Paul McCaffrey: LEMON
UK Tour 2020
Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
Saturday 18th April 2020
UK Tour 2020
Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
Saturday 18th April 2020
‘McCaffrey is going to make it big any day now. Grab your chance to say ‘I saw him when...’’ – THE SCOTSMAN
‘McCaffrey simply has funny bones’ – SHORTLIST
‘The relaxed, assured confidence of a stadium filler’ – CHORTLE
‘McCaffrey simply has funny bones’ – SHORTLIST
‘The relaxed, assured confidence of a stadium filler’ – CHORTLE
After a hugely successful 2019 Edinburgh Festival, Paul McCaffrey is back with a properly funny stand-up show in which he struggles to get to grips with being spied on by the Chinese through his new phone, married life and how he ruined his honeymoon, idiotic self-help books that keep getting recommended to him, and setting fire to his oven gloves. McCaffrey is an absolute lemon, but very funny.
Paul has recently appeared on major UK tours with two of Britain’s foremost stand-ups, Sean Lock and Kevin Bridges – playing to more than half a million people in arenas and theatres to great critical acclaim. He has also been the support act for Michael McIntyre, John Bishop and Lee Mack. In 2020 he’s hitting the road again, but in his own right this time – with the hilarious new show LEMON.
An award-winning comedian (Latitude New Act of the Year, London Paper/Soho Theatre London Comic Competition), Paul is one of the most in-demand headliners at all the major UK comedy clubs. He has performed seven critically-acclaimed Edinburgh shows, as well as major music festivals such as Reading, Leeds, V Festival, Bestival and Latitude.
TV-wise, Paul has starred in BBC3’s Impractical Jokers and Russell Howard’s Good News, and Comedy Central’s Stand Up Central. An accomplished radio presenter and guest, he has recently co-hosted Rock ‘n’ Roll Football on Absolute Radio, as well as talkSPORT’s The Warm Up with Matt Forde. Paul is the co-host of Radio X’s Britpopcast with George Lewis – a show about his beloved 90s music with weekly guests from the Britpop scene. He has also featured on Russell Kane’s Whistle-Stop Tour on BBC Radio 2, and had numerous appearances on Rob Beckett’s show on Absolute Radio.
In December 2019, Paul graced the stage of BBC’s Live at the Apollo.
Paul has recently appeared on major UK tours with two of Britain’s foremost stand-ups, Sean Lock and Kevin Bridges – playing to more than half a million people in arenas and theatres to great critical acclaim. He has also been the support act for Michael McIntyre, John Bishop and Lee Mack. In 2020 he’s hitting the road again, but in his own right this time – with the hilarious new show LEMON.
An award-winning comedian (Latitude New Act of the Year, London Paper/Soho Theatre London Comic Competition), Paul is one of the most in-demand headliners at all the major UK comedy clubs. He has performed seven critically-acclaimed Edinburgh shows, as well as major music festivals such as Reading, Leeds, V Festival, Bestival and Latitude.
TV-wise, Paul has starred in BBC3’s Impractical Jokers and Russell Howard’s Good News, and Comedy Central’s Stand Up Central. An accomplished radio presenter and guest, he has recently co-hosted Rock ‘n’ Roll Football on Absolute Radio, as well as talkSPORT’s The Warm Up with Matt Forde. Paul is the co-host of Radio X’s Britpopcast with George Lewis – a show about his beloved 90s music with weekly guests from the Britpop scene. He has also featured on Russell Kane’s Whistle-Stop Tour on BBC Radio 2, and had numerous appearances on Rob Beckett’s show on Absolute Radio.
In December 2019, Paul graced the stage of BBC’s Live at the Apollo.
‘Charm, charisma and success written all over him’ – EVENING STANDARD
‘A total natural, his storytelling is utterly unique and never anything less than gut-bustlingly hilarious’ – GQ
‘A total natural, his storytelling is utterly unique and never anything less than gut-bustlingly hilarious’ – GQ
Paul McCaffrey Interview
Paul McCaffrey can still remember the first successful comedy routine he wrote, even though it was over a decade ago. “It was about cash machines and how frustrating it was when you were queuing to use one.”
It went down so well at his early gigs he ended up doing it a few years later on television on Russell Howard’s Good News.
The routine is typical of McCaffrey’s instantly accessible approach to comedy. He is a classic observational storyteller talking about the irritations in his life in a way that everyone can relate to. He is not a “high status” comedian. In fact he is more of a “lemon”, which also happens to be the title of his latest show.
