Bit far for the evening.

>...is at the Prince Patrick Hotel, Melbourne, Nov 29th and Dec 6th.

Performing or just staying?

Ooh, don't know about Melbourne, bit adventurous

If your parents won't let you go to London, what are the chances of the other hemisphere?

I'm Ok about her going to London.

Come to us Radiator Head Child...we'll look after you well.
Or at least sell you to someone who will.



PS. Yeah, he's performing at The Planet
www.back.to/theplanet
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Pass this on for me, would you, Janet:

"Dear Simon, you're not very good, Yours Jon"

Thanks.

I mean, it's not that I hate him or think he's complete rubbish, but I definitely say he's overrated when you hear the way some people talk about him.

I couldn't stand Alan Parker at all, mind.

I saw him on The Stand Up Show the other night, and two things surprised me:
1) How chaotic the performance was (drunk?)
2) How much of the script was 10 years old

Neverthless, I think he may be approaching demigodhood.

That's one point against the Corpses - they definitely had a blind spot when it came to being critical of SM. In the Cluub Z article, they said they'd seen him stagger through a stand-up show without a properly prepared routine. This was treated as another moment of Munnerian unpredictability. What other performers would they let off lightly for doing that?

His entire act was almost word for word from the intro to the Cluub Z pilot. And the jokes were all pretty pointless word play jokes anyway, not very funny or clever at all. "Snooker is the only sport woman like, because it's the only one where the men actually clear up after themselves."
Jongleurs material if ever I heard it.

He does have some good lines. But I just don't see that it all adds up to a show that's particularly innovative or coherent, or brilliantly funny either.

I've said this a few times, and been shouted down for it: all the faffing about with the computer etc. is just a gimmick to bolster a thin stand-up routine. He does not get any great value out of it. At least, that's how it was when I saw him at the ICA a year ago.

Someone described the stage effects as a small venue version of U2's Zooropa set. Well yeah, exactly.

I've always rated Munnery as a performance artist, rather than comedian, IMHO. Heavily relies on gimmicks rather than content.

But I suppose that's what they call redefining comedy - remove all jokes - and he did get a Perrier nomination.

Furthermore, watching Munnery (particulary in his UK Play programmes) oftens remind me of one of my comedy nightmares, where every week a performer waves an inflatable fish in front of the audience for thirty minutes? Funny? no, but it's surreal, geddit?!?!?

Sheesh, you TV watching cynics - I wouldn't really know about his TV stuff, I've only really seen Munnery live. (Yes, 'live' - even better than when it was on radio.)
Hey, a couple of times I've seen him fall on his arse too, but for those moments of pure, distilled genius I'm willing to risk the odd dud. Seen enough safe, dependable comedy in my time, I'd rather watch the risk takers.

And besides, when he has a comedy literate audience in front of him Munnery is always fantastic. I wouldn't put him in front of a regular comedy club type crowd - I think he needs a more theatrically inclined audience.

I've only seen the computer stuff once, but I thought it was quite valuable to the show. Guess I just like fringe theatre - I like funny peculiar as much as funny ha-ha.

I thought Alan Parker was a great character in his day, not so relevent anymore though.
Got to see him in THE most incredible circumstances once. About 4 years ago during Melbourne Comedy Festival there was a hugely controversial industrial action down on the docks; the government was trying to break the union stronghold, had sacked everybody, and was trying to bring in teams of specially trained, ex-military strike breakers - really heavy shit. As you can imagine, there were massive blockades at the docks, violent protests, etc. The public were even forbidden from going within a one kilometre radius of the area. Every union possible threw their support in with the dockers, and of course this included the rabble-rousing Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (including actors equity and the musicians union).
A group of us, somewhat defying the illegality of our actions, went down to lend support one night. We parked on a desolote road, picked our way through the girders welded to the road, past makeshift canvas and tin structures and people warming themselves around flaming drums and bonfires, to reach the blockade headquarters. The only lights were from fires and candles, with the occassional primus lamp to cast a somewhatl washed-out illumination.
Overcoat-clad dockers and trade unionists welcomed us, looking for all the world like extras from Bladerunner or Judge Dredd. After quick discussion, a space was cleared, somebody with a video camera turned the light on, and a handful of comics, including the Urban Warrior, performed. Never has the cry of "Brothers and sisters..." been more appropriately used. An incredible and surreal scene - the flickering flames, masses of twisted steel, and the Urban Warrior spouting his foolish rhetoric to those he came close to lampooning. They utterly loved him. That night, Munnery truly was a demigod.

Janet, you've turned into Steven

>Janet, you've turned into Steven

Nah, I like more than two performers.




[Sorry Steven, just takin' the piss]