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An Nidiot's
guide to Jon Richardson...
Review by
Jo
Forrest.
OBSESSIVE behaviour
certainly makes for good comedy and it certainly isn't doing Jon
Richardson's career any harm what so ever. A full house at the
Empire Theatre on Monday night the star of 8 out of 10 Cats and Mock
the week talks about his life as single man, who thinks happiness is
the worst thing that could ever happen to him. The Lancashire
comic's set takes in all his foibles; obsessiveness, fretfulness,
dejection and angst, and twists them into long, hilarious, shifting
stories that start and stop and start up again with ease. He talks
us through his trip to America for the TV series Real Men, how he
was only invited on as:- "the fanny who would cry" and
how an encounter with Bulls testicles made him become a vegetarian.
The second half of the show talks about his acquisition of a
girlfriend after being set up by mates and how weekend trip to
Portugal was spent on the toilet, none of which seemed to put her
off. Jon Richardson makes his extremely well composed set seem
thrillingly ramshackle, and its often the off kilter paths he
hurtles down where the night's greatest laughs are to be had. 2
hours of brilliant comedy which had myself the audience in stitches.
Only an Nidiot would not have found it funny.
If you attended one of his shows,
please do let us know what you thought of it by emailing us to:-
news24@southportreporter.com.
If you missed
him, you can still locate him at these venues!
►
Saturday, 8 November 2014 at the Halifax Victoria Theatre, for
tickets call:- 01422 351 158 or visit:-
VictoriaTheatre.co.uk.
► Sunday, 9 November 2014 at the Hull
City Hall, for tickets call:- 01482 300 300 or visit:-
Hullcc.gov.uk.
► Saturday, 15 November 2014 at the
Plymouth Pavilions, for tickets call:- 0845 146 1460 or visit:-
PymouthPavilions.com.
► Tuesday, 17 November 2014 at the
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, for tickets call:- 0844 871 7607 or
visit:-
AtGtickets.com.
►
Friday, 21 November 2014 at the Bristol Colston
Hall, for tickets call:- 0844 887 1500 or visit:-
ColstonHall.org.
► Sunday, 23 November 2014 at the
Milton Keynes Theatre, for tickets call:- 0844 871 7652 or
visit:-
ATGTtickets.com.
► Monday, 24 November 2014 at the
Watford Colosseum, for tickets call:- 0845 075 3993 or visit:-
WatfordColosseum.co.uk.
► Friday, 28 November 2014 at the
Brighton Dome, for tickets call:- 01273 709 709 or visit:-
BrightonDome.org.
► Saturday, 29 November 2014 at the
Cardiff St David's Theatre, for tickets call:- 029 2087 8444 or
visit:-
StDavidshallCardiff.co.uk.
► Monday, 1 December 2014 at the
Southend Cliffs Pavilion, for tickets call:- 01702 351 135 or
visit:-
TheCliffsPavilion.co.uk.
► Sunday, 7 December 2014 at the
Sheffield City Hall – Oval Hall, for tickets call:- 0114 278
9789 or visit:-
SheffieldCityHall.co.uk.
Chief
Constable of Merseyside Police receives award from the British
Horse Society
THE Chief Constable of
Merseyside Police, Sir Jon Murphy, has been given a prestigious
award by the British Horse Society following the force's work to
crackdown on the illegal and anti-social use of scrambler bikes.
The force runs Operation Brookdale every year and, over this
Summer, 140 bikes were seized after being ridden in an illegal
and/or anti-social manner and more than 60 people were arrested.
The British Horse Society has made the award to recognise the
success of the operation in improving access for horse riders to
open spaces across Merseyside and making sure that bridle paths
are safe for them to use.
The award has been collected on behalf of Sir Jon by
Superintendent Dave Charnock at a ceremony in London this
afternoon, Friday, 7 November 2014.
Superintendent Charnock said:- "We know that the
anti-social and illegal use of scrambler bikes blights the lives
of many people on Merseyside and Operation Brookdale is all
about listening to the community and taking pro-active action to
respond to peoples' concerns. This is the 3rd year we have run
the operation and the vehicle seizures and arrests have made a
real difference to the safety of roads, footpaths and green
spaces across the area. I'm very proud to receive this award on
behalf of the Chief Constable. It symbolises the hard work of
officers to make Merseyside a safer place for both equestrians
and the whole community."
Merseyside's Police Commissioner Jane Kennedy said:- "I am
very happy indeed to see this award being won by Merseyside
Police and I would like to congratulate the Chief Constable Jon
Murphy and all those involved; a real tribute from the British
Horse Society. Operation Brookdale has been a really effective
initiative in removing nuisance bikes from our communities,
making hotspot areas safer for everyone who uses the bridleways
and off road routes, in this case particularly horse riders.
This operation demonstrates the degree to which the Force
listens to the concerns of all the communities of Merseyside and
take action to put a stop to anti-social behaviour and crime and
I am delighted this has been recognised by the British Horse
Society."
