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Cabaret, Theatre and Circus recommendations 2017


DeanoL
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Well I do this thread every year but for the first time it's sort of slim pickings from my perspective. There's a distinct lack of "event" shows in the Cabaret Tent - the middy knock-around newspaper reviews or Infinite Monkey Cage have gone and been replaced with people just doing half an hour of stand-up, same as the rest of the day. Two of the closing acts and the Sat 'sub' are all from the same booking agency too - they're good acts but makes me feel it's a somewhat cynical booking. John Cooper Clake is the Cabaret "headline" act for the third year in a row, Was also hoping that Mavericks would be doing Setlist again or something similar in that 11pm slot but it seems not. Also Mavericks is finishing an hour early on the Sunday.

No comedy on at the Leftfield either this year. Not sure I've ever been to a Glastonbury without Steve Gribbin on

Still, eh, recommendations!

Cabaret Tent general recommendations

Alasdair Beckett-King (Fri 12:05-12:35, Sat 22:05-22:35) - weird and great stand-up from a man who also makes point and click adventure games for a living.
Spencer Jones is the Herbert (Fri 13:15-13:35) - for some reason he was on the Live at the Apollo Christmas special and confused the fuck out of my parents and probably everyone's parents to be fair. Far better appreciated in a tent in a field. Very odd, prop-based stuff.
Nick Doody (Fri 15:25-15:55, Sun 22:32-23:02) - Nick is one of my favourite straight stand-ups, his observational stuff is fantastic. Though he'll probably do the same set as the last two years which is fantastic but tired now.
Tom Binns As Ivan Brackenbury (Fri 17:35-18:05, Sun 13:45-14:15) - You might have seen him in BBC1 sitcom Hospital People but he's on most years, just more famous now. Hospital Radio DJ "character" act that's really just an excuse for incredible one-liners.
Sally-Anne Hayward (Fri 19:20-19:50) - She's lovely and ace and was a regular at my old club.
Phil Nichol (Fri 21:35-22:05) - Someone else who will probably just his tight club set again, but if you've not seen him the past few years you really should.
Andrew O'Neill (Fri 00:10-00:40, Sat 21:20-21:50) - Weird and surreal observations coupled with killer one-liners.
Kirsty Newton (Sat 16:35-17:05) - Piano-based comedy songs and audience interaction
Josie Long (Sat 17:45-18:15) - You probably know if you like her or not by now. Not sure if she is back to being an angry political activist or more sedate again...
Vikki Stone (16:45-17:15) - Fantastic piano-based comedy songs
Stuart Goldsmith (Sun 17:55-18:25) - Top tier comedy from the host of the Comedian's Comedian podcast
Robin Ince (Sun 20:15-20:45) - Robin quit comedy last year so is probably just doing this for the free ticket. Good though.
Phil Jupitus (Sun 21:22-21:52) - Don't mistake TV-Jupitus for Live&Radio-Jupitus. The later is far better. I'm not sure what the former is up to. He also performs as Porky The Poet 18:35 Sat on Poetry and Words.

Other funny stuff

Cabaret tent at 11am on Sunday is Radio Active with a full one-hour show, I'm assuming this is part of the stage revival of the radio show with Angus Deayton et al.
Fri and Sat afternoon at the Astrolabe is the usual Stephen Frost Improv Allstars, expect to see Phil Jupitus there too. 
Also at the Astrolabe is The Ugly Animal Preservation Society Fri and Sat early evenings - a family comedy show that's apparently all about ugly animals.
I mentioned Vikki Stone earlier, but she'll be doing her full hour show at 13:15 on Sunday in the Astrolabe, Concerto For Comedian And Orchestra.
Ruby Wax is on at the Astrolabe on Sunday 17:25. Err, it's a good booking, no clue what the show is like.
Marcus De Sautoy's Astrolabe show this year is a version of School of Hard Sums that he did on TV a few years ago - so expect two other guests to battle it out at maths. Probably funnier than you would expect.
Frisky off of Frisky and Mannish is doing Sensation Seekers stage every evening. She scares me.
Robin Ince is also doing something midday at the Free University of Glastonbury on Sunday.

None comedy stuff
Not my area of expertise but:
Zap Circus are doing a pyro-acrobatics show midnight Fri-Sun at the outdoor acrobatics bit.
There's also some sort of pyro show at the Tor Lookout every night. I've no idea what "Game On!" is that's also on here.
Circus headliners are Ockham's Razor and Circa which are both on the more arty side of the track.

Will leave it there and invite additions!

