Show Details
Steve Coogan As Alan Partridge And Other Less Successful Characters
Show type: Tour
Starring Comic:
Steve Coogan
Products:
Steve Coogan Live - As Alan Partridge And Other Less Successful Characters


Steve Coogan As Alan Partridge And Other Less Successful Characters


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Description

The star of I’m Alan Partridge, Saxondale and creator of Paul and Pauline Calf is returning in a show featuring the characters that have made him a Bafta and British Comedy Award winning comedy legend. His last live show played 200 performances and was seen by 350,000 people, so get your tickets now and tout them later!

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Reviews

Original Review:

Reviewed at the Hammersmith Apollo, November 11, 2008:

Well, you can’t say you weren’t warned by the very title of this tour. Steve Coogan’s stage comeback after ten years is most definitely a show of two halves: the superlative Alan Partridge plus a collection of characters that are not only less successful, but woefully less funny.

Arrive in the interval and you’ll have a markedly better experience than those who endure the first half, in which the once-brilliant creations either tread water, or sink miserably. If they were launched on today’s comedy circuit in this state, it’s unlikely you’d ever have heard of the likes of Pauline Calf or Tommy Saxondale.

Visiting London after six weeks on the road, the good news is that Coogan is now on top of his material, and his struggles to remember his lines – as covered in our review of the Oxford date about a week into his schedule (below) – are a thing of the past. The script’s been tinkered with, too, with a few extra lines and some tightening of more troublesome segments. But it doesn’t much help the doomed supporting characters… it’s like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic, or changing the in-flight movies on United 93.

If anything, the first half seems more sluggish that the earlier date; possibly just because it’s a second viewing, possibly because the Hammersmith Apollo isn’t the most intimate of spaces to generate an atmosphere (just wait till he hits the O2 next month), or possibly because the indifferently-received characters have lost their lustre even for their creator.

Pauline Calf makes a decent fist of the opening number, a wry tongue-in-cheek track that tries to infuse some Bond-style glamour to the Marriot Hotel chain. But quickly her routine descends into a litany of cheap innuendo, neither delivered nor written with much flair. Surely lines like ‘Take me in the executive box’ should be beneath him, yet they never got much better than that.

Tommy Saxondale also lobs in a few double-entendres, and he sings, too, though quite why is anyone’s guess as it’s flimsy stuff – as is his tiresome anti-drugs lecture, that goes little further than: look at this picture of someone looking odd! They must be on smack!

And the first half reaches its nadir with desperately wacky Eighties comic Duncan Thicket – a character that’s deliberately not supposed to be funny, unlike the others which achieve this by unhappy accidented. His segment has been quite extensively edited over the course of the tour, but the real Timmy Mallett would still possibly be more entertaining than this thinly disguised parody. Possibly.

Just when it looks as if the entire show is going to be as flat as Partridge’s beloved Norfolk, Paul Calf rolls on in his wheelchair, with some cracking lines. This segment has also been through the rewrite mill, but this time emerges much sharper for it. There is still too much aimless padding – and another unnecessary song – but at least the stand-out gags serve as a long-overdue reminder of why Coogan got to be famous in the first place.

Part two, however, was a different animal altogether – a hugely amusing romp with the character everyone had come to see. East Anglia’s favourite chat show host has reinvented as a personal development coach, his complete lack of empathy for his clients proving no barrier for his rampant ego, his lack of self-awareness revealing more about his tragic life, and his script just bursting with hilarious moments. Somehow he can be haughtily pompous, yet confess to soiling himself in a chain store, in the space of one sentence. Gimmicks about in this high-octane section, but the character is so complete, and the script so sharp, that this is genuinely hilarious from start to finish.

That self-importance manifests itself in a grandiose biographical play about Sir Thomas More, clunking with anachronisms of language and style, appallingly acted and almost collapsing under the weight of its artless historical exposition. The ‘bad play’ idea is nothing new, and Coogan sometimes overplays the woodenness, but this is entertaining enough.

Ending the show as ‘himself’ or rather a Tommy Steele Cockney version of himself in a joyous song-and-dance number gleefully harnessing the outrageous, foul-mouthed spirit of Jerry Springer The Opera to flamboyantly send up his tabloid reputation. It’s a worthy show-stopper if ever there was one.

You wouldn’t think this slick and funny second half was from the same performer responsible for the embarrassing shoddy first half. If this was an exercise to prove that Coogan was more than Partridge, it failed miserably. But for underlining just how uniquely brilliant that character is, job done.

Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Hammersmith, November 2008






First review at the Oxford New Theatre, October 3

He doesn’t have to do this, of course, but Steve Coogan’s decision to go on the road after ten years proves that the thrill of live performance is irresistible, no matter how famous you are.

The title says it all. In the first half of the show Coogan reprises several favourites from his past, while part two is dedicated to the superlative Partridge. It’s a show of two halves in other respects, too. Before the interval, Coogan seems hesitant, phoning in a performance that lacks flair and electricity despite some nice lines in the script. But when Norfolk’s finest takes to the stage, the magic returns, as he builds to an audacious and spectacular song-and-dance finale that only serves to highlight the spark that was missing from much that preceded it.

He started strongly, with Pauline Calf – more relevant than ever in this age of low-rent, high-maintenance WAGs. She opened with a wonderfully bold Bond-style production number, literally singing the praises of Marriot hotels and the D-list celebs she claims to have encountered there – the first of many digs at low-level fame in this show.

Anything best-selling author Jordan can do, Pauline can do just as tackily, which is why she treated us to an extract from her delightfully clunky novel, unsubtly drawn from her own life. It was a solidly funny routine, if unadventurous: Coogan used exactly the same set-up for his delightfully promiscuous creation in that last tour.

Next up was Tommy Saxondale, lecturing us, half-heartedly, on the perils of drugs, which initially comprised little more than a series of pseudo-sardonic comments on strange pictures, claiming to be ‘before and after’ shots of drug use. It’s rather easy stuff, the sort of captions you might see on half-funny greetings cards. However, the second part of his set, about the sweet granny who was actually a powerful drug godfather, fleshed out the initial idea nicely, wringing out plenty of chuckles from the unlikely scenario.

Duncan Thickett is one of Coogan’s oldest characters, but still seemed new to most of the audience, who appeared baffled by this bad Eighties stand-up, complete with zany sound effects and novelty suit. Using irony to make good comedy out of bad is a tricky path, and while Coogan had a few knowing takes on the failings of easy observational and nostalgic stand-up, this never really hit the spot. The fact that, with a couple of notable exceptions, characters like the one he’s trying to parody aren’t generally successful any more can’t have helped.

Heavy-drinking Northern layabout Paul Calf came on in a wheelchair – as with his fictional sister Pauline, reprising a gag from an earlier show. For half this set, Coogan seemed again to be simply going through the motions, even doing a ‘prick with a needle…’ double entendre that would have shamed the music halls, even if he did have the sense to feign embarrassment about it. However when Calf’s flamboyant, if dodgy, gipsy lover takes to the stage, the script finds a much richer vein of one-liners to explore.

Throughout the show the writing is strong, or at least solid, but Coogan doesn’t seem to have the command of the material that would allow him to wring the most out of. He stumbles over his words several times, and keeps glancing at clipboards. This might still be early in the tour, but when you’ve 1,800 people paying just shy of £40, you shouldn’t still be practising. Coogan’s concentration seems to be devoted to simply remembering his lines, rather than on delivering them with oomph.

Betwixt Coogan’s characters, a small ensemble, including Edinburgh regular Steve Oram and Garth Marenghi star Alice Lowe, perform filler sketches that, like the main scenes, are good but not quite great; although the idea of God and Devil dating – and quarrelling – is especially strong.

Partridge is who almost everyone has come to see, of course, and when he gets a rapturous reception at the start of part two, Coogan raises his game to match. Desperately trying to exploit the last shreds of his celebrity, Partridge now runs a personal development programme – Alan’s Forward Solutions – which he relentlessly sells with all the unconvincing zeal of a mid-level sales conference for surgical supports in the East Midlands region.

He’s also written, produced, directed and stars in his own one-man version of the story of Sir Thomas More, which is as ill-researched, anachronistic and dreadfully performed as you would predict. In fact, it makes Acorn Antiques look like Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet… but there’s plenty of fun in the inevitable way Alan’s precious ego-vehicle falls apart at the seams.

There’s a reason Partridge is Coogan’s most popular creation. His naïve absence of self-awareness and myriad vulnerabilities have such appeal that his petty grudges, monstrous insensitivity and desperate quest for even modest showbiz success seem almost endearing. But he also seems to get the best lines, as Coogan and his collaborators have a more instinctive feel for the character. The gags are packed in, and the talk-show element, especially, zings along.

All the stops come out at the end, when Coogan has his tongue-in-cheek ‘…and this is me’ moment, breaking into an impressively choreographed West End song and dance number about his hookers-and-cocaine tabloid reputation. But don’t expect the catchy number to be getting much Radio 2 airplay… it is deliciously, extravagantly offensive.

