Let’s be honest.  The reason that I am doing this post is to try and recycle all my comedy reviews from throughout the year.  The whole ‘awards’ aspect is purely a decorative frame in which to hang it.  That said, here are the nominations:

Jason Manford @ Parr Hall, Warrington – 18th January 2009

Russell Kane @ Pyramid Arts Centre – 13th February 2009 (Support: Sadie Hasler)

Mark Watson @ Parr Hall, Warrington - 21st March 2009

Rob Brydon @ Southport Theatre – 26th March (Support: we had problems parking, so we missed the support act)

Richard Herring @ Pyramid Arts Centre - 18th April

Mark Thomas @ Parr Hall, Warrington - 1st May 2009 (Support: Wil Hodgson)

Paul Kerensa @ The Brindley – 29th May

Mark Steel @ The Brindley – 26th June

Tim Minchin @ Parr Hall, Warrington – 4th September 2009

The Comedy Store @ Pyramid Arts Centre, Warrington – 5th September 2009 (Michael Smiley MC, Roger Monkhouse, Gordon Southern and Sarah Millican)

The Comedy Store @ Pyramid Arts Centre, Warrington – 3rd October 2009 (Silky MC, Toby Hadoke, Steve Royle and Carey Marx)

Tony Law @ The Brindley, Runcorn – 9th October 2009

Al Pitcher @ Pyramid Arts Centre, Warrington – 24th October 2009 (Support: Danny Mcloughlin)

Rich Hall @ The Brindley, Runcorn – 2nd November 2009

Stephen K. Amos @ The Parr Hall, Warrington – 4th November 2009 (Support: Seann Walsh)

The Comedy Store @ Pyramid Arts Centre, Warrington – 7th November 2009 (Paul Thorne MC, Ian Stone, Phil Walker and Mike Gunn)

Sean Hughes @ The Parr Hall, Warrington – 18th November 2009

John Bishop @ The Parr Hall, Warrington – 8th December 2009

The Darwin Birthday Spectacular @ The Lowry, Salford – 9th December 2009 (Robin Ince, Ben Goldacre, Josie Long and Simon Singh)

Ricky Gervais @ The Opera House, Blackpool – 10th December 2009 (Support: Stewart Francis)

Jason Cook @ Pyramid Arts Centre, Warrington – 11th December 2009

I had originally intended to just pick one overall ‘best gig of the year’ award, but I don’t think I could choose. You’ll have to put up with these ones instead:

Worst seats: Parr Hall.  You feel like you need major spinal surgery after a two hour show.  I think you’d probably die if you sat through a Ken Dodd show.

Best support act: Wil Hodgson.  It was like getting two main events for the price of one.  I’d definitely like to see him doing a full show.

Worst audience: The Comedy Store in October.  I have no idea why half the audience had decided to go to it.  They must have won their tickets or something.

Best audience: Jason Cook.  We tried to hide and bullied him in to dressing as an elf.  An unforgettable gig.

Most eagerly anticipated: Richard Herring.  I’ve got about 4 of his DVDs and listen to the Collings and Herrin podcast every week, so it was great to see Richard in the flesh.  His show, The Headmaster’s Son, was excellent.  Sadly, he doesn’t seem to be coming back this year.

Most unexpected: Rich Hall.  Despite him being on telly loads, I had no idea what to expect.  The show was excellent, especially the Otis Lee Crenshaw stuff in the second half.

Best use of comedy hands: Tony Law

Comedian who I have seen and then been mentioned on their podcast:  Paul Kerensa.  His podcast is called Movie Banter.  It is banter about movies.

Most inspirational: The Darwin Birthday Spectacular.  This is how all entertainment should be: funny and informative.  I bough 2 DVDS and 2 books from the people involved, the very next day.

Most original: Al Pitcher.  He created a show based on photos of Warrington, taken on the day of the gig.

That’s all I can think of for now.  It’s been an enjoyable year of watching live comedy, and I urge you all to go out and see some in 2010.

I’ll be honest, I’m really not in the mood to be writing much today and so I apologise now if this post is too short\rubbish.  It is perhaps apt though that I’m feeling half-hearted as it kind of reflects my feelings on last night.