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In addition to her side-achingly funny piano-based songs, Vikki Stone (Sunday, 16:45-17:15, Cabaret Tent),The bastard love-child of Victoria Wood and Tim Minchin" [The Scotsman], will be performing her ground-breaking Concerto for Comedian and Orchestra with Wells Cathedral School Chamber Orchestra (Sunday, 13:15-14:15, Astrolabe Theatre) 

I attended the world premiere of her Concerto in the Eavis Hall (yes, that Eavis), the fabulous auditorium in the new, RIBA award-winning Cedars Hall (which Michael officially opened) at Wells Cathedral School (which Michael, Emily and Vikki all attended) and can thoroughly recommend this brilliantly-conceived show.  Accompanied by the incredibly-talented students of Wells Cathedral School (one of the four specialist music schools recognised and partly funded by the Department for Education through the wonderful Music and Dance Scheme), Vikki's musically-inspired imagination runs riot.  A 21st century 'Peter and the Wolf' suitable for all the family - unless they play the viola...

http://www.vikkistone.com/concerto

 

 

Edited by Tipi Tomboy
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Yeah, got to concur with @DeanoL The Herbert is worth seeing and Nick Doody, when he's on form is one of my favourite comics, although a couple of times I've seen him slightly over-refreshed at Glastonbury, depending on his slot.

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Lovely thread :). Thanks for all the tips. The Circus fields are some of my favourites areas to pass the time inbetween gigs.

The Outdoor Circus Stage is often overlooked, but has frequently hosted some of my festival highlights. Great blend of comedy and circus skills.

It's a really amazing place to sit if it's sunny, and, if an act is a bit rubbish, it's only ever 20 minutes until the next one!

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Oh, I missed that Stu Goldsmith was compereing. Nice. Not a fan of Tom Binns at all, but it's a crowd pleaser, no doubt. Got to be honest, nothing there really floating my boat though. Was hoping they'd get Knightmare Live or something, that would go down a treat. Or Pappy's.

 

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2 hours ago, Mardy said:

Oh, I missed that Stu Goldsmith was compereing. Nice. Not a fan of Tom Binns at all, but it's a crowd pleaser, no doubt. Got to be honest, nothing there really floating my boat though. Was hoping they'd get Knightmare Live or something, that would go down a treat. Or Pappy's.

Oh god Knightmare Live would be ideal for the Astrolable. Sometimes I want to get whoever books that tent and make them try and book things that aren't the same thing every year playing all three days. Especially with how cheaply it could be done with some coordination with Cabaret (so you have stand-ups doing sets at Cabaret and longer shows in the Astrolabe, as with Vikki this year).

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Am trying to fit one of Jupitus's sets in. I really like his poetry and his Juplicity tour seems to be going reasonably well at the moment, the grumpy old sod seems to be relatively chipper at the moment.

Saw the improv all stars last year and they were just fantastic. Amazing mental acrobatics to get through some of their routines, a real highlight if you can catch them.

John Hegley on the Poetry and Words stage also superb.

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8 minutes ago, Hotchilidog said:

Saw the improv all stars last year and they were just fantastic. Amazing mental acrobatics to get through some of their routines, a real highlight if you can catch them.

I saw them last year and it fell completely flat for the first time in about ten times seeing them. Weird nature of improv though is that there is something at risk, there's a genuine chance of failure, makes it exciting!

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1 minute ago, DeanoL said:

I saw them last year and it fell completely flat for the first time in about ten times seeing them. Weird nature of improv though is that there is something at risk, there's a genuine chance of failure, makes it exciting!

That's a shame. I enjoyed them, the one where they had to mime what another character was saying was just ridiculous, i've no idea how they did it.

But you are right about the weird nature of improv the risk of failure does make it exciting to watch.

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Any top recommendations on what would float the boat of adventurous & inquisitive kids who love a good show -  drama, music, circus, comedy - any of it (been to Edinburgh, Hay etc) age 11, 12 & 13?? Want them to see something they will never forget (they are robust kids....)

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2 hours ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

From everything I heard about it last year at the Fringe it hasn't really aged all that well.

Got absolutely shocking reviews didn't it? I can recall Chortle really going to town on it.

 

In much better comedy news, I just found out the godlike genius that is Simon Munnery is doing an Edinburgh preview near me in mid July. Hooray!

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On 6/12/2017 at 8:59 PM, DeanoL said:

Well I do this thread every year but for the first time it's sort of slim pickings from my perspective. There's a distinct lack of "event" shows in the Cabaret Tent - the middy knock-around newspaper reviews or Infinite Monkey Cage have gone and been replaced with people just doing half an hour of stand-up, same as the rest of the day. Two of the closing acts and the Sat 'sub' are all from the same booking agency too - they're good acts but makes me feel it's a somewhat cynical booking. John Cooper Clake is the Cabaret "headline" act for the third year in a row, Was also hoping that Mavericks would be doing Setlist again or something similar in that 11pm slot but it seems not. Also Mavericks is finishing an hour early on the Sunday.

