COMEDY
For the latest news, listings and reviews, go to list.co.uk /comedy
THE CATHERINE TATE SHOW Sketch show queen prepares to tread the boards with pals and poise You have to feel a little sorry for those poor people who tentatively take their seats on the BBC Breakfast couch these days. The week after an editing mix-up left the image of a gorilla stomping all over a story about Nicola Sturgeon, Catherine Tate managed to keep her composure when interviewee Charlie Stayt got her stroppy teen character Lauren Cooper mixed up with Matt Lucas’ Vicky Pollard. Maybe Charlie’s just not a morning person, eh? the foul-mouthed Nan, vulgar nurse Bernie and sponsorship-crazy Georgie for three, while she may (or may not) unleash a number of new creations upon her adoring public.
Hopefully, Tate will be similarly unl appable as she launches herself into her i rst live run in over a decade, rolling out an estimated 18 different characters from her substantial repertoire (‘a lot of wigs’ as she remarked to a probably still-bemused Stayt). No doubt all the crowd- pleasing favourites will be present and correct:
While Tate will be joined on the boards by Mat Horne, Niky Wardley and Brett Goldstein (also the tour’s co-writer), there may still be some frantic moments ahead when one sketch makes way for another. In order to cover up all those quick-i re costume changes, Tate has worked with Nick ‘Grimmy’ Grimshaw on a selection of pre-recorded i ller while she seamlessly gets back on stage and zones into the next character. But if the odd hitch arrives, we reckon Tate will be wholly unbovvered. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Edinburgh Playhouse, Mon 7 Nov; SECC, Glasgow, Tue 8 Nov.
3 Nov 2016–31 Jan 2017 THE LIST 83