COM EDY
*SPECIAL* What did the green grape say to the purple grape? “Breathe, idiot! Breathe!” OK, so jokes aren’t our strong point. But fear not, Dubai is set to see more funny than a clowns’ annual outing, which is pretty much what we have in store for you. This month, ladies and gentlemen, we have performing for you… comedy legend John Cleese… Stephen Frost, Andy Smart, Niall Ashdown, Steve Steen and Ian Coppinger from Whose Line Is it Anyway?, Irish jokester Jason Byrne… and, last but by no means least, Andrew Bird, Roger Monkhouse and Phil Nichol, performing at Laughter Factory. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s hear a round of applause for our first act… MAY 2012 WHAT’S ON 31
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… AND NOW
FOR SOMETHING
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT John. Can we call you John? Tell us about An Evening With… It’s a show I’ve been developing during the last four years. Most recently, I’ve been doing it in Australia, where we sold out for 54 performances. During the first half of the show, I am interviewed by a local Dubai radio host who takes me through my early life during the Second World War, my accidental entry into show business and my subsequent experiences working with comedy greats, such as David Frost, Ronnie Corbett, Ronnie Barker, Marty
need to be performing, and that means a lot of travelling. Nevertheless, it’s an awful lot nicer than working down a mine. And the reception I’m getting from audiences is very heart warming. You’re in the UAE for a good few days. How do you plan on spending your time? I’ve only been to Dubai twice, and briefly, and Feldman, Peter Sellers and the Monty Pythons. it’s quite unlike anywhere I’ve been before. I like During the second half I appear on my own, it very much, but I don’t understand it. So, I’m talking about comedy that offends people, really looking forward to exploring it a bit. about how my black sense of humour derived Let’s go back in time a little. With the from my mother, about the real hotel that was Pythons, was it the case that whoever the basis for Fawlty Towers, about the genesis wrote the sketch would then play the of A Fish Called Wanda, and its three Oscar main character, or was it entirely a nominations. I can guarantee that anyone who collaborative process? liked these programmes will have an amusing You’re right, there was a tendency for the and informative evening. writer of the sketch to play one of the lead You’ve been touring on and off for three characters in it. It wasn’t a rigid rule. It was years, which suggests that you either love simply that if Michael Palin wrote a character, being on the road or it was his kind of character, and so he was that there are darker, likely to play it better. There were a few more sinister motives. exceptions, Michael and Terry Jones wrote Pray tell… the Silly Walk sketch, for instance, but had The activity I enjoy me play the Minister. I never thought it was most is writing. It’s as funny as everyone else did. much harder than What part of your career do you look acting, and fewer back upon with the most fondness? people can do it well. When I’m making television or film I am always Unfortunately, show slightly apprehensive about whether my work business is structured to the next day would be good enough, so I enjoy pay actors much more it most when I am appearing as myself. I’m very than writers. So, while fond of the documentary I did on lemurs. And I I have large quantities very much enjoy addressing business audiences, of alimony to earn especially when I’m teaching creativity, which I [thanks to his divorce understand better than anyone else in the world. from his second wife], I Have you found your tastes have changed as you’ve grown older? The problem about doing comedy for 40 years is that you really do know most of the jokes or, at least, you can guess them too easily. So my big laughs now tend to come from real life, from people like Dick Cheney and News International at the Leveson Inquiry. Which of your characters do you identify the most with? Basil? A Fish Called Wanda’s Archie Leach? Archie is the closest to the person I used to be 35 years ago. But any character you play involves highlighting some facets of your personality, and soft-pedalling others. For example, some actors just can’t do anger, because they’re uncomfortable with the
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PHOTO: GARRY SCOTTIRVINE/MGM/EVERETT
During a career spanning almost 50 years, John Cleese has become one of the most famous names in comedy. Best known for his role as misanthrope Basil Fawlty in 1970s British sitcom Fawlty Towers, or as “the tall one” from Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Cleese lands on our desert shores with his autobiographical one-man-show: An Evening With…
PHOTO: GARRY SCOTTIRVINE/MGM/EVERETT
“WHILE I HAVE LARGE QUANTITIES OF ALIMONY TO EARN, I NEED TO BE PERFORMING”
emotion themselves. The hardest thing I used to find as an actor was smiling and gentle laughing, because it required real relaxation, and I was always a high-energy performer. You admit to having a dark sense of humour. What makes you laugh? I noticed years ago that, in many situations, everyone is thinking the same thing, but no one is talking about it – the ‘elephant in the room’ phenomenon. And I realised that if you did talk about it, you made people laugh, partly out of relief that it didn’t have to be
secret anymore. Who makes you laugh? A lot of people make me laugh, but I think the best English comedy actor is Hugh Laurie, and I hope that after House he does more comedy again. What is the funniest part of your body? I think the funniest part of my body is the base of my spine, where there is a hint of the beginnings of a tail. Curious. How much do you have left in the tank, then, John?