“It’s what I’ve been called quite a few times in my life. I’m just a bit of a lemon, an idiot,” chuckles the cheerful 45-year-old. He gives me recent example of why he might have earnt this nickname. “I was sat down eating beans on toast and I could see flames. I thought that one of my neighbours were having a bonfire, so I watched it for three minutes and then realised I’d left the hob on and put the oven glove on it. I’d just spent the last three minutes watching the reflection of my burning oven glove in the kitchen window!”
McCaffrey is on a roll. In December 2019 he appeared on BBC2’s Live at the Apollo, a show he’s always wanted to do. “I got a phone call out of the blue. It was surreal. I've had so much time to imagine doing it and then the next thing you're at the Apollo, standing at the back of the stage, you hear your name, the screen goes up and this is it.”
It was not his first time at the Apollo. “Fortunately for me, I had already played that room. I did it about seven times supporting Kevin Bridges and twice with Sean Lock. I was still nervous, I was really worried my hand was going to shake, and then as soon as I got out there, a sudden calmness just came over me.”
It might have taken a while to get his big break but looking back maybe he was destined for a comedy career. He grew up in Winchester and confesses that at Kings' School – also Jack Dee’s old comprehensive – he was the class clown. “My mum threw all my school reports away. I think she was ashamed of them! I can remember my head of year's comments at the bottom of one of them. He just wrote in capital letters. I DESPAIR. I was a very naughty kid.”
After leaving school he had various jobs, running a bar in north London, working in call centres and selling clothes in Next, but he tended to get the sack for mucking about. Eventually he decided to do a drama course and then at the age of 31 decided to try stand-up.
McCaffrey had always been a huge comedy fan. “I remember my dad letting me stay up to watch The Young Ones. And then there was The Office. I think Ricky Gervais inspired a generation of comedians. He’s like the Oasis of comedy.”
He cites Jill Edwards, who runs a famous comedy course in Brighton and taught greats including Romesh Ranganathan as his biggest influence. But supporting major acts such as Bridges and Lock has also been essential.
“It's like training with the national team. To watch Kevin or Sean up close, and see the work ethic, stagecraft. I learnt a lot by osmosis. I’d just watch them every night on tour.”
When he toured with Kevin Bridges there was one particular occasion when he really realised how big some venues are. “I think I did five nights at the 3Arena in Dublin with Kevin and then afterwards we had the day off and went to watch U2 there. And I'm like, ‘I’m glad we've done it this way round. I don't want to watch U2, and then think I've got to go up there tomorrow'."
It is no surprise that McCaffrey went to a rock gig on a rare night off. He is massive music fan and on tour he spends his days, when not playing golf, rummaging through the racks in second hand record stores. “I do stuff onstage about being in my forties but feeling like I'm 18. I’m the oldest raver in town, but I think people of a certain age can relate to that.”
Life on the road has helped him to master the skills to conquer any crowd. “I'm there to entertain and provide a bit of escapism. It's a sales job, ultimately. Comedy is the most results-driven thing I've ever done. You can't coast. I gig five or six nights a week and you can't just turn up and phone it in.” Forget queuing at that cash machine, comedy fans should be queuing for Paul McCaffrey.
Paul McCaffrey's tour starts in Aldershot on February 6 and finishes in Newcastle on June 9. Details here: www.paulmccaffrey.com
By Bruce Dessau
It went down so well at his early gigs he ended up doing it a few years later on television on Russell Howard’s Good News.
The routine is typical of McCaffrey’s instantly accessible approach to comedy. He is a classic observational storyteller talking about the irritations in his life in a way that everyone can relate to. He is not a “high status” comedian. In fact he is more of a “lemon”, which also happens to be the title of his latest show.
“It’s what I’ve been called quite a few times in my life. I’m just a bit of a lemon, an idiot,” chuckles the cheerful 45-year-old. He gives me recent example of why he might have earnt this nickname. “I was sat down eating beans on toast and I could see flames. I thought that one of my neighbours were having a bonfire, so I watched it for three minutes and then realised I’d left the hob on and put the oven glove on it. I’d just spent the last three minutes watching the reflection of my burning oven glove in the kitchen window!”
McCaffrey is on a roll. In December 2019 he appeared on BBC2’s Live at the Apollo, a show he’s always wanted to do. “I got a phone call out of the blue. It was surreal. I've had so much time to imagine doing it and then the next thing you're at the Apollo, standing at the back of the stage, you hear your name, the screen goes up and this is it.”
It was not his first time at the Apollo. “Fortunately for me, I had already played that room. I did it about seven times supporting Kevin Bridges and twice with Sean Lock. I was still nervous, I was really worried my hand was going to shake, and then as soon as I got out there, a sudden calmness just came over me.”
