PROFILE WILL ANDREWS Good Will hunting for work
If the name Will Andrews doesn't make cymbals crash around your head in recognition. chances are you’ll have a mate who could name one of his comic creations. Particularly if that mate did the rounds of this year’s Fringe and happened to drop in on the brilliantly diverse EtchySketchy or Andrews' double act variety show with erstwhile Perrier Newcomer winner Garth Cruikshank at St Cut's.
A one-man media industry, having dabbled in scriptwriting and filmmaking, Andrews‘ comic alter ego Tony Carter scooped this year’s Tapwater Award. The gong was set up in opposition to the Perrier as part of a Baby Milk Action boycott of its owner, Nestle’, and featured multiple categories such as musical theatre, storytelling and cabaret. Genuinely (uncharacteristically, his friends say) dumbfounded, Andrews, as the nervy Geordie New Deal stand- up and ‘locksmith of laughs‘, found himself lining up to collect his trophy alongside a hula-hoop artiste and a Gambian kora player. Not bad for a comic character who
was partly created as an excuse to recycle old gags. ‘About six months ago, I got out all my old jokes and thought: “l-lmm . . . they‘re shit . . . wouldn't it be good to have a character who told shit jokes?” he explains. ‘It worked. As soon as I did it, it worked, and it‘s never not worked. I’m shitting myself waiting to be found
out.‘
Andrews reckons his knack for chameleon-like character comedy comes from his army brat upbringing. ‘Yeah, I was born in Africa, lived in Hong Kong and the Philippines and then we moved to Newcastle and lived there for a while and I‘ve lived in Edinburgh for six years. My dad's from Yorkshire, mother’s from, er, England-shire - I don’t know where,
STANDUP
HILS BARKER
The Stand, Glasgow, Thu 25-Sat 27 Sep; the Stand, Edinburgh,
Sun 28 Sep
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south somewhere — so my identity’s a bit pick-and-
Now resolutely settled in Edinburgh and, having won such a worthy plaudit as the Tapwater, does he have the dizzy sensation of an artist about to hit the big time? ‘I had to sell my CDs yesterday to make
some money,‘ he laughs. ‘I genuinely am on
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But Barker 's rnaterral has 'ner‘e teeth than the sweet srnrle suggests. ‘I think she's utterly. utter'l‘, ‘.'.rren<_;.’ she says of Perrier panellrst Kate Copstrek when the (:enx'ersatren strrs the women~herng-unfunr‘j. (:(ttlldrert. “You don't hear that from .erj. 'na't‘,
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own agenda.’ Mraew. Indeed. \r'Vhrle not (lurte the wolf rn sheep's Clothing. Barker manages to blend gentle observatrons about Dar/r. readers and farr trade tea wth
inCISrve social commentary.
Jobseekers' - not New Deal, like Tony - so I've still got fuck all money. But winning the Tapwater’s been great . . . surreal. You get a level of success out of it, but I’m still working on hitting paydirt.’ (Allan Radcliffe) I fer“; (Ia/3e! fresfs .‘>‘".':‘.'5" f)“ .:_ .' r. 2'
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ANY SOUTHSIDE COMEDY-
goers still mourning the demise of Craic @ the Sac. take heart: a new comedy/entertainment venue is in the pipeline. Fear not, this place won't be spoiling the expanse of Queen's Park. Instead it will be located in the heart of Shawlands, providing entertainment seven nights a week, with comedy nights at the weekends. All going well, the venue will open in late October. Watch this space for more information.
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Mr Bagshaw
MACKENZIE CROOK (AKA THE Office's Gareth) is a very busy chappie. Currently in Prague filming with Terry Gilliam, he‘ll jet back to the UK to appear at the aforementioned comedy tour in his tracksuited Mr Bagshaw guise, and then rumour has it he's off to Hollywood to appear alongside Al Pacino. If the film deal is struck then Crook will have to cancel his national tour scheduled for November, which means no Mr Bagshaw at the Queen’s Hall on Sat 22 Nov. Till-Pi ARE- A l l".'.’ COMEDY Gil/18 fr: :1;- fotr'tfl .r: tins ,r;ar's Glasga,’ test *.a' Om. figure Ursula MéerIl‘rC/ .wl {,.’(;"‘r:{;"; the we show, OAP "Tran "eatre l-r. M2 Ne.» .-.«nrie the Knscrr Krtrms; Arrives. Tue -1 Non present trier Cami; corned, sen/1mg up girl greurgs 9“ the :30“) and 633. Thr: Stew)"; OOT' nudht “Tue 7 ’ New ml! “gafmr; Crag llrfl and caustrc far‘n,’ fa’z, J’; Caurtreld while Frankre Ham-111's sprrtual son Alan Carr 'Sun No. .-.-I3 fr, 33.0 at the renue.