Sketch: Kim Noble in You’re Not Alone at the Soho Theatre

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Kim Noble

Kim Noble has been labelled an eccentric genius. The BAFTA nominated performance artist and comedian won the 2000 Perrier Award. In his latest show You’re Not Alone, which finished at the Soho Theatre last week, he tries to get close to other people – one man’s attempts at connection, friendship and employment at B&Q, an escape from the loneliness of modern society.

Theatre critic Henry Hitchings summed up Kim’s latest show as “Noble’s approach is twisted and unpredictable… the result is a warped, ingenious and deeply uncomfortable 65 minutes.”

You’re Not Alone previewed at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, receiving rave reviews and winning a total theatre Award and nominated for 2 Chortle Awards.

Veronica Lee, the Arts Desk reviewer said, “The Soho Theatre’s lawyer was in the night I saw Kim Noble’s new show, and that’s not surprise as it pushes a few boundaries – public decency and legality being just two.”

“The lighter Kim manages to derive comes from shock rather than slapstick,” said Rebecca Jones. (A Younger Theatre)

His approach to making friends is “unorthodox shading into the unethical” said Alice Jones in The Independent. He records his neighbours sex lives, poses as sexting “Sarah” as he chats up boys on Facebook, defecates in a church, becomes obsessed with Keith on the checkout at Morrison’s…

The Times simply said, “utterly compelling” and The Telegraph “one of the most hypnotically involving pieces of theatre I’ve ever seen”.

I met Kim just before his last performance at the Soho and he was genuinely overwhelmed with the sketch and said “What do I write – I don’t do much of this stuff”.

Sketch: Sarah Kendall in Touchdown at the Soho Theatre

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

sarah kendall

Sarah Kendall is a London based Australian comic who became the first comedienne in almost a decade in 2009 to be nominated for the prestigious Perrier Award (presented to the best shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland, now called the Eddies)

She is one of the most acclaimed stand ups in the industry and has played sets around the globe, including the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal and at LA’s Hollywood Improv Club.

The Observer called her, “thoughtful, intelligent, subtle, enlightening and …really funny.”

In its review The Guardian said Sarah, “takes comedy to serious places” for her latest show Touchdown, which has just completed its run at the Soho Theatre, where Sarah signed my sketch.

Sketch: Tiff Stevenson in Optimist at the Soho Theatre

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

tiff stevenson

Stand-up comedian, actor and writer Tiff Stevenson’s latest show OPTIMIST was performed at last years Edinburgh Fringe. Reviewing it, GiggleBeats Hilary Wardle said,”Tiffany Stevenson looks rather angelic with her blonde hair and shimmering blue-green dress, but the minute she opens her mouth you realise she’s just the opposite. She’s a brash, complex, unhinged demon woman and she knows it”.

Tiff hit the Fringe circuit in 2006 with the lead role in the Eric Bogosian play TALK RADIO and has continued at Edinburgh with solo shows, including UNCOMFORTABLY NUMB, CAVEWOMAN, DICTATORS and ALONG CAME A SPIDER, playing to packed houses and rave reviews. She actually began her career in entertainment onscreen in THE OFFICE and in the indie feature SPINNING CANDYFLOSS and even appeared in Dizzie Rascal’s DIRTEE CASH vid. Her other TV credits include NEVER MIND THE BUZZCOCKS, ONLY JOKING, CELEBRITY DEAL OR NO DEAL and SHOW ME THE FUNNY, performing in the live final at London’s Hammersmith Apollo.

Tiff signed this sketch at the Soho Theatre after performing OPTIMIST, which she is currently touring with dates listed on her website.

Drawing: Dracula! (Mr Swallow – The Musical) at the Soho Theatre

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Dracula! (Mr Swallow – The Musical) the hit new musical at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival transferred to London’s Soho Theatre last month and due to phenomenal demand has added extra shows, now running until 7 March 2015.

Written by the comically acclaimed character performer Nick Mohammed, this musical spoof follows the chaotic final dress rehearsal for the fictitious show Dracula, as his excitable alter ego, Mr Swallow in the title role, enters on roller staktes making strange demands and increasingly bizarre interpretations, like a “tin pot tyrant”. He is joined by three brilliant musical theatre actors; David Elms plays Joseph, the director who also plays Van Helsing; Kieran Hodgson is Jonathan Harker and Johanna Grace is his fiancée, Wilhamina, accompanied by a five piece band playing original compositions by Ollie Birch.

Nick graduated with a first in geophysics and commenced doctoral studies in seismology at Cambridge, but was caught in the glare of the Footlights Troupe and took up comedy instead. He is developing Mr Swallow as a TV vehicle.

I caught up briefly with Nick and the cast after Saturday’s evening performance where he and Joanna signed my sketch.

Sketch: Bridget Christie at the Soho Theatre

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Award winning British comic Bridget Christie is popular – very popular… so popular in fact that her latest show An Ungrateful Woman at London’s Soho Theatre was completely sold out. It’s a common theme for all Bridget’s performances wherever she goes, but she will be back at the Soho for five nights in early March, so get in now!