No comedy on at the Leftfield either this year. Not sure I've ever been to a Glastonbury without Steve Gribbin on

Still, eh, recommendations!

Cabaret Tent general recommendations

Alasdair Beckett-King (Fri 12:05-12:35, Sat 22:05-22:35) - weird and great stand-up from a man who also makes point and click adventure games for a living.
Spencer Jones is the Herbert (Fri 13:15-13:35) - for some reason he was on the Live at the Apollo Christmas special and confused the fuck out of my parents and probably everyone's parents to be fair. Far better appreciated in a tent in a field. Very odd, prop-based stuff.
Nick Doody (Fri 15:25-15:55, Sun 22:32-23:02) - Nick is one of my favourite straight stand-ups, his observational stuff is fantastic. Though he'll probably do the same set as the last two years which is fantastic but tired now.
Tom Binns As Ivan Brackenbury (Fri 17:35-18:05, Sun 13:45-14:15) - You might have seen him in BBC1 sitcom Hospital People but he's on most years, just more famous now. Hospital Radio DJ "character" act that's really just an excuse for incredible one-liners.
Sally-Anne Hayward (Fri 19:20-19:50) - She's lovely and ace and was a regular at my old club.
Phil Nichol (Fri 21:35-22:05) - Someone else who will probably just his tight club set again, but if you've not seen him the past few years you really should.
Andrew O'Neill (Fri 00:10-00:40, Sat 21:20-21:50) - Weird and surreal observations coupled with killer one-liners.
Kirsty Newton (Sat 16:35-17:05) - Piano-based comedy songs and audience interaction
Josie Long (Sat 17:45-18:15) - You probably know if you like her or not by now. Not sure if she is back to being an angry political activist or more sedate again...
Vikki Stone (16:45-17:15) - Fantastic piano-based comedy songs
Stuart Goldsmith (Sun 17:55-18:25) - Top tier comedy from the host of the Comedian's Comedian podcast
Robin Ince (Sun 20:15-20:45) - Robin quit comedy last year so is probably just doing this for the free ticket. Good though.
Phil Jupitus (Sun 21:22-21:52) - Don't mistake TV-Jupitus for Live&Radio-Jupitus. The later is far better. I'm not sure what the former is up to. He also performs as Porky The Poet 18:35 Sat on Poetry and Words.

Other funny stuff

Cabaret tent at 11am on Sunday is Radio Active with a full one-hour show, I'm assuming this is part of the stage revival of the radio show with Angus Deayton et al.
Fri and Sat afternoon at the Astrolabe is the usual Stephen Frost Improv Allstars, expect to see Phil Jupitus there too. 
Also at the Astrolabe is The Ugly Animal Preservation Society Fri and Sat early evenings - a family comedy show that's apparently all about ugly animals.
I mentioned Vikki Stone earlier, but she'll be doing her full hour show at 13:15 on Sunday in the Astrolabe, Concerto For Comedian And Orchestra.
Ruby Wax is on at the Astrolabe on Sunday 17:25. Err, it's a good booking, no clue what the show is like.
Marcus De Sautoy's Astrolabe show this year is a version of School of Hard Sums that he did on TV a few years ago - so expect two other guests to battle it out at maths. Probably funnier than you would expect.
Frisky off of Frisky and Mannish is doing Sensation Seekers stage every evening. She scares me.
Robin Ince is also doing something midday at the Free University of Glastonbury on Sunday.

None comedy stuff
Not my area of expertise but:
Zap Circus are doing a pyro-acrobatics show midnight Fri-Sun at the outdoor acrobatics bit.
There's also some sort of pyro show at the Tor Lookout every night. I've no idea what "Game On!" is that's also on here.
Circus headliners are Ockham's Razor and Circa which are both on the more arty side of the track.

Will leave it there and invite additions!

I was only yesterday reading your list from last year and seeing what I'd missed who was playing again this year.  Thanks for the advice, will study this properly tomorrow.  I had noticed the lack of comedy in Left Wing - I enjoyed Jeremy Hardy last year and was hoping for something similar this year.  But, hey ho, I will find something!

 

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13 hours ago, Beerqueen said:

I was only yesterday reading your list from last year and seeing what I'd missed who was playing again this year.  Thanks for the advice, will study this properly tomorrow.  I had noticed the lack of comedy in Left Wing - I enjoyed Jeremy Hardy last year and was hoping for something similar this year.  But, hey ho, I will find something!

 

Jeremy is on at the Cabaret tent around midday Friday or Saturday I think.

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18 hours ago, Homer said:

In the Cabaret Tent, Jeremy Hardy is on v early in the day for someone of his stature (professional not literal).

He was early Friday last year and he didn't help improve my Brexit mood at all. Bah.

Might swing by on Saturday if i'm not up early enough for the B.Beatles.

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