Trust voted
number 1st for quality & gaining a Gold Award
THE Trust's Come Dine
with Me dining companion project was winner in the local
improvement category of the 2014 Health Quality Improvement
Partnership Awards. The project was also voted the
national Gold Award winner out 25 entries, including those from
NHS teaching hospitals and medical royal colleges. Come Dine
with Me was launched last year following feedback from a
national dementia audit. Volunteers are trained to sit with
patients at mealtimes and give help to those who need it. There
are now 21 companions volunteering at Southport and Ormskirk
hospitals. Matron for Performance and Standards Sue
Johnson who received the award with Janette Mills, Head of Audit
and Effectiveness, on behalf of the Trust said:- “Come
Dine with Me is a deceptively simple idea but it really made an
impact on the delegates who voted it gold award winner.”
Angela Kelly, Interim Director of Nursing and Quality,
added:- “As well as helping with eating, the dining
companion can chat, encourage patients to eat and help alleviate
the boredom and loneliness that can be experienced while staying
in hospital. This is vital support for some patients who don't
receive any visitors and may be lonely or anxious or suffering
from a form of dementia or Alzheimer's.” HQIP
Chief Executive Jane Ingham said:- "The HQIP Quality
Improvement Awards received a record number of entries this year
and standards were extremely high. We congratulate all of the
winners for the excellence they have shown in their field."
Anyone interested in becoming a Come Dine with Me
volunteer should contact Chris Pilkington, volunteer coordinator
for the project, on:- 01704 704955 or email:-
chris.pilkington@nhs.net. Training for the role is
provided and volunteers must be available at meal times.
Comedy's Best
Kept Secret at Southport Comedy Cub
ROGER Monkhouse is one of
the regular writers on Channel 4's hugely popular comedy panel show
'8 Out of 10 Cats.' is heading to Southport on Saturday, 15
November 2014. Do not miss
this amazing show, or the Comedy Police will hunt you down... You
have been warned!!!!!! Roger is responsible for scripting up-to-the minute topical gags
every week for the show, which features Jimmy Carr, alongside team
captains Dave Spikey and Sean Lock. Other television credits include
appearances on 'The Comedy Store' and 'The World
Stands Up', (both Paramount), 'My God I'm My Dad'
(Bravo) and 'Street Cred Sudoku' (UKG2). Nevertheless,
he remains a clear favourite of comedy insiders and is probably
comedy best kept secret - In other words, in our view and the view
of many others, he is one of the best (possible THE best) comedian
who's not famous yet! A consummate stand up who exerts a
masterful control over any audience. A highly original and quirky
performer, his trademark stage prowling style and curious,
inimitable manner have established him as one of the hottest names
on the comedy circuit. Supremely confident, with audience banter
down to an art form, he's happy to improvise freely but has no
shortage of first class material in his armoury. Roger is a widely
regarded as a master of observational comedy with routines that are
universally and unfailingly hysterical.
He will be joined on
the night by Finlay Taylor, Damion Larkin (MC) and Scott Bennett...
Scott Bennett played the first ever 'Laugh Out Loud Comedy
Club Night', at The Atkinson, back in May 2103 and was such
a big hit we've brought him back! He charms audiences with his
delightfully witty comic observations about life's little quirks,
relationships and the subtleties of human behaviour. The last time
we saw someone this talented on his way up the ladder it was Jason Manford and before that Alan Carr. Like them he's already won awards
and turned heads in the comedy industry. So it wont be long before
he's snapped up by a cigar smoking bigwig and we wont be able to get
him to come and play for us as he'll be busy with his own tours and
TV work.
Fin Taylor - is a uniquely charming youngster with a
winning and laugh inducing appeal who, at the age of just 23, has
gigged internationally and warmed up for TV shows such as Never Mind
the Buzzcocks (BBC2) and Pointless (BBC1).
Plus your MC for all the
above is Southport born Damion Larkin, one of Britain's most
promising comedy talents, renowned for being a spontaneous and
lovable host. All line ups are subject to change, but don't worry,
we'll only replace them with someone just as funny!
Doors open:- 7.30pm and the show will start at:- 8pm.
Tickets
cost:- £12.50 in advance or £15 on the door and you can also get a
£40 Season Ticket (4 shows)...
To book in advance call:- 01704 533
333 or go online at:-
theatkinson.co.uk.
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Paloma Faith
live in Liverpool
THE Brit-Nominated star
Paloma
Faith was in the
Liverpool Empire Theatre, on 4 November 2014 ahead of her Arena tour
that visits the Liverpool
Arena, on Tuesday, 24 March 2015. The Theatre is a lovely intimate
venue for the setting of her current tour. I have to say that
I was somewhat surprised by the very varied age range in the
audience, but as
Paloma bounced onto the stage,
of the packed theatre, she delighted everyone in attendance. Her
3rd album:- 'A Perfect Contradiction' was released
in March 2014 and she went on to perform almost exclusively
some of her best known hits from this. She did however perform a
rousing version of one of her all-time heroine’s classics:-
'River Deep Mountain High.' For more photographs of
Paloma
Faith performing to the very
receptive audience, her unique, retro and eccentric style numbers,
please visit Jo Forrest's
website.
