Quote: Graham Bandage @ October 17 2008, 4:48 PM BSTMy friend's the blogger who wrote the story in the Liverpool Daily Post and she can't quite believe how big this shitstorm has become.
http://www.comedyblog.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/10/steve_coogan_what_went_wrong.html
Doesn't sound very promising, does it?
Don't be too harsh on the guy, everyone's allowed a bad gig or two.
Not to that extent, they're not! From what I've read, it's obviously the whole act, and his (lack of) preparation for the shows that is the problem - not just a couple of 'off' or below par performances.
Does he write all of the show by himself? If so, I can at least understand why the Partridge parts aren't up to the standard of the T.V. show, as he's missing the input of the great Iannucci, and that other bloke who writes it.
There was some mention earlier that at least two of the writers are in that BBC comedy college thing.
Quote: James Turner @ October 17 2008, 7:15 PM BSTDon't be too harsh on the guy, everyone's allowed a bad gig or two.
This wasn't just a bad gig James. It's the contempt he held for his audience which really riled me. I've seen some (lesser known) comics have a bad gig but at least they looked as though they were genuinely putting the effort in. Coogan, as the reviews suggest, was under-prepared, under-rehearsed and completely lazy in rehashing a lot of material from 10-12 years ago. I hope he is humble enough to learn from his mistakes but, as suggested earlier, the magnitude of this particular shitstorm suggests the damage may already have been done.
Is he still doing Tony Ferrino?
Yikes, those are some of the worst reviews that I've ever read for an established performer. When someone is as popular and has as many well loved characters as Coogan they have to do something badly wrong to get slated like this. It's obvious that he didn't plan enough time to prepare for the tour and he clearly needs to work with much better writers in the future. His writing successes have, imo, been based a lot on the abilities of collaborators like Baynham, Marber, Iannucci etc. and he needs to work with people of a similar calibre in the future or just decide to devote himself solely to the movies.
Bugger, I've got tickets for november.
Quote: Nick @ October 17 2008, 10:22 PM BSTYikes, those are some of the worst reviews that I've ever read for an established performer. When someone is as popular and has as many well loved characters as Coogan they have to do something badly wrong to get slated like this.
Quite! All he has to do is say 'Ah Ha' and he's got a laugh, so this show must be really, really bad. I'm sure it wouldn't be such a big deal if the tickets were only a fiver, but at the price he's charging everyone has a right to demand quality.
I think the critical mauling he's had will really wound Coogan. Nobody expects his film career to be any great shakes, but he is expected to be funny on stage. That's his milueu.
I will be annoyed if he cancels. I'm looking forward to going!
Even with the bad reviews.
I'm off to see him tonight, not looking forward to it as much now after all the bad press.
Quote: Aaron @ October 17 2008, 7:51 PM BSTThere was some mention earlier that at least two of the writers are in that BBC comedy college thing.
Rob and Neil Gibbons, who are twins, are in the college as narrative writers. I'm not sure how that connects?
Quote: Micheal Jacob @ October 20 2008, 4:11 PM BSTRob and Neil Gibbons, who are twins, are in the college as narrative writers. I'm not sure how that connects?
I think it's just that Coogan's show has been slated because of poor material and two of the, no doubt, many writers of Coogan's live show are in the BBC comedy college scheme. Obviously the material they wrote for Coogan is totally seperated from what they submitted to the scheme, although it is interesting.
