Team America
From Spinal Tap to The Simpsons, Harry Shearer has been making us laugh for decades. As he makes his Fringe debut, Ashley Davies talks to a man more concerned about his wife blowing her top.
here are three things you can be
certain of at l‘estiy'al time: you
w ill spend too much on liuropean lager in return for the benelits ol outdoor seating: you will lantasise about torturing Royal Mile street performers: and some tosser will think it’s comedy gold to yell out a 20-year—old catchphrase at an act trying to showcase new material. Harry Shearer inust hayc had a belly‘l'til ol the latter oyer the years. haying co—w'ritten and played a lead part in cinemas most beloy'ed and re- watched rockumentary spools. This is Spinal Tap. And that‘s before The .S'i'ni/isans is factored in: when you're the voices of Montgomery Burns. Smithers. Ned l‘landers and the incongruotisly chuckling doctor. strangers hurling catchphrases must be an occupational ha/ard.
But it Shearer lacks patience. he hides it well. .-\sked how he‘ll respond if a Spinal 'lapism is offered while he‘s on stage. he says: ‘l'll be stern but kind. My tendency is to say “Well. that's not what we're doing tonight but thank you for reminding me of it.”‘ But his \‘y'elsh-born wil'e. .ludith ()wen. with whom he is co-pert’orniing in this l5ringe show and who has been described as ‘brutally sardonic". sounds a lot less tolerant. ‘In her Iiy'e shows. Judith is pretty ruthless with that kind ol‘ thing and has guietened down the most aggressiye bar audiences; I might haye to hold her back.‘
So be warned. .-\s the title of. their show. This is So Not .‘I/erll i/ie .S‘i'rnpsons (.-\niei'ii'an l'oy‘eai'). suggests. this isn‘t going to be one r of those My Life as a 7271 Year ' Old Boy gigs (let's face ll. Nancy (‘artw‘right‘s show about being Bart was awful). Instead it's going to be a series of songs and chat satirising American life. an “affectionate but sharp poke in the ribs‘. as he puts it. They'll be dealing with the Hollywood representation of American culture and the madness ol' ['8 politics to paint a picture of the weirdness there.
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\Vill his musician wile play the straight man while he gets all the gags'.’ .\'ot quite ‘.hidith is a singer/songwriter but has always been funny in her onstage talk between songs. I am a comedy person who's always dabbled in music so this is where we meet. We're just trying to say why we think the country we liye in may be doing some ot the things It does.' So it‘s not going to be comedy throughout. ‘Some parts are more "hmni" and other parts are laugh out loud. You'll hay c the whole gamut' .-\nd although on this side of the pond all we e\pect ot' Shearer is comedy S/irna/ rap. and its follow—up The .llre/iiy ll'i'ni/ a lot of his work in the ['8 inyolyes political commentary.
So. while he gets a kick otit of making people laugh. he's still furious about how inet‘l'ectual the Democrats hay e become in recent years. "l‘hcy hay e done a pretty good job of being may be the world‘s worst opposition party in the last few years. The
‘IT'S ESSENTIAL TO SAY HOW GREAT AMERICA IS OR YOU GET DEATH THREATS'
great example was John Kerry. Most people would agree he was unfairly attacked for his record as a hero in the Vietnam war and it took him three weeks to decide to tlc‘lt‘lltl his own w'ar record. .\'ot really a profile in courage.‘
l-‘ortunately for him. most of the .-\inericaiis who‘ll be watching the show probably share his political View s. but he and ()w en are well prepared in case any of their compatriots take ol'lience. 'Wc do a little pro l'oi'ina at the beginning (it the show abotlt how great America is. his essential to do that or you get death threats for being anti-Aiiicrican.‘
Assembly Rooms, 226 2428, 6-28 Aug (not 15), 7.50pm, £11-£12 (9210-1211). Previews 4 8: 5 Aug, £5.
BOX OF DELIGHTS
The leap from TV screens to Fringe stages is often a hazardous one. But that doesn’t stop them trying, does it?
While teley/ision legends such as the Goodies. the Krankies. Tony Robinson and Bernie Clifton have been making the 'ieadlin :s so far with news of their Fringe appearances. there are plenty more where they came lT()lll. The Bird F/i/ Olaf/()8 features Olivia Poulet who you may have seen in the key roe on Whatever [, ow; Means. lTV's big Christmas drama about how Charles and Camilla got it on. Les/eye Lunch Hoar is comprised of Ruth Bratt froin FACJU and Kirsten O’Brien tpiettiredi of whom any small people in your life may ha re raved thanks to Smarteeriies. Fans of Channel A sketct'i show Spoons might recognise Kerry Godliman who is oneha'f of Godliman and Lane while soap devotees will feast on Dudley Sutton With Pandora '3 Lunch Box. And those who still have a guilty fondness for 'Keith from The Office can prepare to go ape as Ewen Maclntosh sends the chills down us with The Witch/rig Hour H: The Hart/m Scarum. iBrian Donaldson;
I See Day P/anner for full fist/rigs.