Argumental Series 2

Teaser clip

More Marcus Brigstocke videos

Marcus Brigstocke started his career in comedy while at Bristol University, as part of the Club Seals troupe alongside Danny Robins and Dan Tetsell. He and soon won the 1996 BBC New Comedian Award at the Edinburgh Festival.

As well as his live work, he fronts BBC Four's Late Edition, starred in short-lived BBC1 sitcom The Savages and is a regular on Radio 4's Now Show.

His upper-class-twit creation, Giles Wemmbley Hogg has starred in two Radio 4 series, one about his travels to the Third World, the second revolving around the 2006 World Cup.

CV

School For Scandal - Fringe 2009
Live Review

This Comedians’ Theatre Company production is a riot of corpsing, in-jokes and general mucking about, occasionally interrupted by a Restoration comedy.

It is, apparently, how Sheriden would have wanted it. His Georgian comedy of manners was intended to be loosely performed, allowing celebrity actors of the day free reign to embellish the script and play to their stage persona. In this way it’s the perfect Edinburgh play, able to employ stand-ups who are the stars of this particular month-long insular society, where they are temporarily famous for their individual styles.

The finer points of the plot do get lost amid all the high-jinks, making the overly-busy production more of a playground where the cast can don powdered wigs and extravagant bustles or breeches and run around the elegant set as if they’ve each just guzzled a litre of Sunny D. At one point, an exasperated character utters, with typically anachronistic nod to the audience: ‘It’s Restoration comedy, not Pappy’s Fun Club, for flip’s sake.’ Could have fooled us.

The star casting is 77-year-old Lionel Blair, as the henpecked Sir Peter Teazle, husband of a much younger wife (Bridget Christie, blowing nicely hot and cold), and butt of many a gag about his advancing years. The fact that the jokes could be as much about the character as the celebrity playing him is typical of the essence of the show.

He might be the big name, but he’s not necessarily the star. That honour probably goes to Amy Saunders – best known as sword-swallower Miss Behave – playing the scheming Lady Sneerwell (none-too-subtly named given her propensity to scoff at others) with over-the-top finesse.

King of the scene-stealers, in a cast riddled with them, is Steve Jameson as Moses. In many recent productions, the character’s Jewish heritage has been played down, for fear of anti-semitism. But here, he Heebs it up, wisecracking like Groucho Marx, and almost as funny.

Running him a close second is the foppish Paul Foot, who was born to prance around with such effete exaggeration. Sometimes his physical flourishes are over-the-top even for this unsubtle production, but you still just have to watch him.

Ella Kenion’s Mrs Candour is also a delight; her jaw quivering with delight at the prospect of imparting or learning some fresh nugget of salacious gossip. Marcus Brigstocke gets to be a supercilious, aloof wastrel, Stephen K Amos is a lightweight but flamboyant comic relief, and Phil Nichol is a central fulcrum of relative restraint – that shows just how out-of-control the extravagance has got.

In some ways, it’s an embarrassment of riches, with too much going on – both scripted and otherwise – as the flourishes overwhelm the actual play. Acclaimed director Cal McCrystal could do with tightening some segments up, while still allowing for improvisation, if the production is to have any life outside Edinburgh. Though given the size of the cast and the commitment needed, that may well prove impossible.

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Absolutely fantastic last night in Balham - as he was in Brighton over the summer. OK, the two acts were very similar (which suprised me a bit 'cos he comes up with fivemins of new material every week for R4's The Now Show) but it was just as funny the second time round. Just wished he'd got heckled last night, as his heckler put-down at the Brighton gig was superb.

Matt, December 2004

Without doubt the funniest stand up I have ever seen. Brought the house down.

Mark, December 2004

Tired George Bush bashing didn't even raise a smile.

Neil, December 2004

If you like your comedy edgy and unconventional, then Brigstocke's 'shooting fish in a barrel' tactics are unlikely to appeal. Material is thin and frequently spiteful without being funny enough to compensate. Avoid. Yeah, he is a bit cocky and arrogant, but he has some very funny material to go with it. Dealt with hecklers well. So as long as you dont take him too seriously, he's well worth a watch. Andy 27.09.04

Chris, November 2004

There's something very cabaret about him - which isn't meant to be a total criticism. He's got an assured, confident style and knows how to prepare and deliver very good material, but off-script he's not really funny, and there's something about him that makes you think the things he rants about actually don't bother him at all, but rather he has made a tactical decision to be more successful. The irony is, a comfortable future awaits him entertaining the Middle Englanders in an old fashioned, family-entertainer type way, the very people he tries so hard to convince us he hates.

Chris Downes, August 2004

Saw Marcus twice in the French Alps. Both times brought the house down, different sets both times.

Ginger Andrews, February 2004

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