Shame the hesitant first half didn’t live up to the brilliant second. Despite some sparkling moments, and plenty of mid-level chuckles, the scenes without Partridge didn’t have the sense of occasion you’d expect of one of Britain’s biggest and best comedy stars making a comeback after a decade away. Best think of these of an extended warm-up act you don’t care less about before the star of the show blows the place apart.

Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Oxford, October 2008
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Comments

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Saw coogan at bristol 10/12/08. Was really disappointed first half was OK, partridge was good, but what did it for me was the final song, what was the point of that even I could write a song with the C-word, not very imaginative, Steve

john p bristol, December 2008

I wouldn't say I'm a massive Coogan fan but I do enjoy his TV work. Wife treated me to his gig at the O2 last night. Wish she hadn't bothered. He just wasn't funny. Alan Partridge was mildly amusing but then went off at a tangent with the Thomas More/Henry 8th sketch that wouldn't have been funny in BlackAdder, of which it was a horrendous imitation. Audience laughter was either strained or non existent. Quite simply the show was boring and a huge waste of money.

Keith, December 2008

Saw the show in Glasgow on Wednesday and was mightily impressed, having been expecting the worst due to overzealous critics. The songs were all funny, well written and well performed - the Calfs and Alan were the high points, Saxondale was good (but difficult to write for in the context I expect, being his most rounded character) and Thickett ended with a bang. Great value for money at 2 hours with some decent support. Come back Coogan, and keep playing!

Jamie, December 2008

Saw coogan tonight in glasgow. very funny. I don't see where all this negative press is coming from. It was a really good night out.

Marty, December 2008

From all the bile spewing forth, I was expecting an unmitigated disaster before I saw the show in Glasgow last night. Like most here I'm huge fan of Coogan but unlike many wasn't just going to see Norwich's finest son. What pleasure it gives me to say that I thought it was the best 'big' comedy tour I've seen for years. For all the cries of contempt about audiences being treated unfairly, I thought Coogan delivered impressive new material on all fronts. Yes, the set-ups were alarmingly familiar but the gags themselves were rapid and most hit the mark. In recent years I've been disappointed by the amount of either recycled or dated material and, mostly, lack of value-for-money in recent tours from The Mighty Boosh (both), The League of Gentlemen and Ricky Gervais. This was the first large-venue tour I've seen where I never resented parting with £30-odd quid. Was it all successful? Not entirely. There's the previously mentioned paucity of new ideas in the character formats. Duncan Thicket was, as ever, a bit of a chore to get through. Tommy Saxondale, while a great character, never fully got the chance to shine above and beyond the lecture set-up. There was an over-reliance on song-and-dance numbers which never felt at ease with the characters. The support segments were hit-and-miss in about equal ratio. Partridge, the Calfs and 'Coogan' were all successful. Granted, it's now a couple of months into the tour but there was not even a hint of any under-rehearsal and the show was tightly assembled. From pre-tour press and the tour posters themselves, I was lead to believe 'Keanu Reeves' (Coogan's new creation who made a brief appearance in Saxondale) was to be included but seems to have been mercifully dropped. Not perfect, for sure, but you could do infinitely worse - not that you would think so from some of the reviews...

Ross Maclean, December 2008

Bournemouth 28th Nov. Boy I wanted to like this, but the first half was woefully unfunny. It resembled a cringeworthy - not in a good Partridge way - school play, with the assembled dutiful parents trying hard to find something to titter at. People were leaving in more sorrow than disgust, around us but we stuck with it for the second half where thankfully the Alan P segment reminded us why we were there. It was over all too soon and then a dire sub Morecambe and Wise play followed by a show-finishing song, which admittedly was annoyingly catchy with liberal use of the C-word, but on reflection was a sort of Python-Lite Eric Idle number. Such a disappointment for the thick end of £65. Steve, you let yourself down.

Bruce M, November 2008

Saw Bournemouth show tonight, considered leaving after first half, just not that funny and lacking any real value. Seems he has just not made the effort with writing of performing However, second half with Partridge and final song a different matter - excelllent and much more on for. Why not get a support act if you can't be bothered to write/perform two good halves?

Elle Delargy, November 2008

Saw Coogan in Notts and found it extremely funny. Only have positive things to say about him, took time to meet his fans, sign autographs and have a picture taken. All the bad press about him is rubbish!

