serious poet and .loel Stickley has just signed a book deal. We'll still tour. but haying done this solo show it's made me grow as a writer.‘
And while he confesses to finding poetry in everything he sees. he knows that a second set of eyes is crucial to the L‘l'cztliy'c process. ‘I might send things to my girlfriend who is an editor. As I'm a performance poet. l‘ll drop a syllable here and there to make it more interesting rather than just perform to the meter as it would just be “de dum dc dum de dum". But when she looks through it. she‘s like: "your syllable count is out here" and puts the red pen through it and sends it back.‘
Whether help/hindrance is not clear but he certainly has
some major endorsement from the kind of
people you want to be able to quote on your publicity material. llarry Hill has pronounced him to be ‘the funniest new act in years'. and. you know what. the big-collared semi- surrealist is spot on. ‘:\ promoter saw me at a tiny open spot in London and he originally thought that I actually was l.ee Nelsonf recalls Brodkin. ‘Then the next time he saw me he realised what I was doing and was less scared to approach me. I was then asked to play this ama/ing gig where Harry Hill was playing. There was a rowdy crowd at this cocktail place and they started throwing lemons.’
We can only speculate about what Andrew Motion would toss in Luke‘s direction should he pop in to see the show during his imminent Visit to the Book liestiyal. One particularly cutting section features the current Poet Laureate's rubbish attempts at trying to connect with the young folks through his regrettable rap poem for Prince William's let birthday. ‘1 don't expect Andrew Motion giVCs two figs about what I do.‘ reckons Wright. ‘I didn‘t want the show just to be a whole thing on .-\ndy Motion becattse he has done good
Brodkin has that kind of
Luke Wright and friends
stuff and he has tried to do a bit of modernising but maybe not enough. The main thing is that we shouldn‘t haye a Laureate that is attached to the Royal Family because it makes it seem a bit out of touch. People might feel the same way about poetry. that it‘s this old dtisty thing. though at least now you haye .lolm (‘ooper (‘larke on the school sy‘llabus.‘
Whether the ‘('haracter (‘omedy of Simon Brodkin‘ will eyer make it into the classrooms is quite another matter. Though many comics of that genre could learn a thing or two about those awkward moments when you have to switch from one character to another. Rather than disappear offstage while a bit of music or recorded dialogue tries to distract the audience from the frantic gear change going on behind the curtain. Brodkin makes the costume switch an inherent element to the performance and the show. ‘I guess you start with the age-old character comedy problem that you can’t edit out like you could on TV. so you either scarper off stage or chuck on a couple of key little things like a wig or a scarf. What I'm aiming to do is to fit into their bodies and really try to become as much as possible that character so I didn‘t want to just slip into something token. I wanted to really get “changed.”
So. in a twist of genius. Brodkin chats to as about what he is doing and reyealing the mechanics of character comedy while making it both very funny and thought-proy'oking. ‘I
just started experimenting and tried to become
a smart aleck. The aim is just to make people laugh. though if you can do that with a clever tinge. then all the better.. Luke Wright and Simon Brodkin: both big. clever and funny.
Simon Brodkin, Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 5.55pm, £8.50—£9.50 (27-528); Luke Wright, Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 4.10pm, £8429 (ts-£7).
The Festival isn't just about the Reg 05 and the Phil Kays of the comedy world. you know. Brian Donaldson picks some more of the hot unknowns.
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I Underbelly. Oil/(l Hf» 3083, u/it/l 87 Aug. 77.10pm, l_‘}'..":()r58.5%) ti‘fiOO—ll'otll.
Nick Doody llir. lari'artl Catholu‘. takes; a pt lkl‘ t ll 90 at the whole religion game anrl holrls it up it it the really t)(i(l llllllt) that it is. See l0‘.’l(?‘~.‘V, page .«”.«‘ I P/et'ib;.'1/i(;e Home 5:30 (55:30, u/it/l 28 Aug. 8.45pm, 3‘8.:’y(ll‘9.5() 07—2 ‘8).
Rebus McTaggart An amalgam of all the SCOUISll TV 'tecs you know and maybe love. wrapped up lll One Character created by Richard Thomson.
I Underhe/N. ()8 70 74:3 3083. uritr/ 27Aug. (3.05pm, F7. 5048. 33/) (rose—5.7.50).
Mark Olver He ohm broke his leg; on stage but soldiere'l on through the agony. Happy Accidenta/ly tells the whole shattering Stow.
I Pleasance Crane/arr}. 556 6550. untx/ 28 Aug. 8250/7), l‘8,50-if9,50 (ii—E8).
The Future Two men chat nonsense for an hour about life's mundanities Such as losmg your job. havmg thugs and transplanting a dead face onto your back. Hysterical nonetheless. See renew. page 7??
I Underbelly, 0870 745 3083, unti/ 27 Aug.
2. 700m, 57.50-28.50 (27650—5750).
‘ 124 27/, TNE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 21