A monkey could do it
Lifting the lid on Banter
Third recording of six for this, the second series of Radio 4's Banter, last night at RADA. Shows one and two we did back-to-back, in one evening, which proved a real slog, so doing just the one seemed like a luxury. Perhaps too much of a luxury, as it descended into anarchy. Hopefully an anarchy that was fun to witness for the audience, and an anarchy that can be edited into 27 minutes of entertaining radio by our intrepid producer, who spent much of the 90 minutes sobbing into my headphones. As chairperson, I have to keep order and say what each round is. This is not difficult - as Richard Herring (top, right) likes to say, a monkey could do it. However, last night it was difficult.
It's great recording in the little theatre at RADA, although because we're up on stage and most of the audience are below us, it does create a void that's not there at the Drill Hall or the Riverside (where we recorded series one of Banter, largely because it was really handy for our producer to get home from there). This means we have to work a bit harder to "reach" the audience. Because we can't afford a warm-up man, part of my job is to jolly the audience up a bit before I introduce the guests. This was a lot easier at the Riverside, even though I tended to make jokes about serial killers. You're just closer to the audience - it's easier to connect with them. At RADA, I've had more difficulty. This may be because I tried out some material (and I use that word loosely - I'm not a comedian) about killing tramps. I tried something else out last night, but it fell flat and I lost confidence and just brought on the guests. In other words, I did not do my job properly. I didn't warm them up.
On Banter we have a core of regular panelists: Richard Herring who's on every show (I don't know why), Russell Howard (bottom, right), Perrier Newcomer nominee 2006, who's on four out of the six shows, and Will Smith (bottom, left), Time Out Comedy Award winner 2004, who's only on two out of the six, due to a booking failure. These regulars are augmented by the likes of Sue Perkins, Chris Addison, Rob Deering, Lynn Ferguson, Arthur Smith and Jenny Eclair. This series, we have Barry Cryer booked, which is a thrill and a privilege. He's on tomorrow night's. Lee Mack, who I haven't seen enough of this year, was on last night's, along with Julia Morris, the brassy Australian who also happens to have a part in one episode of Not Going Out, as a brassy Australian (we wrote the part for her). So bonhomie was high in the dressing room beforehand. Comedians all know each other anyway, and like to share war stories backstage. I have only appeared at the Edinburgh Festival twice, but I have at least written some comedy, and I hope that's enough to command a little respect. I don't attempt to join in the war stories though, obviously, as I don't have any good ones. Backstage at Banter is characterised by Pret A Manger sandwiches and one conspicuous tub of Marks & Spencer soup, which I think I once asked for on the first series for a wheat-free alternative, and it's still there, on the rider. I hope somebody takes it home and eats it.
What went wrong last night - and when I say "went wrong", you'll hear the finished show go out in a few weeks' time and you won't know, due to the skill of our producer's editing - is that Lee relied on his quick wit to get laughs, and managed to get the audience onside almost immediately with some blue material. Now, it's traditional for radio comedy recordings to descend into unbroadcastable bawdiness - the live audience love it, because it's naughty, and because they know it won't go out on Radio 4 and is thus exclusive. However, last night, the scales were tipped and whole swathes of the recording were filthy. Funny, but filthy. Lots of laughs. Also, lots of exasperation from our producer in my headphones, which put me off a bit. I was actually sweating up there. Because of "the voices in my head", I was missing quite a bit of the banter, and this was dislocating. Now, you can either look upon this unruly, anarchic filth as top adult comedy the audience don't even have to pay for, or you can look upon it as "unusable". I prefer the former, but then I don't have to edit it together. Either way, it meant I lost control, which looks bad. I'm probably dwelling too much on it, but it is interesting how the whole show can come away from its moorings, even with strict rounds and quickfire rounds to keep it linear and ordered. By the time it got to "pickups", that is, retakes of individual lines that our producer needs to assist with his edit, I was actually getting tetchy that nobody would keep quiet when I asked them to, and the pickups took ages to get through. I was thinking of the audience, sitting there for the best part of 90 minutes, and yet, they seemed to lap up the naughtiness.
Either way, I came offstage relieved that it was over and rather battered. The finished programme will, inevitably, come out fine, even without Lee's recurring gags about venereal disease and Jimmy Savile being a paedophile, which of course he isn't. And Russell's lengthy paean to the illegal drug marijuana. And Richard's actually very carefully constructed routine about masturbation making you blind. If you were at the recording, you will have enjoyed these, which I always say are going on the DVD, as part of the extras, even though there isn't a DVD. (I know that.)
Comedy is a serious business. The fact remains, I love being around comedians. They are such impressive people. And I love being the host of Banter, which had a fantastic write-up in the new Radio Times from Jane Anderson. Most of the rest of the magazine is taken up with Not Going Out (oh, and a bit of Cracker). It's strange how both of these shows have fallen in the same week. For the record, Not Going Out starts on Friday October 6, BBC1, at 9.30, and Banter starts on Wednesday October 4, Radio 4, at 6.30. Hope you like them.
posted by Andrew Collins @ 8:27 AM
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20 Comments:
Andrew
I will be at Thursday's recording. Hope that there is "unruly, anarchic filth" - this is what R4 audiences expect ! We are grown ups...sort of. It'll all sound fine on the wireless I'm sure.