Paul Dean, November 2008

We all went to see Steve at the Brighton Centre on Friday 21st Nov. Being die hard fans, and having seen the 1997 show, we were hopeful of a great night, despite the bad press and bad reviews on pages such as this. I have to say - WELL DONE STEVE, 10 OUT OF 10! It was a truly funny evening and was enjoyed by everyone in our group. There were a couple of minor slip ups in the songs which Steve dealt with very well, but other than that, a faultless evening. It seems that Saxondale and Duncan Thickett were not received well at other shows, but i felt all the characters were spot on and laugh-out-loud. The under fire Thomas More sketch was also great. Of course,I'm not sure how the show has been tweaked since the early shows, if at all. Alan Partridge was spectacularly funny on so many levels. And the song at the end - rude yes, but very well done and very very funny. I would happily pay to go again, and i will definitely get the DVD. All I can say is - don't avoid the show because of bad reviews, as this was the funniest night I've had for a long long time! Good work Steve!

David Ryder, November 2008

It was refreshing to have well-constructed and executed song and dance routines, especially the final song which had me crying with laughter. A black brolly will never be the same again! I've always admired Steve Coogan but only went to this show as a "stand-in" having read the dire reviews. However I had a great evening at Hammersmith on November 14, and so did the rest of my group. We were all left wondering what Ross Kemp has done to Steve though...

Alison, November 2008

The show is very poor, although the ticket prices and full houses will doubtlessly make Coogan very rich. Chortle comments that thelondonpaper's one star review is cruel. I'd say it's about right. Barely any laughs, jokes that had previously seen the light of day in Blackadder and Father Ted. Really not good. For fifty quid you can get Steve Coogan - The Complete Collection from Amazon - which contains DVDs with all the episodes from: Knowing Me, Knowing You, Knowing Me, Knowing Yule, I’m Alan Partridge Series 1 & 2, Saxondale Series 1 & 2, Dr Terrible’s House of Horrible, Coogan’s Run, Paul and Pauline Calf’s Cheese And Ham Sandwich, Paul and Pauline Calf’s Video Diaries, Introducing Tony Ferrino: Who and Why? A Quest,The Tony Ferrino Phenomenon - or you can see him at Hammersmith Apollo and get ripped off for about the same amount of money. Maintain the memory of Coogan as a great and don't go to see this embarrassing spectacle.

Sally, November 2008

He was amazing, I was worried at first with all the bad reviews. However he was hilarious, I have never laughed so much. I thought the jokes were amazing and people are only slagging it off because of the bad reviews but fuck the reviews. He was amazing!

Sophie, November 2008

What a load of rubbish! I took my husband for a birthday treat and we were sorely disappointed. Just not very funny and very expensive

Lucy, November 2008

I paid over £100 each for myself and my boyfriend to watch the show as we are both hard core fans! We thought it was great. (shut it to all you losers who are gonna comment on how much i spent - stop being so bloody predictable) rnAnd for god's sake get a life -it's the easiest thing in the word to critisise someone else. Plus if you've been reading poor reports before watching the show then your going to go into it with bias views!!rnAlso i can't help thinking, i thought that fans of Alan Partridge might actually be a little more open minded to start with - and not get so bloody offeneded by the use of the 'c' word!!!! Get a grip!rnSteve was brill - thank's for a great night!!

Linz and Dan, November 2008

Went to watch at the Apollo and was disappointed. Maybe expectation levels are too high but it just wasn't funny. Felt like he was going through the motions just for a big pay day. Have to agree with those who commented on the bad language. I'm no prude but it just was not funny and whats with all the singing and dancing.

William, November 2008

I saw Steve Coogan perform on the 6th November show at the Apollo. Like a lot of other people I heard the negative reviews and was worried he would still be performing badly - BUT I am really pleased to say he was hilarious. The jokes are very funny and he only got one line wrong - i think - when as Alan P he "referred" to his notes on his lectern. My friend said he reckoned one joke was in bad taste but I didn't think so. And there were some lovely song and dance routines too. I'm glad I got the chance to see him live before he disappears back to LA. Well done Steve.

Robert, November 2008

Saw Coogan at the Manchester Apollo last night (4th), and must admit that after reading a multitude of negative reviews my hopes were not high, and had seriously considered not going. So how was it? Absolutely great! There was none of the fluffed lines or lack of effort, others have complained about. I thought all the characters hit the mark, yes a lot was variations on a theme, but isn't that why we bought the tickets? Partridge was excellent and the Coogan song at the end made me cry. Maybe I'm easily pleased, or maybe I went in expecting to see characters I've seen before done exactly as I remember them - very funnily! Well in Steve.

Ashley, November 2008

Saw this show at NIA. Read all the comments, went in with an open mind. It was funny, in parts, it just wasn't £30 a ticket funny. More like £10. If I had my time again i would spend the money on the Coogan boxset - when he was funny. Sorry Steve, just wasnt good enough, when you build up such a reputation and then decide to cash in by going on tour, at least put the effort in your adoring crowd expect.

