TOP PICKS They’re both very different, but I enjoy both in their own way. I listen to a huge amount of radio myself. It’s very intimate on radio, when you’re listening on headphones or in the house. On stage you get that immediate feedback from the audience of course. But I couldn’t choose one or the other. I’m hoping they can continue co-existing for me. Tell us more about ‘Sisters’, your sitcom on Radio 4. Second series out soon, right? We recorded it back in November, but it should be out in the spring. We’ve got Ashley Jensen from Ugly Betty and Catastrophe in the cast, plus Nick Helm from Uncle playing the next door neighbour. I actually wrote the part for him, he’s such a great performer. It was a lot of fun recording it! I’ve already listened to the edits and they’re sounding great. It says here you used to work on death row… doing what exactly? At university I won a scholarship to go to a North Carolina Law Centre, working with prisoners convicted of capital crimes. I was working with people whose sentences had been committed to life without parole. It really was a remarkable summer. And you were once a corporate lawyer at the UN? It was an internship working on the charter for the rights of indigenous people. The authorities had been breaking down the human genome, removing their DNA to build profiles on race. What made you ditch the corporate world for comedy? I’d always wanted to be a stand-up, but in 1992 it had fallen out of favour so I went to university instead. Then when I reached my early thirties I thought, well if I don’t try it now, I never will! So I decided to take the plunge and do it! Who are your favourite comedians? Well, I grew up watching Billy Connolly, so he was a huge influence. And Victoria Wood was so important; I was devastated when she passed away. And then there’s French and Saunders, not to mention Jo Brand. In terms of current comedians, I really enjoy Sarah Millican and Kevin Bridges. What advice have you got for any aspiring comedians out there? I’d say get ready to spend a lot of time travelling and working hard. You’ll probably make no money for about five years, so it won’t happen overnight! Prepare yourself for a slog, but it’ll be worth it in the end. What are the rest of your plans for 2017? I’m writing a stand-up solo show for Radio 4 and working on my second book. I’ll be writing a few more shows, and filming some TV projects I can’t talk about just yet – there are lots of interesting things in the pipeline! Susan Calman will bring ‘The Calman Before The Storm’ to the Crucible Studio Theatre on March 3rd. Tickets and more info available at www. sheffieldtheatres. co.uk.
SPOTLIGHT COMEDY CLUB The Winding Wheel // Feb 23// From £11 Well-spoken and self-confessed insecure thirtysomething Meryl O’Rourke takes to the stage in Chesterfield this month. The comedienne, who is renowned for chatting freely and easily, will be joined by Irish comic Kieran Lawless, a comic known for winning audiences over by genuinely making them feel like part of the show. What the critics say: “Meryl is sharp, dark and has refreshingly unsentimental humour.” –The Observer
JONATHAN PIE: LIVE! Sheffield City Hall // Feb 19// £20.72 Jonathon Pie: A respected news reporter for a respected news broadcaster. But Pie has one problem. He hates the news. The fictitious politician created by British actor and comedian Tom Walker is well-known for his “off-air” foulmouthed rants against the hypocrisy of British politics and the media. What the critics say: “Each breathless fusillade is a true tour de force.” – The Evening Standard
“I’M HALF GERMANJEWISH AND HALF IRISH CATHOLIC. EVERY TIME I SEE LIAM NEESON IN A FILM, HE’S LEADING MY PEOPLE TO FREEDOM.” Meryl O’Rourke
DANNY BAKER: CRADLE TO THE STAGE Sheffield City Hall // Feb 2 // £20.16 Comedy writer and broadcaster Danny Baker is set to pursue his first stand-up tour this month, basing the show on his memoirs and promising that no two nights will be the same. Baker has been working on Cradle to Grave, a sitcom reflecting the ups and downs of the Baker family in the 1970s starring Peter Kay as Baker’s father Fred. The programme received popular acclaim resulting in the commission for a second series, but Baker’s stand-up promises a show full of fantastically ruthless tales from his outspoken broadcasting career, as he claims there is much to discuss and plenty to be held accountable for. What the critics say: “A cockle-warming hoot.” – The Telegraph
THE LEADMILL COMEDY CLUB The Leadmill // Feb 1 // £6 (table tickets £28) With four comedians emerging for stand-up this month, Jarred Christmas, Tony Marrese, Leo Kearse and Jonathan Mayor are set to grace the Leadmill stage for a lively night at the prestigious comedy circuit event. With styles ranging from razor sharp banter to new-age, rhetorical comedy; the bill promises creative, original and hopefully very funny content. What the critics say: “For Jarred Christmas, it is the work of mere moments to transform a studio theatre half-full of uncertain midweek punters into an energised, up-for-it crowd.” – Chortle
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