Glad your house move went well - I moved two months ago - but only half a mile from my old place. Are you in Clapham ???? Ooh, go on, give us a clue !
I'm aware of three out of four's work, aside from Perrier - what has the gent at bottom right accomplished, or what is he on the verge on accomplishing?
Question is, will you ever book Stuart Maconie on Banter, as say Hugh Laurie may push for Stephen Fry to guest star on House (as a nod and a wink to those that remember good old days)?
Don't worry about it Andrew, I am sure you're idea that you "lost control" was actually interpreted as "excellent compereing" by everyone else. We all have off days, except most of ours are not in front of a live studio audience! Chin up and keep up the good work!!
I'm really looking forward to Banter. It was one of my regular workday Listen Agains (Listens Again?) on the Beeb site.
And I'm moving house too, next week, so I'll probably not catch Not Going Out, as I'll be scrawling on boxes with marker pen. Wandsworth here we come!
I'm sure it'll be worked out in the mix. During the recordings of Banter I've been to I've always been aware that you are trying to keep things focused - and get the job done. It must be like being a school teacher, wanting to join in the fun of your unruly pupils, yet knowing that you can't entirely.
I do love the 'exclusive' stuff that won't make it onto Radio 4 though ... it makes it doubly interesting listening to the finally broadcast, as you know the context and background to some of the comments.
Surely the next logical step for your comedy would be serial killers killing tramps? No, maybe not.
Much better pictures by the way. Apart from Russell, who looks like he was bopped on the forehead mere moments before the picture was taken ... or maybe his expression is a result of his love of the illegal drug marijuana...
You ought to use that photo for your passport etc, Andrew. Richard, perhaps not.
TV Cream has been closed down! any chance of a campaign to get it back
Oh, in the name of God! They've taken TV Cream's down just because of the crappy theme tune recordings? I loved them and the rest of the site. Why can't the meddling bastards just leave well alone?
They haven't closed it down, it is undergoing a "revamp". It should be up and running soon.
Andrew, I was at the recording on Tuesday and it was fab to be sat in the audience. I have to say though, even though I am a big fan of Lee Mack and think he's very funny, he started to annoy me quite early on since he clearly seemed to be under the impression that it was the "Lee Mack show". You did your best, that muc hwas clear but you didn't stand a chance luv.
I was also at Thursday's recording and it was definitely the funniest of the 3 I've been to (Eps 2,3 & 4) so far. I know so much of it won't make the final cut but Barry Cryer was wonderful and Sue Perkins surprised me by being equally fab.
I'm looking forward to Sunday, sadly it looks like I can only make one of the two recordings, as I heard people who tried to do both last time were thwarted because by the time show one had let-out, there were no more seats available for show 2.
Who is that handsome man?!
Andrew, you look GORGE in that picture - I'm loving your hair!!
:^)
I've been to lots of recordings (musical, comedy and panel shows) at the Drill Hall and a few at the Riverside but somehow the atmosphere seemed different at RADA on Tuesday. I put it down to either my jet lag or those extremely comfy seats. If it was neither then is there any chance of the Drill Hall getting some of those seats fitted please?
Also - I think I prefer the "DVD only" material to be libelous as opposed to filthy - it's harder to make it up yourself!
I really enjoyed Banter last night and empathised with you towards the end. I wanted to tell you that in the bar afterwards but I'm shy.
"Can you just read every single word from this dictionary again please Andrew?"
Thursday's recording was, if I may say so, a dream. Barry Cryer was a god, Sue Perkins was eloquent and brilliant, and Richard H and Will Smith proved why they are series regulars. I loved it. And I didn't wear headphones, which meant I was "in the room" throughout.
Angie, if you want me to put your name down on the door, contact me via the "Contact Me" link at the top and give me your full name, or names if there are two of you.
Just been enjoying reading your writing, reviews and reviews of your programmes in the Radio Times, I see Pill Jupitus and Stuart Maconie feature as well. Is 6Music taking over the galaxy?
I enjoyed the recording of "Banter" on Thursday. I do hope that Barry Cryer's "Dickhead" survived the final cut ! The flights of fancy with your origami bird were good too. Do you remember (you are probably too young though) the Robert Harbin shows on TV in the 70's? I bought his origami books & was able to make paper frogs & a rather fetching robin I recall. Ah, simple childhood pleasures of the 70's !
It's very kind of you to imagine that I don't remember Robert Harbin, Maria! He was my hero. I borrowed all his books from Northampton Library, and he taught me the flying bird!
The flapping bird was great but you could inflate the frogs, although you did have to blow into their bottoms... Sadly no ducks as I recall.
Andrew
I bought several Robert Harbin paperbacks in the early 70's & was able to do some fairly complex figures with my nimble childish fingers, and of course having all my brain-cells intact to follow the instructions, before I discovered the delights of alcohol.
I tried origami again about 10 (?) years ago - was there a revival of interest then, briefly ?? - and I was hopeless. Flapping bird, of course, but frogs & the like were beyond me. Should I try once more, or face failure once again ?!
surely everyone should be working on the talking, flapping bird
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