Catherine Tate’s recent success as Donna Noble in Doctor Who and her subsequent move to the land of high-profile theatre roles is just one ina series of examples of comics “going straight”.

We’ve got former standup Alan Davies who became Jonathan Creek and is now an ear-biting regular on QI; Peter Kay has appeared in Coronation Street and Doctor Who - neither wholly serious dramas, but neither comedies; Michael Palin starred in The Missionary; Julie Walters effortlessly switches between comedy and straight drama; William Shakespeare was equally at home with tragedy as he was with comedy. Which brings us to the crunch - comedy gets lambasted because it isn’t considered as worthy as day-to-day drama, tragedy or even action.

The examples above however easily prove that comedy - probably the most accessible of all dramas - is far from being the least important quality in an actor’s range, and could even be the most vital weapon in an actor’s armoury.

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As a follow up to our news of Catherine Tate appearing at the Hays Literary Festival, we’ve been informed that the actress is appearing in a new West End production…

Opening on 25 July at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London’s West End, Under the Blue Sky stars Catherine Tate in a cast list that includes Francesca Annis and Chris O’Dowd.

David Eldridge’s play is both funny and touching - three subtly connected love stories that reveal in turn the roller-coaster ride of lust in its prime, the sacrifices of a life in public service and unrequited passions. In the long shadow of the twentieth century, Eldridge’s play gives us an all too recognisable portrayal of the way in which uncertainties, misunderstanding and the unsaid lead to unexpected results for three couples who seem destined never to say the right thing. (more…)

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Sketch show queen and currently Doctor Who co-star, Catherine Tate has had a varied career, having also worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company.  As a result of her impact on comedy, the actress was invited to Powys literary festival to discuss Shakespeare, and in particular his comedies - and revealed that she struggled to enjoy the Bard’s comedies at times.

“It’s got to strike a chord with us. We can’t write Shakespeare off but wearing bells on knees isn’t going to work.”

She definitely has a point - for me the best Shakespeare is the modern-day adaptation, such as Ian McKellen’s Richard III.  There’s no reasons why the comedies shouldn’t be given the same treatment.

While we’re on, Catherine, what about Lauren?  Where did she come from?

“I tried her (Lauren) out at the Latchmere Theatre in London with about seven people in the audience. When I said ‘Am I bovvered?’ about three of the seven tittered, and I repeated it and by the end they were all cackling and I realised they’d picked up on it.”

“She used to get so much stick, she was getting the blame for the hoodie culture. I never thought for a moment that children would pick up on it.”

Ah, the press, they love to blow things out of proportion.

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Love her or hate her, she;s bloody funny and certainly deserved the public vote award at the 2005 British Comedy Awards.

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The 2005 British Comedy Peoples Choice Award has been returned by presenters Ant and Dec following the result of an inquiry into the practices of ITV phone voting.

The Catherine Tate Show had in fact received more votes, it has been revealed, with the deception emerging following media watchdog Ofcom’s audit of ITV phone voting and subsequent £5.68m fine over its misuse of premium rate phone lines.

It is believed that singer Robbie Williams had been guaranteed the opportunity to present and award to Ant and Dec, with the report stating:

“Robbie Williams was invited to present an award. It was understood that he would be happy [to do so] if the recipients were Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.

“In order to ensure his attendance, this assurance was given.”

So if anything good can be taken from this, it is that Tate at last has the opportunity to receive the award (although whether she would want it now after all that has happened is a different matter).

The truth is, ITV have irreparably damaged the Comedy Awards to fulfill their own self interests.

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A vast list of the best put-downs on television has been compiled by the Radio Times in the UK, and it includes countless BBC comedy series.

• Basil Fawlty - Fawlty Towers. To Sybil: “Oh dear, what happened? Did you get entangled in the eiderdown again? Not enough cream in your eclair? Hmm? Or did you have to talk to all your friends for so long that you didn’t have time to perm your ears?”
• Mrs Merton - The Mrs Merton Show. To Debbie McGee: “So what first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?”
• Edmund Blackadder - Blackadder II. To Lord Percy: “The eyes are open, the mouth moves, but Mr Brain has long since departed, hasn’t he, Percy?”
• Father Jack Hackett - Father Ted. “Drink! Feck! Arse! Girls!”
• Carla - Cheers. Cliff: “I’m ashamed God made me a man.” Carla: “I don’t think God’s doing a lot of bragging about it either.”
• Patsy Stone - Absolutely Fabulous. “One more facelift on this one and she’ll have a beard.”
• Jim Royle - The Royle Family. Nana: “Is this hat too far forward?” Jim: “No. We can still see your face.”
• Malcolm Tucker - The Thick Of It. To a junior minister: “All these hands all over the place! You were like a sweaty octopus trying to unhook a bra! It was like watching John Leslie at work!”
• Statler and Waldorf - The Muppet Show. Statler: “Wake up, you old fool, you slept through the show.” Waldorf: “Who’s a fool? You watched it.”
• Inspector Monkfish - The Fast Show. To a bereaved woman: “I realise this must be a very difficult time for you, so put your knickers on and go and make me a cup of tea.”
• Rupert Rigsby - Rising Damp. To lodger Alan, who complains his room is too cold to study in: “The only thing you study is your navel. You even shave lying down.”
• Nan - The Catherine Tate Show. Describing an encounter with an overweight hospital volunteer: “She said to me last time, ‘You look bored, Mrs Taylor. I’ve got three words for you: Barbara Taylor Bradford.’ So I said, ‘Yeah? I’ve got three words for you too: calorie controlled diet.”‘
• The Professor - The Mary Whitehouse Experience. “I have here a copy of your book, Origins of the Crimean War. It smells of poo.” “That’s because it’s been inside your mum’s bra.”
• Alf Garnett - Till Death Us Do Part. “You Scouse git!”
• Gary Strang - Men Behaving Badly. “Let’s face it, Tony, the only way you’re gonna be in there is if you’re both marooned on a desert island and she eats a poisonous berry or a nut which makes her temporarily deaf, dumb, stupid, forgetful and desperate for sex.”
• Arnold Rimmer - Red Dwarf. “Look, we all have something to bring to this discussion. But I think from now on the thing you should bring is silence.”
• Larry David - Curb Your Enthusiasm. “Switzerland is a place where they don’t like to fight, so they get people to do their fighting for them while they ski and eat chocolate.”
• Captain Mainwaring - Dad’s Army. “You stupid boy!”

I’ve even been so kind as to let a couple of US entries remain from those comedy-oriented ones (no way is any line from Dynasty getting listed here…) but I have to say that I can think of better examples from almost all of the UK comedy examples.  The Mary Whitehouse Experience’s entry in particular is very poor and doesn’t touch upon the genius of History Today

Still, nothing from Gervais!

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