As I get older, I discover that, while I have plenty of energy for things I am really interested in, it’s hard to find it for projects that bore me – it becomes harder to fake enthusiasm. There are some documentaries I’d like to make eventually. I like documentaries, because you learn a lot, which you don’t when you are doing comedy. May 23 to 26, An Evening With John Cleese, Madinat Theatre, Souk Madinat, 7.30pm, Dhs350. Tel: (04) 3666546. madinattheatre.com MAY 2012 WHAT’S ON 33
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COMEDY SPECIAL
LAUGHTER FACTORY
The stars of this month’s Laughter Factory tell us a joke…
ANDREW BIRD The best anti-ageing cream advert would be a baby covered in cream saying, “Help! I’ve used too much!”
WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY?
You all know it. The premise is simple – shout out a scenario, and they act it. That’s right, the fabled improv comedy sketch show is back in town. Let’s meet the players… STEPHEN FROST
Who is he? One half of 1980s double act The Oblivion Boys, Frost also appeared in Blackadder and even in Mr Bean. Best joke: A penguin walks into a bar and asks the bartender: “Have you seen my brother?” The bartender asks: “What does he look like?”
ANDY SMART
Who is he? An Edinburgh Festival regular who was part of the award-winning street performers The Vicious Boys, he has also run with the bulls in the Fiesta de San Fermin in Pamplona more than 50 times. Best joke: I wouldn’t say that he was an alcoholic; I’d describe him more as a very good social drinker.
NIALL ASHDOWN
Who is he? An improv actor, master of the regional accent, and TV and radio comedy writer.
Best joke: The audience can suggest some obscure composers for us to sing – you can normally see me at the side going “How does that go?” The response is usually “Bing bong wap bong bing bong. You got it?”
STEVE STEEN
Who is he? Board-treader and long-time partner in crime of comedian Jim Sweeney, Steen has done several one-man stage shows based on the novels of Bill Bryson. Best joke: I played golf in the UAE in 50-degree heat. When the clubs start to wilt you know it’s time to stop playing.
IAN COPPINGER
Who is he? Doing stand-up at a towering 5’2”, this hilarious Irishman has packed out comedy venues all over the world. Best joke: I went into a café and the daily specials board said, “toast”. Needless to say, it wasn’t an ambitious café.
May 10 to 12, Madinat Theatre, Souk Madinat, Dubai, 8pm, Dhs185. Tel: (04) 3666546. madinattheatre.com
ROGER MONKHOUSE
These days, people are addicted to everything, no one is allowed to say, “I’m a little bit partial to cheese”. Nope, they are addicted to it.
PHIL NICHOL
Do you think snails make slugs feel homeless?
May 2 to 11, Grand Millennium Tecom, Bonnington JLT, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Movenpick Jumeirah Beach, The Address Dubai Marina, Dubai, 9pm, Dhs140. Tel: (04) 3551862. whatsonboxoffice.com
JASON
Having gone down a storm the last time he was in Dubai, the Irish funnyman is back with his critically acclaimed Cirque Du Byrne tour. But he tells What’s On some audiences can be rather brutal. Here are his top heckles…
BYRNE
* Bring on the real Jason Byrne! * I had your Ma * Krusty The Clown is funnier then you * My great granny could do a better five minutes May 10 and 11, Almas Tower, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, 9pm, Dhs100 or Dhs190 with three food/drink tokens. Tel: (04) 3560560. Metro: Jumeirah Lakes Towers. mcgettigansdubai.com
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