Paula Fish, November 2008

I watched the second night at the NIA Birmingham and after reading all the negative comments was fearing the worst. I have to say that I enjoyed both halves of the show and if Steve Coogan was touring again next year I'd go and see him.

themightyviton, November 2008

Awful, just awful - very few jokes, just indulgent ramblings, and what the hell were all those songs about? If I wanted to see a musical then I'd have gone to Mamma Mia. It was as if he'd been replaced by some naff seventies variety act. Have never been to see a comic who didn't get an encore - the whole place emptied within seconds of him going off, and no-one was laughing.

Angus Young (as I agree with Bon Scott), October 2008

Just been to see Coogan at the NIA, Birmingham and have to say its one of the worst shows I've ever been to. Having read reviews from previous shows I took my seat with caution but the show is worse than I feared. The first half was nothing other than pointless to which the entire NIA must have agreed as there was very little laughter. Yes, we had come to see Partridge but to see Coogan fumble his way though Pauline & Paul Calf and fluff lines with Saxondale was shocking. It beggars the question has he rehearsed the show? The interval couldn't come soon enough and hopes were high he could pull it back in the second half with Alan. Well, he did sort of. The opening montage was funny and it did start well. However, 10 mins into the piece Coogan started to lose his way and it turned into very predictable kn*b gags. For those that have seen the show they will know that the final song and dance routine is the ultimate insult. Using a rather offensive word over and over and over again is not comedy. Its the lowest common denominator. I go to lots of comedy show and have seen some rubbish but this bile just makes you feel angry you wasted £30. I'm still a massive Coogan fan and I'm hopefully going to put this painful experience behind me. If you're thinking of going read some blogs first - all these people can't be wrong!

Bon Scott, October 2008

We went to watch Steve in Southend, this show is a true gem! It is different to everything else done by British commedians, this is a million miles away from a stand-up. This is a show that has something for everyone and will have you laughing throughout. We admit he does forget a few bits but as a whole is convincing in his execution. For £32.50 it is money well spent not only did we see a great comedian we saw a great show. 10/10

The Faction, October 2008

I saw Steve Coogan last night in Sheffield and I do not understand where all the bad comments are coming from. I thought he was wonderful, funny and charming. It seems to me that people are demanding too much from him and are just wanting him to fail. I must admit I was not a huge fan of him before last night, my boyfriend is though and he thought it was great too. Well worth the money and a great night out.

Sarah, October 2008

I am one of the few women commenting and at last night's show at Southend, one of the few who went to see him live. I'm genuinely confused by Coogan; was it that he didn't give a damn? Couldn't be bothered to write anything funny? Couldn't put the energy in to creating his characters properly? I lived up North for a while and had this show been there he'd have found a beer bottle on stage with him, it being the south, people just laughed in a slightly embarrassed way. Are you having some kind of crisis Steve, or is it that you just want to rip off the people who really admire you?

claire, October 2008

Steve Coogan at the cliffs pavilion, on October 23. Well, what can I say? Truly awful stuff. I'm a long-standing fan who has seen him before, and this amounted to the worst comedy show I've seen. It was shoddy,unrehearsed (even at this stage of the tour),tired and predictable, and unfortunately we were not spared the Thomas Moore sketch - truly unfunny. What can I say about the final sketch - not a lot really. I'm devastated to see a hero of mine denigrate himself through such poor material. An earlier reviewer called some detractors a 'set of miserable cunts'. He was either lucky with his performance, or very loyal. I'm just glad he didn't have to witness the mediocre display, I saw last night. Let's hope for all remaining ticket holders that there is a vast improvement on the Cliffs' show. Although this shouldn't be hard. A real shame.

rte, October 2008

I saw the show in Norwich on Monday evening. It was very disappointing. I will never know why so many songs were used replacing jokes. There seemed to be very little substance to the show. I doubt he will tour again, but if he does I wont be there. It certainly is getting mixed reviews, but would have gladly sold my tickets had I known the shows content. Alan Partridge was good, but could not make up for a stinker of a show

Will, October 2008

Thought last night's show in Norwich was pretty good, the song at the end was catchy, even though the C word was frequently used. No complains from us though, worth the ticket prices!

Avril, October 2008

Steve Coogan has produced great work and Alan Partridge is one of the great British comedy creations of the last 15 years. But there is absolutely no excuse for someone at Coogan's level not having rehearsed properly. He stumbled over his lines throughout his performance at Colston Hall in Bristol. Even ignoring this, much of the material was weak and contrived anyway. Paul Calf with a gipsy girlfriend? Alan Partridge as a playwright? Much of the Partridge segment and the song at the end was enjoyable enough.. But, one wonders: why with Coogan's US film career finally taking off, is he doing this? I suspect he's starting to wonder the same thing.

