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Things much calmer and less sitcommy today, as I accepted that I should never try and relax and have fun and just carry on working. I got a bit of a lie-in to catch up on all the lost sleep and then prepped for another RHLSTP. And what a day to not be on top form because I was talking to two of the laziest and most reserved men in UK comedy, Mark Watson and Robin Ince. If the theatre burned down tonight UK comedy output would drop by about 75%. And weirdly most of the British public wouldn’t notice the difference.
This show continues to be a delight to work on. Meeting up and chatting with funny people in a relaxed environment in front of an engaged audience - it doesn’t get much better than this. Obviously I mainly wanted to talk to Mark Watson about who came up with the title of his biggest hit, Improvisation my dear Mark Watson. Not only did Sherlock Holmes never say Elementary my dear Watson, he also didn’t say Improvisation my dear Watson and doubly did not put Doctor Watson’s Christian name (John?) into that quote that he didn’t say. If he had said “Improvisation my dear John Watson” then I would accept this as a more or less passable title for this show. But he didn’t say this. He said “Elementary my dear Watson” except that he didn’t.
Mark insisted that the show was called “Improvisation my dear Watson” which would at least have been slightly closer to making sense. But I told him that it wasn’t called “Improvisation my dear Watson”. It was called “Improvisation my dear Mark Watson”. He kept trying to deny the Mark was in there. But it’s in there.
Annoyingly I didn’t make this conversation last for the entire podcast. It also encompassed cheese, lightning and pear cider as well as Watson’s most ambitious live show where he built a dry stone wall on stage.
Robin Ince as in skittish mood, telling some very funny stories, doing some spot on impressions in a sprawling conversation taking in Don Estelle, Dennis Nielson and Steve Martin, as well as his plans to give up stand-up for the short term (if not indefinitely). I was properly tired by the end, but luckily it doesn’t take too much to wind Ince up and let him get on with it.
Like I say. Lots of fun, though you won’t get to hear these podcast until early August. We also gave away one of the limited edition mugs made for kickstarter. Only 99 of these have been made and the ones that weren’t given out as rewards are only available at the Leicester Square Theatre (and there aren’t many left). I will be giving one away to the winner of the end of June monthly subscriber monthly draw (with some other prizes). Donate a pound or more a month here and your name will be entered into all future draws and you’ll get to see everything on the secret channel, get secret emails with exclusive bits of writing and advance warning of big RHLSTP guests. Plus your money will go towards funding more internet comedy (and you’ll get a badge.
More guests added to the upcoming RHLSTPs.
Next week joining Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan will be Jessica Hynes from Spaced and much much more. And joining Limmy on the sold out gig on the 27th July is Joe Lycett. Buy tickets to the shows that aren’t sold out here. Still three more names to come.
