I think it was 1995. I’d graduated secondary school, and took a year out before I went to drama school. Didn’t get the predicted grades I wanted to go to Manchester University which was my first choice. My comedy heroes Ben Elton, Rick Mayall, and Adrian Edmondson My friend Simon, who worked in our local…
Tag: Comedy
What French Filmmaker Jacques Tati Taught Me About Film
I saw Mon Oncle for the first time in Sweden in 1999. I bought it on video. I’ve since seen Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot and Playtime. I’ll be honest, it took me a while to get into Tati’s movies. I think he’s an acquired taste. From what I read, he shot his films silently…
That One Time 49 People Thought I Was Having a Breakdown
In 2005, I was experimenting with character monologues instead of just stand-up. I wanted to draw more from my background in theatre. My solo show Please Stop Trying To Kill Me, Dad was more along the lines of stand-up theatre or stand-up storytelling. I had taken it to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2004 and was…
Comedy Screenwriting: Story vs. Jokes
“In that moment what would you say? Forget the joke. What would you say?” – Garry Shandling. When it comes to comedy screenwriting, sometimes (but not all the time by any means) story can take a backseat to spectacle or humor. Whether or not it should I think comes down to personal taste. So I…
The Children’s Entertainer
Between 2004 and 2005, I worked as a children’s entertainer. A friend of a friend was working for a company, mostly performing magic for kids. I got recommended to try out for the company. I auditioned, got in, and was invited to do an all-day training session. Halfway through, they announced that one of their…