The MC for the evening was Paul Thorne who did a good job of getting the audience going, and, as he was brought up in Warrington, his local knowledge helped to get the crowd on-side.   The first act was Ian Stone who was probably had the strongest set of the night, despite being heavily interrupted by late-comers for the early part.  Like last month, the coming and going of audience members was a constant distraction to the performers and the rest of the crowd.   It doesn’t help matters that the bar in the Pyramid is woefully inadequate, but they should really try and do something to stop so many people moving about.

The other two acts were Phil Walker, before the interval, and Mike Gunn, after it.  To be honest, I was a bit underwhelmed by both, which is not to say that they didn’t have their moments.  The rest of the audience seemed to enjoy Gunn in particular, so maybe it was just me.

Despite what I just said, I still really enjoyed it.  A night of slightly underwhelming live comedy is still better than none at all.

Množica ljudi se je pred vhodom na Ljubljanski grad drenjala že malo po 20. uri zvečer, ko so odprli glavna velika vrata gradu. “Raje priti prej in si zagotoviti vstopnico ter sedež“, so pravili nekateri. V petek, soboto in nedeljo zvečer je na Ljubljanskem gradu že drugič potekal PANČ festival, festival stand-up komedije.

Pred nekaj leti še mnogim neznana, vsako leto pa ima vse več navdušencev in stalnih obiskovalcev. Organizatorji so več kot navdušeni nad obiskom, saj je bilo grajsko dvorišče zasedeno do zadnjega kotička prav vsak dan, še najbolj pa jih razveseljuje dejstvo, da so prav vsi s festivala odšli prešerne volje in nasmejani. Zadnji dan so našteli preko 1.300 obiskovalcev! Dve uri nastopov slovenskih in tujih komikov so minili kot bi trenil, ohladitve ozračja zaradi obilice smeha nismo čutili, nasmeh pa se nam je prilepil na usta in ni in ni hotel popustiti še nekaj časa po koncu predstave.

V prvem večeru so nastopili: Sašo Stare – mladi up slovenske stand-up komedije, Klemen Bučan – tudi letos ga bomo že tretjič spremljali septembra v Kranju na njegovem stand-up comedy šovu Buchanologija, kjer združi dve veliki ljubezni – elektronsko glasbo in komedijo , Janez Usenik – najbolj poznan kot novinar televizije POP Tv , Boštjan Gorenc – Pižama – eden najbolj prepoznavnih obrazov slovenske stand-up komedije, znan je predvsem po svojem svojevrstnem humorju polnem besednih iger in zanimivih primerjav, ter dva hrvaška komika Marina Orsag (HR), ki velja za edino profesionalno hrvaško komičarko, pohvali se lahko z več kot 400 nastopi ter Domagoj Pintarič (HR), ki velja za enega največjih upov hrvaške stand-up komedije.

Vid Valič

Drugi večer festivalu vreme le ni bilo tako naklonjeno, saj je ob prvih besedah že zapadel dež in so svojo predstavo premaknili v notranje prostore gradu. Na odru so se prav tako kot prvi večer predstavili slovenski ter tuji komiki. Mladen Pahović – svojo kariero stand-up komika začel v Kopru v okviru projekta Ceu smeh in sodi med najizkušenejše slovenske stand-up komike, Ana Marija Mitič – prepoznaven obraz programa televizije Slovenija, malce manj poznana pa kot komičarka, improvizatorka, pianistka, lutkarka in študentka medicine, ki je nedavno je odkrila tudi čare stand-up komedije, Klemen Mauhler – pravi akademik med komiki, znan po svojih številnih improvizacijah in neskončnem številu likov, ki jih upodablja v svojih nastopih, Tadej Toš – eden najbolj delovnih in produktivnih slovenskih igralcev,ter dva hrvaška komika: Pedja Bajović (HR) – eden najbolj izkušenih hrvaških komikov ter Ivan Šarić (HR)- nastopil je že v številnih klubih in festivalih, v zadnjem času se je ustalil kot reden gost v ljubljanskem KUD-u France Prešeren, kjer sta z Vidom Valičem premierno predstavila tudi njun celovečerni show Slo vs. Cro.