Chris Hallam, Exeter, October 2008

Hey guys, watched it last night. Enjoyed it mostly, cannot remember for the life of me the funniest thing Pauline said, anyone who can tell me I'd love you. Loved Paul Calf's beer joke and his Hawkings stuff. This is going to DVD right?

Kane, October 2008

I spent near on £70 quid for to go to Bristol on Saturday 18th Oct, on what can only be described as no better than an end of year school revue... what a load of rubbish. It only got a little better when he came on as Alan Partridge... but not much. Pauline/Paul Calf's jokes were weak and lazy, and there were a few rather obvious mistakes as well. Very disappointed. Bit of advice Steve: stick to telly and get someone who can write a decent joke.

Andy Kennedy, October 2008

I have been to three of the shows and have laughed like Arthur Askey on acid. Steve is not only the funniest character actor this country has produced (he makes Peter Sellers look like Alf from home and away) but he also extremely beautiful - both inside and out. Well done. Mike Wilkinson. PS i have submitted my script 'It's a Job' to John at Baby Cow. And heard nowt. Its co written with Spikey and really funny. Will this email help?

Mike Wilkinson, October 2008

I was at the Blackburn show and it was grade-A bobbins. Really duff. Amongst the highlights was a picture of Ross Kemp displayed on a big screen... several times... And the supporting act stuff between the characters was cringe worthy. Shame...

Martin C, October 2008

Has Steve Coogan lost the hunger that a comedian needs? A big talent that set his sights on America and made it. It seems his present show started off in a lack lustre way. It is unfortunate that some venues have been little more that extended rehearsal time for the show. The public deserve better from such an iconic figure.

Nick Wright, October 2008

Still not happy that people say Steve was under-rehearsed...... He sang all of his songs perfectly and his show was well written... some cracking gags! Well done Steve. He got a rapturous applause at the end of his gig at Bristol's Colston Hall and I would go again to see him.

CAPUTD, October 2008

Ain't seen the show, can't really comment. All I can say is Steve's always been hit and miss for me: Partridge was unbeatable, the Live 'n' Lewd tour was no fun at all. Just like 'Coogan's Run': a couple of great episodes (Gareth Cheeseman and Mike Crystal), four that were all narrative and no comedy. The DVD'll still sell though!

Michael Monkhouse, October 2008

I can't believe what I've just read more than a week after I saw Coogan's shambolic excuse for a performance at a sell-out 3,000 seater gig in Nottingham. Shame on you Steve! I have to admit in 15 years of enjoying live comedy I have never come across such blatant contempt for an audience as I did from Coogan. He was not just unprepared but simply unaware of what he was going to say next. I think he was hearing the gags for the first time like we were! I saw Coogan in Notts last week and it was obvious to everyone in the crowd that he had no idea what was going on. He was literally reading EVERY word off cue cards or his hand (when he wasn't saying urrrr or emmm to fill) which is unforgivable at his level. If this was Jongleurs or The Comedy Store he would have been booed off without question! At £30 a ticket he should stick his head up his backside and refund every punter that was stupid enough to trust that he'd provide a half decent show! I think it is sick that an alleged 'top comic/movie star' would insult his fans in this way. The only part of the show he did deliver with conviction was the musical numbers. Perhaps he had time to learn them whilst driving his £50,000 a night cheque to the bank from each gig! He was on Letterman last week, I sat there wondering whether Nottingham was simply not as exciting or fun as Broadway, New York or LA! Perhaps I was right. Even Partridge wouldn't have this contempt for his audience! Disgusting! Mark my words, he'll get it right for the £18.99 DVD which every Partridge/Coogan fan will but, Pathetic! Coogan's last parody song is 'People think I'm a C**t'! Yep, correct, absolutely!

Alex Belfield, October 2008

Don't listen to the idiots slagging steve off. I saw him tonight at Bristol Colston Hall (Sat 18th Oct) & he was brilliant.... Pauline,Tommy, Duncan, Paul & Alan were great! The stand-in artists that came on in between(when Steve was changing costumes) were quite amusing.... Go & enjoy the genius at work & marvel how talented he is!

Mitch, October 2008

Where is Tony Ferrino? The best thing about his last tour IMO!

