familiar faces, they were clearly enjoying themselves, add-libbing bits to catch their co-stars out, and giggling to themselves. Generated a good atmosphere.

One thing that really bugged me however, was the so obviously staged audience participation. They got this poor timid woman out of her seat on the front row and stood her on stage holding some prop or other (my mrs whispered straight away, ‘she’s an actress..’) but didnt believe her, because it was all very funny until she ended up covered in foam from a fire extinguisher! That spoiled the whole set up for me, and everyone else from what mutterings i deciphered at the bar in the interval. She even came out at the end for a courtesy. I felt like booing but didnt (bwfc fan you see) but that whole scene would have been so much better with a real punter. There were a couple of others too, like the sandwich thing but don’t wanna spoil it anymore. All in all a decent jolly.

Having read what you have written about films and TV, I'm absolutely sure that you would enjoy a 'proper play' more than One Man, Two Guvnors.

For me it was one of the most disappointing things I've ever seen on stage. And I'm sorry, but I doubt there's a line in the whole fecking show that's genuinely ad libbed!

[General Mannerheim]

yeah i know what you mean, there were some obviously scripted ad-libs, plus rehearsed cock ups n'that. but im sure there were a couple of geniune ones. I agree tho, im sure if i was more of a veteran id have been disappointed.

[Gary the Enfield]

yeah i know what you mean, there were some obviously scripted ad-libs, plus rehearsed cock ups n'that. but im sure there were a couple of geniune ones. I agree tho, im sure if i was more of a veteran id have been disappointed.

General, since signing up to vote on Mummy's girlfriend's prowess (that sounds SO wrong) I keep getting emails from these people offwestend.com It might be worth your while going for something not quite as polished next time.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

yeah i know what you mean, there were some obviously scripted ad-libs, plus rehearsed cock ups n'that. but im sure there were a couple of geniune ones. I agree tho, im sure if i was more of a veteran id have been disappointed.

General, since signing up to vote on Mummy's girlfriend's prowess (that sounds SO wrong) I keep getting emails from these people offwestend.com It might be worth your while going for something not quite as polished next time.

Absolutely - the Fringe scene in London is brilliant. So many good actors out of work (the big venues have to be so conservative about putting things on that are sure to be commercial and hiring people that have a 'name' from reality TV or something) that the off-West End stuff is better than ever.

[mrkint]

yeah i know what you mean, there were some obviously scripted ad-libs, plus rehearsed cock ups n'that. but im sure there were a couple of geniune ones. I agree tho, im sure if i was more of a veteran id have been disappointed.

General, since signing up to vote on Mummy's girlfriend's prowess ...

[img]kenneth_willia...

oh forget it.

[Bijou Bob]

Pierrepoint last night was very enjoyable. Almost entirely a monologue in a very simple set, it introduced a good deal of interesting social history with black humour and some suprisingly touching moments. Quite thought provoking.

[Annoyed Grunt]

Junior Whites Friday Football, my lad is taking part.

[Bruce Rioja]

Burnley - so it's perhaps as well that I won't be drinking.

[Bijou Bob]

Burnley - so it's perhaps as well that I won't be drinking.

Good luck with that one tonight!!

[Enoch]

I'm out for a beer with the Palace fella from next door. I sense he's not happy about something, but seems reluctant to talk about it, not like him at all. Maybe a few jars will loosen his tongue!

[Bruce Rioja]

Burnley - so it's perhaps as well that I won't be drinking.

Good luck with that one tonight!!

Home unscathed.

Watched Justin Moorhouse at The Mechanics. I have to say that I approached this with some trepidation. Having seen Spikey's stand-up (toe-curlingly, cringe-worthingly dreadful) and that of McGuinness (somehow, amazingly even worse) my expectations weren't high. How wrong I was, and how pleasantly surprised. A fantastic evening out, and all for £15. If you get a chance to see him on this tour then I say go for it.

[mrkint]

wasnt he a stand up before all this? Inevitably helps. Indeed, the chap who plays Spencer in phoenix nights, Daniel Kitson, is absolutely excepptional. If you get the chance to check his stuff out I would recommend

[Bruce Rioja]

wasnt he a stand up before all this? Inevitably helps. Indeed, the chap who plays Spencer in phoenix nights, Daniel Kitson, is absolutely excepptional. If you get the chance to check his stuff out I would recommend

I believe that they were all stand-ups prior to the writing of Phoenix Nights. Recently there's been a load of blather about Peter Kay claiming most of the credit, by people who, had it not been for Peter Kay, then no-one would ever have heard of anyway.

[General Mannerheim]

wasnt he a stand up before all this? Inevitably helps. Indeed, the chap who plays Spencer in phoenix nights, Daniel Kitson, is absolutely excepptional. If you get the chance to check his stuff out I would recommend

Not a lot of stuff to check tho unfortunately, just grainy youtube vids.

... Including a couple where he expresses his contempt for Mr Kay!

Seen Spikey live a few times too, was pretty good.

[Prufrock]

Yeah, but you voluntarily went to watch Russell Kane so....

[General Mannerheim]

3 times now, he is exceptional.

[boltonboris]

wasnt he a stand up before all this? Inevitably helps. Indeed, the chap who plays Spencer in phoenix nights, Daniel Kitson, is absolutely excepptional. If you get the chance to check his stuff out I would recommend

Not a lot of stuff to check tho unfortunately, just grainy youtube vids.

... Including a couple where he expresses his contempt for Mr Kay!

Seen Spikey live a few times too, was pretty good.

As Bruce said above, those ungrateful bastards have only got a career off the back of Peter Kay's name.

[Harry Genshaw]

On the subject of stand ups I watched Stuart Lee on a program I'd Sky +'d. Carpet remnant warehouse. Absolutely superb. The cleverest act I'd ever seen and also very very funny.

[Prufrock]

Stewart Lee is fantastic.

[Beefheart]

wasnt he a stand up before all this? Inevitably helps. Indeed, the chap who plays Spencer in phoenix nights, Daniel Kitson, is absolutely excepptional. If you get the chance to check his stuff out I would recommend

I believe that they were all stand-ups prior to the writing of Phoenix Nights. Recently there's been a load of blather about Peter Kay claiming most of the credit, by people who, had it not been for Peter Kay, then no-one would ever have heard of anyway.

I think Daniel Kitson was successful in his own right pre-phoenix nights. He probably got people coming to his shows afterwards as a result, but I don't think he owes his career to Peter Kay.