COMEDY | Previews
S E M A J D N A S E M A J
86 THE LIST 5 Nov 2015–4 Feb 2016
SATIRE ANDY ZALTZMAN The Stand, Edinburgh, Wed 13 Jan
The current political landscape seems almost too ripe for satire. In the UK, we have Boris, Call Me Dave, the Corbynistas and, still lurking in the shadows, George Galloway, Nigel Farage and Alex Salmond. And with a US presidential race looming, that lot have provided us with Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, Ben Carson and, still lurking in the shadows, Sarah Palin. All of which should make the job for a comic such as Andy Zaltzman like shooting fish (no Sturgeon jokes, please) in the proverbial barrel. With his Satirist for Hire tour, he’s asking people to send him questions that he can tackle on stage (see satiristforhire.com for extended rules and regulations). ‘I recently had an email from someone asking me to satirise the fact that his sister was introducing her new boyfriend to the family for the first time,’ states Zaltzman. ‘At my gig. That was an odd one. Besides, taking someone to one of my shows on a date is pretty much telling them that the relationship has gone as far as it can possibly go.’
While politics remains slightly ahead of celebrity culture as the go-to zone for satirists, perhaps some figures are beyond lampooning, their very existence a long hard joke in and of itself: Donald Trump, for example? ‘He’s not yet beyond satire,’ insists Zaltzman. ‘In five years’ time, after a term in the White House, he might well be. If the world still exists. A combination of that hair and a big red button is not one that humanity should be comfortable with.’
Given that Zaltzman is a massive cricket fan, is there an
analogy from that sport which can sum up the current state of British politics? ‘I’d rather not try. Cricket is a far too important and august aspect of human civilisation to be trivialised by association with such an ephemeral, infantile game as parliamentary politics.’ (Brian Donaldson)
SATIRE PAM ANN: QUEEN OF THE SKY Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Sun 29 Nov
Dubbed by Madonna as ‘cruelly funny’, Caroline Reid’s catty air hostess character Pam Ann has supported Cher on stage and played at an Elton John party. With her often savage style of humour, this might have seemed something of a risk for such massive celebs with fragile egos, but Pam / Caroline takes all this stuff in her stride. As she prepares for her next round of flights (aka shows) around the UK, we managed to fire off
a few questions which Pam shot back, in short, sharp style . . .
So, Pam, what’s the one thing you’d change to make air travel better for a) the flight attendants;
b) the passengers; c) the pilot? ‘a) Don’t make eye contact with the pax; b) never ask for anything; c) take the cockpit door off and put in a beaded curtain.’
What’s been the biggest regret from your time in the skies? ‘Allowing economy pax on board.’ Which movie has best represented what it’s actually like to be aboard a plane? ‘Airport ’77 [that’s the one where a multi-millionaire’s private 747 carrying a collection of priceless works of art is hijacked and crashes into an oil rig].'
Finally, Pam, imagine it’s 2085. What will the future’s opinion be on how we get around the globe? ‘Emirates will own the world and we will be flying supersonic Emirates Concordes.’
Being of Australian extraction, she may tackle the current shift in the political landcape in her homeland, but chances are she won't be bothered with all that. So just switch your mind to flight mode and enjoy the show. (Brian Donaldson)
STAND-UP CHRIS RAMSEY The Stand, Glasgow, Sun 8 Nov; The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 15 Nov
Having recently become a father for the first time, Chris Ramsey’s new show All Growed Up has taken on a fresh resonance. While this will surely give him some extra material for the tour, the core point to his show is only made more prominent with this new addition.
‘The show is to do with being an adult and when adulthood happens to you,’ says the genial South Shields comic. ‘I don’t class my dad as an adult, for example, he’s such a child. It’s not me saying I’m immature and just a kid, it’s me saying I don’t think I’m ready. There’s this big part of me going, “take a day off from looking at bathrooms and play with your Lego”.’ Ramsey also has a trampoline in his garden (strictly bought for himself) which could have got him into a bit of bother in the adult world during the summer. ‘I have an accountant, we go for meetings and it’s all done by the book. But I genuinely missed a meeting with him because it was a sunny day and I’d just bought the trampoline. So I played on that all day. I phoned to tell him that. I could have lied but I have to be honest because I would have caught myself out, which is quite a childish thing. So, when do I become an adult and, more importantly, should I become an adult?’ New developments around the Ramsey household suggest that, yeah, that time has probably just arrived, Chris. (Brian Donaldson)