Mei, October 2008

Saw Steve in Ipswich the other night and it was very, very funny. Can't understand the negative comments at all and it seems people who are yet to see the shows are already going to them fearing the worst. Fear not! A lot of work has gone into the production and the Paul Calf and Alan Partridge routines are Coogan at the top of his game. No one walked out, the laughing was loud and everyone left very happy.

Adam, October 2008

Wolverhampton show was great, took my girlfriend who'd never seen him before now she's a massive fan, we laughed from start to finish and had a brilliant night.

Robert, October 2008

Im going 23rd at Westcliff. Should i bother?

Peter, October 2008

I was at the Echo Arena gig last Sunday night, and really enjoyed it - yes, it wasn't massively original, as a lot of the sketches seemed to riff on material and themes used previously, but I saw little evidence of him being under-prepared. There were a couple of small mistakes, but many of these were technical and probably couldn't have been foreseen. We did notice that some of the idiots who thought it would be funny to shout out before storming off left during the Sir Thomas More sketch... which made us wonder if the real reason they didn't enjoy it was because they didn't actually know who this 'new character' was supposed to be...

Andrew F, October 2008

Saw this in Bristol tonight, and found it to be excellent. First half was OK, but the second half was outstanding. Far better than the "The man who thinks he's it" tour. Not sure what happened at Liverpool, but that story has the whiff of fabrication about it. If you've got tickets for other nights, don't be put off.

Henry Roberts, October 2008

I saw the show in Derby a few weeks back and I loved it. Things have been a bit tough recently but it cheered me up. The atmosphere at Derby was great and the show was well received and liked from everyone I've spoken to about it.

Kay, October 2008

Based on these reviews, I'll just get out my Alan Partridge and Paul Xalf tapes and remember him as he was when he was at the top of his game.

Gibster, October 2008

I hope Michael Booth is right. I for one am prepared to give it chance. I think the bad comments are ruining it for anyone who hasn't seen the show yet. Let's judge it for ourselves. Lets face it anyone can have a bad night or two.

sarah, October 2008

A wonderful performance in Wolverhampton. Superb from start to finish and truly worthy of the standing ovation.

Rich, October 2008

Well what a set of miserable cunts. I watched this in Blackburn and I, along with pretty much the whole audience enjoyed ourselves immensely. He got pretty much an ovation at the end. One has to give credit to someone who merges so many types of humour into one show. From song and dance numbers, to syncing up on screen video with live performance. I really enjoyed myself. I'd also like to say that I didn't notice any of the cards/clipboards/writing on the back of the hand cues, and I was on the second row. Perhaps this was in other shows but not on the October 11th show. Anyone who says otherwise is downright lying. Some strange comments on here, was I and the main reviewer of the site watching a different show? The reviewer of this site got a lot about the show right, though perhaps was a little harsh on Thickett who was very funny. Paul Calf was also very amusing but threw in quite a few ad-libs in the show I went to see. And the God/Devil sketch by the supporting characters was indeed highly amusing.

Michael Booth, October 2008

We saw Steve Coogan at Nottingham and were very disappointed. For £60 we expected more and did not expect to fall asleep halfway through. Don't waste your money - not at all funny.

John & Sharon, October 2008

A show that tested the good nature of the people of Liverpool. A sell-out arena blushed and just prayed that their comedy hero would click into character. I can watch re-run after re-run of Partridge and his stage how a decade ago made a lifelong impression. Tonight he dies 6,000 comedy deaths (or maybe an even larger audience?). He dropped the Thomas More sketch panned previously and if he drops the other unfunny stuff then he'll he left with just the Partridge sketch. If you are thinking of paying £30 for a ticket, please DON'T. It was criminally underprepared, not-funny tosh.

Rob P, October 2008

Sorry Steve as a loyal Cooganite I was just embarrassed for you in Blackburn tonight. The TV version of the characters always comes across brilliantly well but this fell horribly flat. I didn't notice the cue cards this far in the tour maybe that's cleared up but the link sketches were dire. Watching a man pretending to throw up from stage fright for two mins before Saxondale came on and the audience were clenching their buttocks with the stupid heckling at someone who clearly couldn't hit back. It warmed up a bit after the interval when Partridge came on but he was going to have to pull off a hell of a show to turn it around. The heckling was crushed this time but relying on foul language to get cheap laughs is an act of desperation and Partridge just doesnt swear. I hope this isn't the sign of a general decline because the TV stuff is sublime. You've earned your money, Steve, but not by charging a fiver a laugh

Joe Brown, October 2008

Thank heavens I'm not the only one who feels cheated by Steve Coogan's show. I saw it in Oxford on Friday and couldn't believe how shoddy it was. It was tired, stale and lazy. Lines written on his hands and on various props and cue cards is something that Coogan might parody but here he was, the biggest culprit of them all. The 'aren't we clever' linking sections came across as poorly performed drama student sketches- the kind of stuff that Paul Calf would ridicule. When he tried to get a laugh by spitting out an apple during the self indulgent 'I Am More' play I'd had enough and left a good 15 minutes before the end. I've NEVER done this before. I'm a huge Coogan fan but feel as though the phrase 'money for (very) old rope has never been more apt.