Perica Jerković

Prava poslastica pa je sledila zadnji večer, saj sta na festival prišla dva veterana v stand-up komediji: Anglež Ian Stone ter Novozelandec Al Pitcher. Vsi, ki vas tam ni bilo ste zamudili nastop pravih stand-up komikov, ki na oder ne pridejo popolnoma pripravljeni v svojih šalah,

Al Pitcher ( Nova Zelandija)

vendar svoj nastop improvizirajo in izvedejo v skladu z dogajanjem okoli njega in odzivom občinstva. Poseganje v obnašanje množice pri njih ni redkost, prav tako zelo radi pokramljajo s publiko in ko dobijo odziv, ki ga niso pričakovali, so navdušeni. Za Novozelandca Ala Pitcherja pravijo, da je njegova komedija polna improvizacije in prostega krmarenja med aktualnimi dogodki in dogodki, ki mu padejo na misel v trenutku nastopa. Velja za eno najbolj varovanih skrivnosti v svetu komedije. Vsekakor lahko to potrdimo, saj je bila njegova interakcija z občinstvom neverjetna in nekaj, kar naši stand-up komiki šele spoznavajo in bodo morda dosegli v bližnji prihodnosti. Improvizacijski nastop je nekaj, po čemer stmijo prav vsi komiki, dosežejo pa le redki. Al zelo kratkem času se je naučil nekaj slovenskih besed in s čudno a prisrčno izgovorjavo le teh besed očaral občinstvo.

Ian Stone (Anglija)

Spoznali smo še en čudež, angleža po imenu Ian Stone. Spontanost je njegovo drugo ime in s strani revije The Independent je bil uvrščen med 10 najboljših komikov Britanije. V angleških krogih komedije velja za enega največjih talentov v podajanju aktualnih tem in primerjav, prav tako pa je navdušen nad provokativnimi temami in vključevanjem občinstva v njegov nastop, kar nam je pokazal tudi v nedeljski predstavi. Mislim, da smo si ga vsi zapomnili prav s šalo o papežu kot napumpani lutki na stolu.

Tin Vodopivec

Na nedeljskem nastopu so nastopili še štirje slovencem dobro poznani stan-up komiki: Vid Valič – eno najbolj vročih imen slovenske stand up komedije, vodja in organizator večerov stand-up komedije v Kud-u France Prešeren Ljubljana, Tin Vodopivec – gonilna sila velikega števila različnih zabavnih projektov kot tudi idejni oče Festivala Panč in med slovenskimi komiki zaželjen zaradi njegovih ljudskih šal in nevsiljivih zgodbic, Perica Jerković – klasično stand-up pripovedovanje kombinira z enovrstičnicami, besedno komiko včasih prekine s segmentom polnim mimike in gestikulacije, ter še Marko Kumer – Murč – znan po šalah na svoj račun, kot po politično krepko nekorektnih bodicah, priljubljen pa je med gledalci, ki radi vidijo, da gre komik tja, kamor se ne sme.

Marko Kumer – Murč

Vsekakor dogodek, ki ga ni zamuditi. Zopet boste imeli priložnost naslednje leto, vsekakor pa si lahko stand-up komike ogledate po različnih gledališčih po Sloveniji, raznih nastopih po klubih…

Slike so žal le iz zadnjega večera, tako da se ostalim komikom opravičujem, ostali pa si lahko pogledate tudi slike iz lanskoletnega Panča na Ljubljanskem gradu TUKAJ.

Naredili smo tudi VIDEO reportažo, ki so jo lahko ogledate TUKAJ.

Imran Khan

Imran Khan and Avantika Malik

Vir Das

Anuradha Menon aka Lola Kutty

Raell Padamsee

The Comedy Store (U.K’s leading comedy club which celebrates thirty years this May) kicked off its tour in Mumbai last week. Don Ward (Cofounder of The Comedy Store)  chose  three world class stand up comedians who performed over the weekend in Mumbai at NCPA and the ITC Grand Maratha. Comedians Sean Meo (MC), Paul Tonkinson and Ian Stone had the crowd in splits apparently.  Guests included Imran Khan (still grumpy but gorgous!) and girlfriend Avantika Malik, Vir Das, Raell Padamsee, Anuradha Menon and of course Deepak Bedi (CEO, Horseshoe Entertainment.)

Ian Stone, Paul Tonkinson and Sean Meo

“With 2009 being our 30th anniversary, this tour  is  a great way to further popularize a concept that is gripping India very fast. The Comedy Store Tour brings you a  world class stand up comedy team that will put together a show with an Indian relevance.” Says Don Ward.

