**INTERVIEW**
Geoff Norcott: Conswervative
Palace Theatre, Southend
Friday 19 May at 8pm
Geoff Norcott: Conswervative
Palace Theatre, Southend
Friday 19 May at 8pm
Debut tour from one of the UK's only openly Conservative comedians
As seen on BBC Question Time and in The Telegraph
‘An absolute tonic’
**** The Telegraph
As seen on BBC Question Time and in The Telegraph
‘An absolute tonic’
**** The Telegraph
Geoff very kindly took some time out to answer a few of Southend Theatre Scene's probing questions ahead of his Palace Theatre gig!
First of all, tell us a bit about how you started your comedy career and what was the catalyst that pushed you towards basing your act on being a Tory?
"It was 2013 and I was bored with my wife being the funniest thing in my act. I asked her what else I could talk about and she said, ‘Well you vote conservative, that’s a bit weird isn’t it?’"
What do your parents think about your political swing to the Tories?
"My dad was a former trade union man so he wasn’t happy. My Mum was a Lib Dem so she was also furious but didn’t want to tell me in case it hurt my feelings."
This is your first time touring, does appearing at a different town every gig change the dynamic of the show at all?
"Each place has it’s own political identity. Southend is likely to be a bit more sympathetic than a city like Bristol. They were somewhere left of Stalin."
Obviously your audiences come to have a good laugh but do you find that audiences come to see you because they share your political beliefs or do they just come to have a good heckle?
"It’s a bit of both these days. I really like making hard left types laugh against their better judgement. It’s the comedy equivalent of a 40 foot putt uphill using a matchstick."
You actually give your audiences free rein to heckle during your act. That must be quite daunting sometimes?
"I have a heckle amnesty about two thirds of the way into the show. It can be a bit hairy. I like to take the mickey out of the NHS, but in Bromsgrove I had a group of junior doctors in who bit back. I just told them it was a Saturday and if I had my way they’d have all been in work."
What’s the best and worst reactions you’ve had from audiences?
"One woman told me she didn’t think I was a Tory voter because I seemed too nice.
In Edinburgh one woman found out I’d voted Leave and…..left.
Not realizing the irony."
Haha...I’m guessing that the recent snap election has given you a bit of extra material?
"It’s been tricky to keep up. Thank god for Diane Abbott."
What’s the first thing you would do if you were Prime Minister?
"Abolish PMQ’s. I’d take screaming hen parties any day of the week over getting shouted down by Dennis Skinner."
Who would your ideal dinner party guests be?
"My wife. It may sound soppy but I work most weekends and I’m also pretty confident as to what food she likes.
Plus she tends to read these q&a’s."
If you hadn’t decided to be a comedian, what would you be doing now?
"Wondering why the hell Southend Theatre Scene sent me a q & a."
Do you see yourself as a future MP?
"Never, because I get the best of both worlds. I can talk about politics without backing my views up with the hard realities of office.
Must be what Jeremy Corbyn feels like."
What will you be doing once the tour finishes?
"Preparing for the new one in Edinburgh a couple of months later!"
Have you been to Southend before and what can Southend audiences expect from the show?
"I have gigged in Southend a lot over the years. I think the audiences here are fair, but they do make a decision about you in the first couple of minutes. So expect the opening of the show to involve a lot of backside kissing. Maybe I could be a politician after all."
"It was 2013 and I was bored with my wife being the funniest thing in my act. I asked her what else I could talk about and she said, ‘Well you vote conservative, that’s a bit weird isn’t it?’"
What do your parents think about your political swing to the Tories?
"My dad was a former trade union man so he wasn’t happy. My Mum was a Lib Dem so she was also furious but didn’t want to tell me in case it hurt my feelings."
This is your first time touring, does appearing at a different town every gig change the dynamic of the show at all?
"Each place has it’s own political identity. Southend is likely to be a bit more sympathetic than a city like Bristol. They were somewhere left of Stalin."
Obviously your audiences come to have a good laugh but do you find that audiences come to see you because they share your political beliefs or do they just come to have a good heckle?
"It’s a bit of both these days. I really like making hard left types laugh against their better judgement. It’s the comedy equivalent of a 40 foot putt uphill using a matchstick."
You actually give your audiences free rein to heckle during your act. That must be quite daunting sometimes?
"I have a heckle amnesty about two thirds of the way into the show. It can be a bit hairy. I like to take the mickey out of the NHS, but in Bromsgrove I had a group of junior doctors in who bit back. I just told them it was a Saturday and if I had my way they’d have all been in work."
What’s the best and worst reactions you’ve had from audiences?
"One woman told me she didn’t think I was a Tory voter because I seemed too nice.
In Edinburgh one woman found out I’d voted Leave and…..left.
Not realizing the irony."
Haha...I’m guessing that the recent snap election has given you a bit of extra material?
"It’s been tricky to keep up. Thank god for Diane Abbott."
What’s the first thing you would do if you were Prime Minister?
"Abolish PMQ’s. I’d take screaming hen parties any day of the week over getting shouted down by Dennis Skinner."
Who would your ideal dinner party guests be?
"My wife. It may sound soppy but I work most weekends and I’m also pretty confident as to what food she likes.
Plus she tends to read these q&a’s."
If you hadn’t decided to be a comedian, what would you be doing now?
"Wondering why the hell Southend Theatre Scene sent me a q & a."
Do you see yourself as a future MP?