Mark Jones, October 2008

I too was at Derby and felt that the show was generally mediocre - some great moments but too much was just 'so so' and totally unmemorable. Whilst not as obvious as people from previous shows reported, Coogan clearly stumbled over his lines quite a lot and although he usually managed to get there in the end this did Affect the fluency of his delivery. And he clearly had all his lines written down on the 'prop' cue cards and clipboards he used when doing Partridge but this seemed to make him more confused as he struggled to deliver lines whilst keeping his notes in synch. I'm not sure if Coogan has been lazy in preparing for such a high profile tour - if he simply underestimated what is required - but the impression is of a man and a show that simply was not quite ready. You get the feeling that these smaller venue shows are really being used as the 'preview' shows for a the main arena gigs later in the year as this really did look like a 'work in progress'. And if that isn't the case, and this is the 'final' version then I fear that Coogan is going to have some uncomfortable nights at places like the O2 as this show is nowhere near substantial enough for that type of exposure.

Phil, October 2008

I saw Steve Coogan last night in Derby. I found the show to be entertaining and quite funny. However in parts I thought the humour was very 80's/90's. The comedy didn't have the sophistication that some of today's comedians have. I didn't like the sketches in between Steve's costume changes, they just wern't funny at all and appeared amateur. In fact the audience took the opportunity to go to the toilet during these times. We all have different opinions but I did find the Pauline/ Paul Calf and Alan Partridge sections to be the best. I do agree with some of the reviews that Steve did look little unprepared in that he read from prompt cards. They were props but you could tell he was reading from them. Give the guy a break though, as this is his first tour for ten years. Maybe Derby was a dress rehearsal for the bigger venues? The show was good but I have seen better shows from other comedians.

Tess, October 2008

As a long-term Coogan fan, I was bitterly disappointed with what I saw. Having seen Coogan's The Man Who Think's He's It tour, twice, in 1998, I couldn't believe how yesterday's venture seemed to be a watered down version of that very same tour. Same sort of format, Pauline Calf reading from a book (for example). I felt cheated from most of the £32.50 plus fees that I'd parted with to see him. So much of the show was a re-hash of last time it just hit-home how Hollywood focussed Coogan must be now. Disappointment was an understatement. To see tickets 'touted' on eBay in excess of £100 for two is setting up buyers for a fall. I hope these people read some of these reviews in time in order to make up their own minds. Sorry Steve, word of mouth will spread and your long-term fans will take the hit hardest. Gutted, absolutely gutted to the point of tears, that I have to write this. Al Murray, Lee Evans, Ricky Gervais? You wouldn't get a lacklustre effort from these guys. Coogan has built his fame and fortune with characters who are born to fail. Coogan came very close to being a character he'd created on stage all by himself as he, too, seemed to not notice, or care about his own shortcomings. Mediocre doesn't even cover it. Gutted just gutted. So disappointed.

Rory McAllister, October 2008

What? It wasn't nearly as bad as view from the stalls is making out. As in most opening nights there were a few stutters and fluffed lines but in general the show was very good. Considering Steve actually stated how nervous he was about doing a live tour I think you can give him a bit of a break, especially as he was on for almost 2 hours and performed as 5 different characters! The Saxondale set went down very well and the Alan Partridge set (which you could tell 95% of the people had came to see) was very funny and went down a storm.The little Coogan skit at the end was very amusing too, shows he's not taking himself too seriously.

Bill Carr, October 2008

Just witnessed Coogan die on stage at the opening night in Stoke-on-Trent. The arrogance of the man is astonishing, Throughout the first half the lines were written on his hand. A fact that was patently obvious to the audience. He looked nervous and was totally under-rehearsed and under-prepared. A lot of VERY unhappy punters. Painful to watch and an insult to the paying public. I can forgive a comic whose material I don't find funny. I can forgive the odd fluff or technical hitch on opening night. But Coogan simply hadn't made the effort. And that, from a comic of his calibre, is truly unforgivable. The people at that gig who paid £30 a ticket deserve a refund from his own (very deep) pocket.

View from the stalls, October 2008

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30/11/2009

: Steve Coogan Live - As Alan Partridge And Other Less Successful Characters

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