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fearsome intensity by Peter Capaldi. Addison demonstrated he could cut it as an actor in a comedy show that depends on the performers playing it straight.
‘As a cast we were all amazed by the way these people behaved.‘ he says. ‘When we first recorded it in January 2005. Armando lannucci and Martin Sixsmith. who had worked in the Department of Transport and was our reality consultant. would have all these lunches with Whitehall sources and they'd tell us these extraordinary tales. We were uneasy about the amount of swearing in The Thick oflt. but Martin said. no. this really is how they talk in this incredibly pressured environment. l
:24" MARCH I 07
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COMEDYCONNECTION
Brian Donaldson chews the fat with light entertainment legends Cannon and Ball.
What made you decide to do the Glasgow Comedy Festival?
A sense of danger as it‘s a long time since we have worked in Glasgow. We have always found the people down to earth. Just like us.
Why did you pick the Grumbleweeds as your support act?
They have a style all of their own which complements us and doesn't crash into our own
individual style of comedy. How did Where did the catchphrase American ‘Rock on Tommy’ come audiences
from?
Part of our act in the early days Do they was based on the story that have a Tommy wanted to record a similar record. or sing a ‘modern song‘ sense of without me. I used to get humour to excited and would shout out British loud (just as he started to sing) crowds?
‘Rock on Tommy!’ It became a catchphrase by accident. We would walk down the street. or go to the shops and people
They loved us:
suppose we felt pressured doing the show. so it didn‘t take too much of a leap of imagination for us. And it's also worth remembering that when he turns it on. Peter Capaldi is terrifying. so that requires no leap of imagination.
‘The characters don’t really know what they're doing. They‘re clueless. fretful and fearful. They never feel in control. When Capaldi‘s character Malcolm has his breakdown at the end of the Christmas special. it's about him losing control.‘
As is so often the way with political satire. The Thick of]! has been embraced by the very politicians it sends up. That. however. doesn't faxe Addison. ‘lior a start. why would you believe thetn‘.” he says. ‘Just before the first series went out we did a screening in Westminster to MPs and their acolytes. It was interesting to hear the hollow laughs and to see the terror they seemed to feel when Malcolm came on. I never really believed Mrs Thatcher when she said she liked Yes. Prime Minister. They‘ve probably been told to say they like it.‘
He‘s looking forward to filming a single episode follow-up to the Christmas special soon and a second series later in the year. In the meantime. this month he is on our screens in BBC Four‘s The Huntfor Middle ling/and and he is working on his debut novel as well as scripting Lab Rats. a surreal sitcom set in a university science laboratory and scheduled for the autumn.
lf control is the governing spirit of all this
would just shout it out at us. They still do. We recently went to London, and while we were waiting for a taxi some builders over the road spotted us and started shouting it.
What do you think of modern comedy? Do you see yourselves as being the real alternative comedy now?
There is room for all sorts of different comedy. We never judge as we are happy being who we are. After all these years and still working we must be doing something right.
take to you?
83-24" MARCH l07
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GLASGOW COMEDY FESTIVAL
a knockabout double act — something they have a long vaudeville tradition of. We know times have changed. But as we said: “there’s room for us all.’ Bring it on! Oh, and Rock On! What was the biggest lesson appearing on I’m A Celebrity . . . taught you? That life is a game! We both enjoyed the experience immensely and doing the programme gave us a different perspective on life.
I Kings Theatre, Wed 74 Mar.
creativity. comedy is the dominant form. Even writing a novel. he knows he won‘t be able to resist the punchline. ‘A lot of comedians do move into more serious forms as they grow older and I think that's because comedy isn‘t taken very seriously.‘ he says. ‘Despite its difficulty. it‘s seen as an idiot artform and that becomes grating. It hasn‘t become grating for me. Almost inevitably my novel will be comic. It‘s hard not to write jokes. It‘s a terrible compulsion. I know people who would ruin their lives for a joke. If they felt it inside. even at the altar they couldn‘t choke it back.‘
Now performing only his third gig of the year. he can’t wait for his night at the Tron. ‘lt fills me with the kind of joy that a tour gig wouldn‘t.‘ he says. promising a greatest hits evening. ‘I can‘t imagine not doing stand-up. it's in your blood. but I‘ve enjoyed it so much more since I‘ve done other things as well.‘
Chris Addison, Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Fri 23 Mar. The Hunt for Middle England, BBC Four, Sun 4 Mar, 9pm.
We’ve got two pairs of tickets to give away for Chris Addison's gig. Simply email promotions@list.co.uk with 'Chris Addison' in the subject line by Wed 14 Mar. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Usual List rules apply.
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l-—15 Mar 2007 THE LIST 19