list.co.uk/fi lm Previews | COMEDY
STAND-UP JOEL DOMMETT King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Sat 23 Sep; Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Sun 24 Sep
You can slog away for years on the live comedy circuit making steady in-roads on the nation’s affections, but all it takes is a spot on a reality TV show to suddenly propel you into the big league. That is the fate which has befallen Joel Dommett whose appearance on I’m a Celebrity . . . Get Me Out of Here! (for those who care about this kind of thing, he came second behind Gogglebox’s Scarlett Moffatt) means he can now take his cheeky brand of stand-up to large theatres across the country.
Did he have any idea that the ITV show would have such an impact on his career? ‘It was a real gamble doing it,’ he admits. ‘I thought a lot about the pros and cons; the entire time I was in there I was so scared that the comedy community was going to shun me because I’d gone into a massively commercial reality show. But they’ve been so lovely, as well as this new demographic of people. To have both of those teams on my side is the dream, really.’
Now the Gloucestershire-born stand-up can take his
work into sizeable rooms, but he doesn’t feel that it’s as much of a leap as others might think. ‘My shows, weirdly, have always been quite big, but whereas before they were kind of ironically big in small venues, now they just fit the larger rooms. There’s a real story arc to the show, a huge crescendo, and a really big epic ending. ‘People saw me on a reality show being kind of funny, so
I feel I’m in a real position where I have to deliver more. I’m fully aware that this reality TV thing might be a small bubble and that bubble might burst, so I’ve got to do my absolute best to deliver something which is beyond people’s expectations so they come back to see me again.’ (Brian Donaldson)
STAND-UP LUISA OMIELAN Òran Mór, Glasgow, Fri 27 Oct; The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 29 Oct
It’s been five years since Luisa Omielan brought her debut show to the Edinburgh Fringe. A singalong sob story turned on its head, wrapped in glitter and covered in hairspray, it asked What Would Beyoncé Do? She wrote it after coming out the other side of an especially tough time in her life, and found herself back living with her mum, comfort eating sandwiches and crying over an ex. Proving you can’t keep a good woman down, the Salford Uni graduate (she got a first in
performing arts) bounced back with Am I Right Ladies?!, a fierce but lovable and very real story of body positivity, daddy issues and take-no-shit female role models. It sold out in the West End, Australia, Singapore, America and Canada, and she brought out a book of the same name last year, too. She’d sent a copy to her dear old mum – her best friend, and also a big part of her stand-up material – to read, and shared her reply on Instagram: ‘Luisa darling, I have finished reading your book, I think it’s moving, very funny and simply beautiful. But what is “tea bagging?” I am from a different generation.’ Omielan’s much-loved mum sadly passed away in July, prompting an outpouring of tweets, letters and gifts from her fans, who’ve followed the pair online over the years. Omielan’s return to Scotland will be with that second hit show, a manifesto on good mental health that sticks the Vs up at thigh gaps and arrogant alpha males. Her ‘mumma’ would be so very proud. (Claire Sawers)
MY COMEDY HERO YIANNI AGISILAOU The Stand, Edinburgh, Tue 26 Sep; The Stand, Glasgow, Wed 27 Sep
You might think that touring a show called The Simpsons Taught Me Everything I Know would mean my comedy heroes must be Simpsons-related. And some are. But since The Simpsons is such a collaborative effort, who do you choose? Matt Groening, who conceived the show but has hardly written an episode? Conan O’Brien, author of classic episodes like ‘Homer Goes to College’ and Marge vs the Monorail’? John Swartzwelder, the Ron Swansonesque reclusive genius and record- holder for most episodes written (look up his self-published books, they’re utterly laugh-out-loud hilarious)? The amazing voice talents: Sam Simon? Al Jean? George Meyer?
They’re all incredible but if I have to nail it down, I choose satirical masters Trey Parker and Matt
Stone. Their ability to reinvent South Park multiple times during its life (have you watched it recently? Admit it, you haven’t. Rectify that and binge some RIGHT NOW!) and their eye for hypocrisy and ability to skewer both sides of a debate is rare: in the increasingly polarised world we live in, it’s sorely needed. They are bold and brave and risk significant backlash from their targets (‘Mom! Tom Cruise won’t come out of the closet!’). And what else is there to say about their side projects such as Book of Mormon, BASEketball and Team America except ‘fuck yeah!’. Finally the fact that episodes are made in SIX DAYS (oh hamburgers!) means they’re able to react
to and satirise events pretty much in real time. They’re ridiculously talented geniuses and I love them. (As told to Brian Donaldson)
1 Sep–31 Oct 2017 THE LIST 51