I was followed around a tube station by an Eastern European gentleman recently who asked if he could do that. He must have really liked my coat.
Sitcom Trials Autumn '09 Page 62
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ December 23 2009, 2:04 PM GMTHe must have really liked my coat.
In case anyone missed the 10th anniversary season of The Sitcom Trials last autumn, and can't bear to wait for the announcement of the new season, a reminder that you can find all the videos by clicking below. These include interviews with many of the show's TV industry judges as well as clips from every single sitcom in the last season, and choice cuts from the last TV series and various archived Sitcom Trials classics.
http://kevfcomicart.blogspot.com/2010/01/sitcom-trials-video-cavalcade.html
If only to remind us all that it exists, a quick hello from the Sitcom Trials. You've not heard much since the 10th Anniversary Season had its grand final in December, because there's not been much happening. But I'm in discussion with possible producers for a new season and, fingers crossed, you could very soon hear news. If, of course, anyone would be interested in entering?
Once more it'll be completely free to enter, and once more it'll be at the Leicester Square Theatre. (All going well, here's hoping etc).
Interested actors and directors might care to make themselves known here on the list, it can't hurt. And as soon as there's some movement in Sitcom Trials towers, someone could get in touch with you. There, does that sound vague enough?
In the meantime, do please enjoy our Sitcom Trials video archive featuring clips from all 20 of last seasons finalists, and interviews with many of the judges and participants:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=69020E394F073EC2
And enjoy The Sitcom Mission, I hope to pop along and do some supporting very shortly.
Kev F Sutherland
Executive Producer
The Sitcom Trials
http://sitcomtrials.co.uk
Really enjoyed "The Client" from that You Tube link. Very funny, and deftly written.
Did anything become of it? Any TV/radio interest?
Quote: Mr Ashdown @ April 21 2010, 2:09 PM BSTReally enjoyed "The Client" from that You Tube link. Very funny, and deftly written.
Did anything become of it? Any TV/radio interest?
Harris & Blakewill became lead writers for 2DTV, producers of News Revue and they're generally doing well as comedy writers. The Client itself had one episode in the Edinburgh 2001 show and the 2003 TV series, and another in the Edinburgh 2004 show, but hasn't made it onto radio, as of course it should.
The Edinburgh cast featured Miranda Hart in the female lead, but Louisa Gummer had created it on stage she she got the role for the TV version. You can find clips of Miranda Hart in the role among the Sitcom Trials YouTube videos.
Quote: Kev F @ April 23 2010, 11:51 AM BSTHarris & Blakewill became lead writers for 2DTV, producers of News Revue and they're generally doing well as comedy writers. The Client itself had one episode in the Edinburgh 2001 show and the 2003 TV series, and another in the Edinburgh 2004 show, but hasn't made it onto radio, as of course it should.
The Edinburgh cast featured Miranda Hart in the female lead, but Louisa Gummer had created it on stage she she got the role for the TV version. You can find clips of Miranda Hart in the role among the Sitcom Trials YouTube videos.
Cheers for that, Kev. Glad to hear the writers are doing well, and I'm enjoying dipping into the Sitcom Trials YouTube vids. Some corkers there. seems the quality was very high.
Hope you stage a new Sitcom Trials soon - I'd love to give it a go.
To tide you all over a weekend with no Sitcom Mission, I've uploaded a brand new video to the Sitcom Trials archives. It's from the ITV1 Sitcom Trials series, starring James Holmes off of BBC's Miranda in his own one man sitcom Jimmy James. Not been seen since its live broadcast and never been online before. Features the never-broadcast ending (well, sort of. You'll see). Enjoy.
Quote: Kev F @ April 23 2010, 11:51 AM BSTHarris & Blakewill became...
Bless you for the plug, Kev! Latest news on The Client front - it has very recently been turned down flat by Radio 4. I mention this firstly for completeness, but secondly, and mostly, because it shows that we're never ones to give up flogging a horse, even when it's so past being dead that it's basically turned itself into glue. Oh, and the enigmatic Rupert Wainwright should be included on the list of writers (just in case he spots this on Google
). Ta!
What's this I hear on the breeze? A new Sitcom Trials? In Manchester? In... when? July? Can this be?
Stay tuned.
And you might want to keep some room in your diaries for the Autumn. Maybe.
Quote: Kev F @ June 1 2010, 5:01 PM BSTWhat's this I hear on the breeze? A new Sitcom Trials? In Manchester? In... when? July? Can this be?
Stay tuned.
And you might want to keep some room in your diaries for the Autumn. Maybe.
Hooray! Now I'll have to buy a diary. Or take up shoplifting.
*waits for news*
Any clues as to what format the July trials will be? Even a cryptic clue?