IRANALAMADINGDONG
TAKE
note of below..!
Question:- Is stand-up your first
love?
Answer:- I've done lots of different things and enjoyed them but
stand-up, when it goes well - it often doesn't - is definitely a
love. There's something deeply satisfying about a good gig. I'm not
often happy with myself as an actor. I get upset when I see myself
acting on screen, mostly because of the way I look. But as a
stand-up it's always a bonus if you look heavy or awkward or
damaged…in my case it helps in fact.
Question:- So you feel very much at home in the stand up arena?
Answer:- When I was working on Moonfleet last summer Ray Winstone
told me:- 'I don't feel I come alive on set until I've done a
fight scene and thrown my first right hook'. Similarly, I don't
really feel I've come to life unless I've triggered laughter from a
crowd. It's probably an illness… a comedian's illness. But I don't
panic like I used to. If a joke misses or backfires I know there's a
hundred more on their way. But it's strange, I'm getting more
serious off stage and savour even more the times when I'm on it.
There's always something in my mind telling me 'enjoy it while you
can, this isn't going to last much longer.'
Question:- Do you feel fired up on stage?
Answer:- Not really fired up, but sometimes I am genuinely upset
when a show is over. I would love to go on all night… in a way I
understand Ken Dodd who famously starts at 8pm and sometimes
finishes at 2am. My problem is I just don't have the material. So I
usually just take the feeling of loss and disappointment off with me
when I say goodnight and drive home alone in the dark thinking of
the good times and how I can say more next time and say it better.
Question:- Is your relationship with the audience important?
Answer:- Most comedians are sensitive to audience reaction.
Generally speaking, comics like people. Stand up is basically one
person talking to many people. It's a bizarre dynamic… public
speaking has been with us for thousands of years. I remember even
feeling a panic when I was younger that I should get up and speak
because I'd have to one day so best start young. If you're not too
nervous about speaking and saying what's on your mind in a one on
one then that openness is what you need on stage. It's important not
to be too hung up about what people think of you. Finding a comedy
voice can take years though.
Question:- What themes will you be addressing in the
new show?
Answer:- Growing older. We all struggle with it. As Dave Allen once
said:-'I enjoy getting older. I have to because there's no
choice'. When you hit your forties you understand life
better, but at the same time your body is more prone to fail. So you
have to find a way of joining your received wisdom with physical
prowess. A lot of men who hit 40 try to do things that make them
feel more alive because they want to prove themselves. That's why I
did Splash! I wanted to do something out of the box, stretch my
courage and prove I was still a young man at heart even though my
bits were dropping off.
Question:- What else will you be discussing?
Answer:- Relationships. I think I've maybe come to understand the
secret to them now. I know when a woman gets married, she has to
learn to forgive her man from day one. Because men are idiots.
Before they become conscious human beings, that is. They can take
years doing the wrong thing before they learn to adjust their
behaviour. So women need patience and forgiveness… and a voice to
articulate what the man is doing that is wrong in a way a man can
hear Otherwise it's over.
Question:- You also address the subject of celebrity in this show…
Answer:- Yes… I talk about the fact that when you become a
celebrity… or in fact in any line of work where you feel you are
important somehow in a worldly sense because people around you are
telling you so… there is a period when you become an arse. It
happens to everyone. You start believing your own hype and behave
foolishly. A more eloquent way would be to describe it as becoming
“a plaything of the ignorant”. Not many talk people about
this “arse” - phase but I'm happy to. I became an
arse. I'll go there. And it's bad….
Question:- So how did you snap out of it?
Answer:- I'm not sure I have. It's up for debate.
Question:- Do your recent visits to the US also inform the act?
Answer:- Yes. I love America. It's very hard trying to obtain a visa
to work in the US. My work Visa was delayed so badly I nearly missed
my flight. Maybe referencing Pablo Escobar and Osama Bin Laden on
the form didn't help.
Question:- Am I right your act has become less overly political
these days?
Answer:- I don't feel the same pressure to talk about things in the
news any more. On Twitter, comics feel they constantly have to
comment on things that are trending and put their oar in. But
nowadays if everyone is talking about fracking I'll just talk about
Peters and Lee (1970's singing duo).
Question:- Is there such a thing
as an archetypal comedian's mentality?
Answer:- (thinks) Erm… not really. But most comedians I know do have
a filter missing. They usually 'go for the gag', even if it's at the
expense of total social humiliation, but they still do it because
they know it'll be great story they can tell later (or even use on
stage). It's almost as if comics need to be loved and talked about
more than being respected. Stories circulate amongst comedians about
who did what amd when and stories are told with such relish they
almost become myth. I talk about this is show…
Question:- Are you happy with
where your career is?
Answer:- (pauses) Well… I think in life you have to count your
blessings otherwise you'll never be happy. But I haven't worked out
the reason why I'm overweight yet, and I really shouldn't be. It's
an issue that takes precedence… so forgive me for not really
answering your question.
Tickets for Omid Djalili Live tour can be found at:-
online.
Dates and times:-
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