"Never, because I get the best of both worlds. I can talk about politics without backing my views up with the hard realities of office.
Must be what Jeremy Corbyn feels like."
What will you be doing once the tour finishes?
"Preparing for the new one in Edinburgh a couple of months later!"
Have you been to Southend before and what can Southend audiences expect from the show?
"I have gigged in Southend a lot over the years. I think the audiences here are fair, but they do make a decision about you in the first couple of minutes. So expect the opening of the show to involve a lot of backside kissing. Maybe I could be a politician after all."
Interview: Kim Tobin
Read more about the show
A trade unionist’s son who grew up on a council estate, Geoff Norcott is wondering how the hell he ended up leaning to the right.
However, in the last 12 months, defending his light blue sympathies has become the least of Geoff’s problems. From having to justify his Leave vote to distancing himself from the rise of the sinister ‘alt-right’, Geoff is fire-fighting by turning his satirical eye on the hysteria and hypocrisies of the British liberal left.
In Conswervative Geoff comes to terms with being a class traitor while also taking uncompromising stances on issues ranging from depression, benefit fraud and the maudlin British obsession with the NHS. Malingerers are still welcome, just don’t expect concessions.
Conswervative is the debut tour from the Leicester Comedy Festival Best New Show nominee and writer for Channel 4’s Alternative Election Night (2015), BBC1’s Live At The Apollo, BB2’s The Sarah Millican Television Programme, 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Alan Carr’s Happy Hour (both C4), and Sky 1’s A League of Their Own.
Geoff's show includes a 'heckle amnesty' that allows people to take up any issues they with the show or, indeed, him. For this section audiences are also encouraged to bring their ideas to save the NHS. Says Geoff: "Would it do any harm if a doctor's white coat was sponsored in the same way as a Formula 1 racing driver's jacket?!"
However, in the last 12 months, defending his light blue sympathies has become the least of Geoff’s problems. From having to justify his Leave vote to distancing himself from the rise of the sinister ‘alt-right’, Geoff is fire-fighting by turning his satirical eye on the hysteria and hypocrisies of the British liberal left.
In Conswervative Geoff comes to terms with being a class traitor while also taking uncompromising stances on issues ranging from depression, benefit fraud and the maudlin British obsession with the NHS. Malingerers are still welcome, just don’t expect concessions.
Conswervative is the debut tour from the Leicester Comedy Festival Best New Show nominee and writer for Channel 4’s Alternative Election Night (2015), BBC1’s Live At The Apollo, BB2’s The Sarah Millican Television Programme, 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Alan Carr’s Happy Hour (both C4), and Sky 1’s A League of Their Own.
Geoff's show includes a 'heckle amnesty' that allows people to take up any issues they with the show or, indeed, him. For this section audiences are also encouraged to bring their ideas to save the NHS. Says Geoff: "Would it do any harm if a doctor's white coat was sponsored in the same way as a Formula 1 racing driver's jacket?!"
‘A comedian with a big future’
**** The Mirror
**** The Mirror
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Geoff Norcott is fast becoming one of the most sought-after comics on the circuit, with an impressive list of TV writing credits and a sitcom pilot commissioned by BBC Radio 4. In addition to the shows above, Geoff has written for: Stand up for the Week (C4), British Comedy Awards (C4), Katherine Ryan in Ireland (Sky), Play to the Whistle (ITV1),) It’s Not Me It’s You (Channel 5) and, on radio, The Now Show (BBC R4). Geoff has also been featured on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, BBC Two’s Edinburgh Nights with Kirsty Wark, Question Time (BBC One), the Daily Politics (BBC Two), and he has written for Independent Voices and The New Statesman. |
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‘Funny, charming, optimistic, but with enough good quality dark material to make you really believe what he’s saying.’
The List
‘A refreshingly brilliant comedic voice.’
The Spectator
‘Master of anecdotal story-telling’
**** Edinburgh Festival Magazine
‘Someone whose wit and joke count would be hard to equal’
**** The Public Reviews
‘Repeatedly and satirically incisive’
The Scotsman
‘By comedy standards, Norcott is an out and out rebel’
Daily Express
The List
‘A refreshingly brilliant comedic voice.’
The Spectator
‘Master of anecdotal story-telling’
**** Edinburgh Festival Magazine
‘Someone whose wit and joke count would be hard to equal’
**** The Public Reviews
‘Repeatedly and satirically incisive’
The Scotsman
‘By comedy standards, Norcott is an out and out rebel’
Daily Express
Title: Geoff Norcott: Conswervative
Date: Friday 19 May
Venue: Palace Theatre, 430 London Road, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 9LA
Time: 8pm
Age: 16+
Duration: 90 minutes
Booking:
01702 351135
https://southendtheatres.org.uk/Online/tickets-geoff-norcott-southend-2017
All tour dates can be found on: http://socomedy.co.uk/artist/geoff-norcott/
Geoff’s Website and Social Media:
Web: www.geoffnorcott.com
Twitter: @GeoffNorcott
Date: Friday 19 May
Venue: Palace Theatre, 430 London Road, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 9LA
Time: 8pm
Age: 16+
Duration: 90 minutes
Booking:
01702 351135
https://southendtheatres.org.uk/Online/tickets-geoff-norcott-southend-2017
All tour dates can be found on: http://socomedy.co.uk/artist/geoff-norcott/
Geoff’s Website and Social Media:
Web: www.geoffnorcott.com
Twitter: @GeoffNorcott