Background Bob

Background Bob andhis Amazing Friends

A unique collaboration between a young disabled artist from Essex and some of the world’s most prominent street artists, plus members of the public and key workers, will feature in a remarkable new exhibition at Colchester’s Firstsite this winter.

Noah – AKA @background_bob - began painting on cardboard when he was unable to attend school during lockdown. Using a palette of vibrant colours Noah creates bold, confident abstract shapes. While looking at the paintings, Noah’s stepdad Nathan had a fantastic idea. He posted on Instagram, inviting artists to use @background_bob’s paintings as backgrounds for them to complete in their own, inimitable styles. Initially expecting a handful of artists to respond, the family was shocked when over 80 replies from eight different countries came in almost immediately.

Since that first request, a staggering 240 unique pictures have been co-created by Noah and artists from countries across the globe, including the UK, Colombia, Italy, Spain, France, Sweden, Germany, the USA and Australia –artists involved include Pez, My dog sighs, Anna Schellberg, the London Police, Pure Evil, Ange Bell, Heath Kane, along with comedian Phill Jupitus. Local key workers in the Colchester area have also contributed their own designs, which will feature in the Firstsite exhibition, as Noah receives care at Colchester General Hospital.

As regular visitors to Firstsite, Noah and Nathan approached the gallery when it became clear that the exhibition had grown too large to be exhibited in the children’s ward at Colchester General Hospital, which was their original plan.

To coincide with the exhibition, Noah and his family have produced a book, Background Bob & his amazing friends, with all the artworks included, which is available to buy online at participating outlets, including the gallery’s own shop. After the exhibition, all the paintings will be sold via an online auction on eBay, to raise funds for the Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals Charity. www.firstsite.uk

Coffee & a Chat

We talk to comedy legend Karl Minns ahead of his new Christmas show in Norwich…

Karl Minns, one half of famous Norfolk comedy duo The Nimmo Twins, is set to welcome audiences back to Norwich’s Theatre Royal this December with new show She Go Does it Under the Christmas Tree…with Friends

The character She Go first appeared as part of the Nimmo Twins show Normal for Norfolk back in 1998. Since then Karl has developed this Larkman estate mum so much it felt almost natural for her to have her own show.

‘The audience have always loved She Go and I knew she was a character that could sustain her own show given the opportunity,’ says Karl.

And another opportunity for She Go to take to the stage came this summer with Norwich Theatre Royal’s Interlude season in Chapelfield Gardens.

‘Interlude was a huge relief for me,’ says Karl. ‘Due to lockdown, the work in our industry had vanished overnight, it was a worrying time. I jumped at the chance to open the Interlude season with She Go Does It In A Tent With Friends. It was lovely to be back on stage and lovely for the audience to experience live performance again. Norwich was the first city in the country to grab the situation by the back of the neck and find a way to fight back by bringing live performance back in a safe way. It was fantastic.’

Winter 2020 | 21 And now She-Go is back as part of Norwich Theatre Royal’s Christmas offering A Right Royal Christmas.

‘She Go Does It Under the Christmas Tree…with Friends is a look back at the biggest news stories in 2020 in Norfolk, with an added sprinkle of Christmas magic and cheer,’ says Karl. ‘Lots of local stories have caught She Go’s eye this year from reports of the Bungay Mafia to the rise in home schooling in the county, the increase in Norfolk people having Botox and implants to the exodus of people moving to Norfolk from the cities. As you can imagine, she has a lot to say on each topic. ’

But blonde wig and pink tracksuit aside, just how much do She Go and Karl have in common?

‘I love playing her,’ says Karl. ‘Sometimes it’s like we’re melding into one as she does share a lot of my views but I can hide behind the character which is great.’

Alongside working on his live show, Karl was thrilled to be offered the chance to write for the new series of iconic sketch show Spitting Image. ‘It was a bit of a surprise and I’m a very tiny cog in an enormous machine,’ says Karl. ‘But it’s fantastic and a lot easier to write for puppets as you are quite literally putting words into their mouths.’

Despite being brought up in Suffolk, Karl has always had a strong affinity with Norfolk.

‘I was born in Bungay literally on the border of the two counties,’ says Karl. ‘But I always leaned towards Norfolk, following Norwich City for example. Now I live in London but Norfolk is a place that always draws me back and is very special to me.’

• She Go Does It Under the Christmas Tree…with Friends is at Norwich Theatre Royal from December 16th-23rd. www.norwichtheatre.org