BOOYA*! About time dontchya think?

* “Bam!”, “in your face” and “hell yeah” all at the same time.)

And in other rolflmao** highlights check out Sacha Baron Cohen’s newest avtaar Bruno landing on Eminem at the MTV awards. (Yes, of course it was staged.)

**roll on the floor laughing my ass off

I caught the Comedy Store show last night at the Grand Maratha Sheraton. To be honest I was in quite a dilemma whether to go or not. For one, it was the French Open final and two the tickets were price at 2000 bucks!

But then I thought, going by the women’s finals, the men’s final match was going to be a damp squib anyway. Besides it wasn’t as though Nadal was going to be there. By the way, congrats, Roger.

About the tickets, 1000 bucks was for the performance and the other 1000 bucks was for two drinks and snacks. Being the cheap Indian that I am, I figured I’d go and order the most expensive booze and stuff myself with snacks thereby doing away with the need for dinner. Besides, anything remotely related to writing is research and tax deductible. So an evening of enjoyment and a chance to cheat the government! Bring it on!

And the money was totally well-spent. As soon as I entered the venue, I made a beeline for the bar which was already quite crowded. The frazzled bartenders worked like dervishes but it was clear they were hopelessly backed up and people had been waiting for their drinks for well over half an hour. Then one enterprising guest jumped behind the bar to lend the harassed bartenders a hand.

But it was clear he was unfamiliar with the act of pouring drinks. He asked me what I wanted. I said, “I wanted a Mojito, but please, anything remotely alcoholic will do.”

“Rum and coke?” he said.

“Yes, yes…please!”

He then proceeded to pour a double shot into the glass and looked around for coke. After frantic scrambling for two minutes, it was discovered that they’d run out of coke. He met my eyes in a shifty kinda way and anticipating an explosion coming on, he poured another double shot into the glass. Like now I’m not going to miss the mixer…and you know what he was right! And to make a salubrious situation better, they lost track of the drinks coupons and everyone got an extra drink. Boy, the evening was looking up already.

To come back to the show, it totally rocked. Sean Meo was the emcee and opened the show. He was really funny, although I found his clipped British accent a bit difficult to follow so missed a few. He was followed by Paul Tonkinson.

Tonkinson’s act was very high energy and very physical. He’s a very good performer but I found his preoccupation with sex and blow jobs a bit tiresome after a while. I bet he’ll have something to say about that. Something regarding my sexual repression or something like that. That’s a laugh. One only has to read my book to know he’s absolutely right!

Ian Stone followed. Him, I actually liked quite a lot. He walked on and straightaway asked, “Any Jews out there?” Not unexpectedly, no hands were raised. He then asked, “What about Muzzies? Any Muzzies out there?” Pin drop silence. People shocked out of their wits.

“Boy, the tension is palpable,” he said and the room cracked up.

All in all a class act. We need more of those.

Oh, I also caught Star Trek but since I hated the new James Tiberius Kirk, I bumped him off in favour of Sean, Paul and Ian.

Questi i trailer dei film in uscita a mio parere più interessanti, con le schede di Filmtv, la mia rivista preferita.

L’ultimo trailer uscito è quello del nuovo film di Ridley Scott, Body of lies, con Russell Crowe e Leonardo Di Caprio:

Ecco i film in uscita al cinema:

Hellboy II:

Le morti di Ian Stone:

In dvd:

In vendita:

28 settimane dopo (non trovo il trailer italiano):

As I have a predilection for stand-up comedy, I came up with the idea of selecting one comedian each week whose name and reputation I believe deserve to be spread. This week’s stand-up comedian is Ian Stone who was ranked amongst the top ten stand-ups in Britain by The Independent. Moreover, The Times describes this Northern Londoner’s act as “a masterful exponent of self-mocking Jewish humour”.

Personally, I regard Ian Stone’s style to be relaxed, owing much to his self-mocking, and his jokes aren’t difficult to grasp, i.e. you don’t need to be that familiar with a particular sphere such as politics or history in order to fully understand and see what he’s getting at. Yet his witty humour is intelligent, not to mention when he’s wheeling out puns with the Israel-Palestine conflict provided as backdrop.

The Deaths of Ian Stone(Movie)