It might have taken a while to get his big break but looking back maybe he was destined for a comedy career. He grew up in Winchester and confesses that at Kings' School – also Jack Dee’s old comprehensive – he was the class clown. “My mum threw all my school reports away. I think she was ashamed of them! I can remember my head of year's comments at the bottom of one of them. He just wrote in capital letters. I DESPAIR. I was a very naughty kid.”
After leaving school he had various jobs, running a bar in north London, working in call centres and selling clothes in Next, but he tended to get the sack for mucking about. Eventually he decided to do a drama course and then at the age of 31 decided to try stand-up.
McCaffrey had always been a huge comedy fan. “I remember my dad letting me stay up to watch The Young Ones. And then there was The Office. I think Ricky Gervais inspired a generation of comedians. He’s like the Oasis of comedy.”
He cites Jill Edwards, who runs a famous comedy course in Brighton and taught greats including Romesh Ranganathan as his biggest influence. But supporting major acts such as Bridges and Lock has also been essential.
“It's like training with the national team. To watch Kevin or Sean up close, and see the work ethic, stagecraft. I learnt a lot by osmosis. I’d just watch them every night on tour.”
When he toured with Kevin Bridges there was one particular occasion when he really realised how big some venues are. “I think I did five nights at the 3Arena in Dublin with Kevin and then afterwards we had the day off and went to watch U2 there. And I'm like, ‘I’m glad we've done it this way round. I don't want to watch U2, and then think I've got to go up there tomorrow'."
It is no surprise that McCaffrey went to a rock gig on a rare night off. He is massive music fan and on tour he spends his days, when not playing golf, rummaging through the racks in second hand record stores. “I do stuff onstage about being in my forties but feeling like I'm 18. I’m the oldest raver in town, but I think people of a certain age can relate to that.”
Life on the road has helped him to master the skills to conquer any crowd. “I'm there to entertain and provide a bit of escapism. It's a sales job, ultimately. Comedy is the most results-driven thing I've ever done. You can't coast. I gig five or six nights a week and you can't just turn up and phone it in.” Forget queuing at that cash machine, comedy fans should be queuing for Paul McCaffrey.
Paul McCaffrey's tour starts in Aldershot on February 6 and finishes in Newcastle on June 9. Details here: www.paulmccaffrey.com
By Bruce Dessau
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TOUR DATES
Thursday, 6 February 2020 Aldershot West End Centre www.westendcentre.co.uk Friday, 7 February 2020 Much Wenlock The Edge Arts Centre www.edgeartscentre.com Saturday, 15 February 2020 Leicester Just the Tonic at Hansom Hall www.justthetonic.com Friday, 21 February 2020 Birmingham Glee Club www.glee.co.uk/birmingham Thursday, 27 February 2020 Brighton Komedia (Studio) www.komedia.co.uk/brighton |
Wednesday, 4 March 2020
Cardiff Glee Club www.glee.co.uk/cardiff Thursday, 5 March 2020 Reading Just the Tonic www.justthetonic.com Friday, 6 March 2020 Bristol Hen & Chicken thecomedybox.co.uk Saturday, 7 March 2020 Nottingham Just the Tonic at the Metronome www.justthetonic.com Thursday, 19 March 2020 Glasgow Glee Club www.glee.co.uk/glasgow Friday, 20 March 2020 Aberdeen The Lemon Tree www.aberdeenperformingarts.com |
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Wednesday, 8 April 2020
Bordon Phoenix Theatre www.phoenixarts.co.uk Thursday, 9 April 2020 Sudbury Quay Theatre www.quaysudbury.com Saturday, 18 April 2020 Westcliff-on-Sea Palace Theatre (Dixon Studio) www.southendtheatres.org.uk Sunday, 19 April 2020 Lincoln Engine Shed www.engineshed.co.uk Tuesday, 21 April 2020 London Soho Theatre www.sohotheatre.com Wednesday, 22 April 2020 London Soho Theatre www.sohotheatre.com |
Friday, 1 May 2020
Farnham Maltings www.farnhammaltings.com Thursday, 7 May 2020 Blackpool Comedy Station www.blackpoolcomedyclub.com Saturday, 9 May 2020 Salford Quays The Lowry (Studio) thelowry.com/comedy Sunday, 10 May 2020 Chorley Little Theatre www.chorleylittletheatre.com Sunday, 7 June 2020 Edinburgh The Stand www.thestand.co.uk/edinburgh Tuesday, 9 June 2020 Newcastle The Stand www.thestand.co.uk/Newcastle |
INFORMATION: www.paulmccaffrey.com