Visually the university science department look like 1970s Open University professors, and gag wise they’re in the same ball park. I can barely remember sitting through such a tedious waste of 30 minutes in the name of comedy, and I watched 4 episodes Hyperdrive.

As things stand, it needs axing or quickly re-conceiving. There’s no excuse for poor sitcoms in this day and age, and despite a good cast the director isn’t bringing out the performances needed, and the script is so sub-quality… well really I could have done better, which is saying something.

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The Mock the Week regular has plenty to say on his early days in standup too…

How did you get started in stand-up?

When I was 19 I went down to a new acts night in Bristol and there was a guy eating a banana with a spoon while singing The Sweeney. I loved the madness of it. I thought, I can’t be worse than that, can I? I went back and started doing five-minute spots.

How did those first performances go?

The first six gigs were brilliant. I was just so energetic and, looking back, I think people were just laughing at this goofball, excited kid. Then on my seventh gig, I properly tanked. It was the first time I did an opening line and it got nothing. I died. That’s the real turning-point, because you think you’ve lost it. You have to do it again to get back to where you were in the earlier gigs. That’s the conveyer belt element of stand-up. You’re always chasing gigs you had, trying to better yourself

Certainly on the evidence of his recent Mock the Week appearances, he’s learning the trade…

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You looked pretty shafted on last nights show, to be honest, and as a Scotsman who lives on beer and deep fried Mars bars, I can see you running into the wall pretty quickly.

Take it easy there, Mock the Week will still be there when you come back off tour.

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What better way than with a news item entitled:

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse split; ‘Pestilence to go solo’

A spokesman for the legendary Horsemen of the Apocalypse has confirmed
rumours that the famous foursome are to split over ‘apocalyptic
differences’ following a statement from Pestilence that he intended to
concentrate on his solo career. ‘Pestilence has had a great time with
the guys over the past few millennia, but feels that the time has come
to move on’ said his manager to shocked journalists.

If you’ve never visited NewsBiscuit, I urge you to reconsider - the atmosphere is great and the user-generated content hilarious. I get a daily email via a subscription, and potentially anybody can write a spoof news article for inclusion on the main site.

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His later career mixed appearances in comedy series with straight roles, such as Last of the Summer Wine and Heartbeat, My Family and Foyles’ War.

Lloyd also appeared in the Doctor Who adventure Delta and the Bannermen in 1987, as well as appearing in the 1979 movie Quadrophenia.

A keen football supporter, Lloyd was a lifelong fan of Chester City, and in 2005 received an MBE for services to theatre and charity.

Former Chester Chronicle colleague Eddie McDonald paid tribute to a man he says was well known for comedy shows in local halls in Chester before finding fame.

“It’s fair to say that he remained a true Cestrian. He didn’t spend enough time on the Chronicle to leave a deep impression there but everybody knew him and most people were proud of the fact that a Chester lad had got so far in television.”

A sad loss.

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Alleged comedy Gavin and Stacey - which makes My Family look like Fawlty Towers - is reported to be switching channels for its second series, if star Matthew Horne is to be believed.

Let’s hope it doesn’t get any further than BBC Two.

With the second series complete and a Christmas special scheduled to be filmed in September, however, it seems that more Mong & Bint brown nosing is set to wash over QC’s head for months to come…

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I suppose we all take some facet of ourselves from what we admire, and it helps to have a reason to do so. Enter Basil Fawlty… (more…)

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There are six 30-minute pilots among which five are sketch shows, including:
* Slaterwood, a showcase for comedian Peter Slater, one of the team behind The Unbroadcastable Radio Show, which has a monthly residency at the Manchester Comedy Store.
* School of Comedy, an adult sketch show performed by children.
* Pappy’s Fun Club - ‘It’s got a Vic Reeves’ Big Night Out feel to it, with a mixture of vaudeville and behind-the-scenes material.
* Mr and Mrs Fandango - real-life couple Tom Meeten and Barunka O’Shaughnessy play famous couples, an irreverent comedy ‘in the spirit of Kenny Everett’.

Sounds as though there is plenty to go on!

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One of only two highlights from a seriously utter load of tripe; the other is Steve Martin singing Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.

Really.

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Described as “funny and touching” the play explores Stan Jeefferson’s transformation into Stan Laurel, as well as covering boat rides with Charlie Chaplin and getting eight marriages to four women. Laurel’s daughter Lois Laurel-Hawes has also been involved in the play, while Kingdom’s previous shows have included performances as Dylan Thomas in Dylan Thomas: Return Journey and Truman Capote in The Truman Capote Talk Show.

Playing tonight - July 10th - tickets vost £11.50, £10.50 for concessions and £6.50 for students and children under 16.

Call Rose Theatre box office on (01684) 295074 for more information.

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