Her accolades are numerous, including the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Show for A Bic For Her which also won the South Bank’s Sky Arts Award for Best Comedy and the top gong at the 2014 Chortle Awards. It also became the top selling comedy show at the Soho. Her own Radio 4 Bridget Christie Minds The Gap won the prestigious Rose D’or Award for Best Radio Comedy and the Chortle for good measure.

Catching up with Bridget is just as tough as getting a ticket for her shows! I drew this quick sketch let year and have missed her on a number of occasions, so I was determined to get Bridget during her latest run at the Soho. After the show I positioned myself between the stairs from which the audience and the talent leave the downstairs stage and the bar. Bingo!

Sketch: Lucy Beaumont – We Can Twerk It Out at the Soho Theatre

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Fresh from her nomination for the top award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the irresistible Lucy Beaumont returned to London’s Soho Theatre this week for a three night stint with her show WE CAN TWERK IT OUT.

Lucy’s unique blend of surreal, off beat humour relating to her observations of the strange working class culture in her native Hull has won her an increasing number of fans, the BBC New Comedy Award and a starring role in BBC 3’s Live at the Electric.

I originally drew this sketch in October 2014, when Lucy debuted the show, but missed getting her to graph it. With six different shows on it’s three stages during the course of the evening, the Soho Theatre can be a lot like the Tube during rush hour and often takes a bit of navigating to find people. But, this time I managed to catch up with her in the crowed bar after her final performance and she was more than happy to inscribe this sketch.

Drawing: Shappi Khorsandi in Because I’m Shappi at the Soho Theatre

Posted on December 2, 2014 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Tehran-born, British comedian Shappi Khorsandi was brought up in London after her family was forced to flee Iran after the Islamic Revolution, following the publication of a satirical poem composed by her satirist father, criticising the Ayatollah.

The star of Live At The Apollo, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, Have I Got News For You and QI completed a sell out run at this year’s Edinburgh Festival. Entitled Because I’m Shappi, she performed a season let month at the Soho Theatre, where she signed my sketch after her final performance.

Drawing: Luisa Omielan in What Would Beyonce Do

Posted on August 18, 2014 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Luisa Omielan is a fresh and frank new female comic, in fact the Telegraph called her “Fresh, frank and fearless – a gutsy new star is born!” Vogue used the other ‘f’ words, “so fresh, so funny, so original prepare for a full on rearrangement of your insides.”

She scored a sleeper hit with What Would Beyonce Do?, which completed a sell-out, twice extended Edinburgh Festival Fringe run and four sell out shows at London’s Soho Theatre in 2012.

WhatsOnStage said, “uplifting, intense and fearless… The Queen B of comedy.”

Her follow up is Am I Right, Ladies? which she performed at the Soho before taking it to the Edinburgh festival where she is currently in residence at the Laughing Horse @ the Counting House until the end of this week, playing once again to packed houses. She will be returning to the Soho in September, so Londoneres, watch out!

Drawing: Sara Pascoe at the Soho Theatre

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Mark Winter / Chicane

In spite of thriving at standup, Sara Pascoe says, “I started comedy as a hobby and it still doesn’t seem like a proper job.”

The 32 year old actor, improviser and writer started standup in 2007, “It’s the one place where you are talking to every level of society”.

She now has a TB career on both sides of the Atlantic with appearances on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Stand up for the Week QI (in which she won with a +28 score) and Live at the Apollo as well as the all female Girl Friday on Channel 4, which she co-wrote.

She’s influenced by media personality, body builder and occasional glamour model Jodie Marsh, as well as Winston Churchill. Sara had a three night gig at London’s Soho Theatre last week entitled Sara Pascoe: Sara Pascoe Cs The Truth which The Guardian described as “intelligent silliness and self deprecation to make a near perfect show”. She recognised herself in my sketch after her opening performance and was happy to acknowledge it with my Sharpie.

Drawing: Adrienne Truscott in Asking For It at The Soho Theatre

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Mark Winter / Chicane

“Irreverent, sacrilegious, foul mouthed and uninhibited” are just some of the words the New York Times used to describe the beloved, brave and bawdy Wau Wau (pronounced Vow Vow) Sisters. Tanya Gagne and Adrienne Truscott have collaborated as the physical comedy duo since 1999 with their unique blend of singing, witty banter, aerial high-jinks and bawdy burlesque usually with costumes, but no clothes!

New Yorker Adreinne has just completed a season of her latest side show Asking For It at the Sohoo Theatre in London. Dressed only from the waist up and ankles down. It won the Edinburgh Comedy Award Panel Prize in 2013 .

The satirical broadside against rape culture and a string of male performers aggressively asserting their right to tell jokes about it was described by The Guardian in its five star review as ‘sophisticated confrontationalism’.

As she states in her Twitter profile “I’m a performer first, and a Lady second”. I met both after last Thursday’s show and one of them signed my sketch, which the other one really liked.