Sitcom Trials stars at this year's Edinburgh Fringe: http://bit.ly/d9gHTN
Among the hundreds of excellent shows at this year's Edinburgh Fringe, I'm going to make an extra effort to see these shows, featuring as they do the stars of the last season of The Sitcom Trials.
The Sitcom Trials, if you're not familiar with it, is the show I've been producing since 1999 where sitcoms compete head to head with the audience and a panel of TV & comedy biz judges choosing the best. The last season ran at the end of 2009 and featured our strongest line up of writers and performers, some of whom will be at the Fringe. The include
Steve McNeil & Sam Pamphilon in Addicted to Danger (7pm Pleasance Dome). Described in the Fringe programme as "Sitcom Trials winners" they are, indeed, that, and brilliantly so. Tickets http://bit.ly/9xdQfp
The Real MacGuffins (10pm Pleasance Courtyard) are a sketch troupe two of whose members were in two of the entries in the Trials grand final, and one of whom, the marvellous Dan March, has starred in the Trials since 2000.
Tickets: http://bit.ly/bzxLuh
The Unexpected Items (4.30pm Gilded Balloon) were in the Trials final as an ensemble and have since had a miillion hits on YouTube with the cult classic Gap Yah. Tickets: http://bit.ly/cGHWeL
Stuart Goldsmith: The Reasonable Man (7.30pm Pleasance Dome) as one half of Kiosk of Champions was in the Trials final and now debuts his solo stand up show. Tickets: http://bit.ly/d3LBCi
Wendy Wason (7pm Gilded Balloon) http://bit.ly/bArC4R is an excellent stand up who co-starred in a Sitcom Trials entry that made it to the semi finals, along with Jen Brister
Rogue's Handbook (5pm Counting House, free http://bit.ly/b6J6Si ) not only have members who appeared in the Trials but their Paul Gannon was invaluable in helping run the last season
And of course there's The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre (9.5pm Gilded Balloon http://bit.ly/997YNt ) who hosted the Grand Final and are produced by me, the inventor of the Trials.
I'm sure there are many other Trials actors, directors and writers on at the Fringe. If you're out there, let me know and I'll, er, big you up, as I believe the kids say.
Sitcom Trials final: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcEaOXath5w http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m167/kevf/finalgrab.jpg
Sitcom Trials 1st semi final: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfe-ZrbfeEc
Sitcom Trials 2nd semi final: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7VTczQWDyo
Sitcom Trials news July 2010
The inaugural Manchester Sitcom Trials took place at the Lass O'Gowrie pub theatre on Friday July 23rd.
I'd love to report on it in more detail but, thanks to the traffic on the M6, I arrived seconds after it had finished so, far from presenting it and keeping notes, I came away without even having the details of the winners (which will follow soon).
Unlike the recent London seasons of the Sitcom Trials, the Manchester team didn't put out a call for scripts, choosing instead to develop three sitcoms from within their own writer-performer group (in the mould of the old Bristol and pre-2007 London shows). However the success of this first production, which attracted a small and supportive audience as part of the venue's Lass Fest http://www.lassfest.co.uk/ season, means that they are planning to do further shows this Autumn, for which scripts will be invited from the wider comedy writing community.
So stay tuned for news of the next Manchester Sitcom Trials.
Meanwhile, stay un-tuned for the London Sitcom Trials. Sadly there won't be a new season this autumn, as a result of me being too busy to line up a new producer and start inviting contributions. I am in conversation with a few interested parties, and the Trials may well go ahead in 2011, but for now the spotlight falls on Manchester, and London can stop holding its breath.
Kev F
http://sitcomtrials.co.uk
Twitter #sitcomtrials
Sitcom Trials update & thoughts Feb 2011
As you'll have seen, the Sitcom Trials took 2010 off, after the success of the 2009 10th Anniversary season. In the meantime the Sitcom Mission has gone from strength to strength, which is very good news.
There is a likelihood the Sitcom Trials may make a return in 2011, and there are two reasons. The first is that there are parties to whom I'm talking who are interested in producing the show (the part of the process which I have neither the time nor the inclination to take on myself).
The second reason for reviving the Sitcom Trials is that I feel there remains a need for it in the comedy market. Writers want it, comedians and actors want it, the broadcasting business needs it, and - though there is good cause for placing them fourth in the list - the public want it.
(The good cause for putting "the public want it" at the foot of the list being that, in my experience, the public quite often don't want it. Don't get me wrong, the Sitcom Trials and Sitcom Mission have delivered very big audiences on a regular basis, especially at the Edinburgh Fringe and in both shows' recent London runs, but the show is often a hard sell because, unlike a recognisable comedian or act, it is an uphill struggle to build brand loyalty and make the public familiar with the concept. Also the showcase nature of the Trials and Mission shows can result in content which is, to put it kindly, variable. Hence the Trials' catchphrase "you're never more than 10 minutes away from something you might prefer".)
The Sitcom Mission, especially with its new £5000 cash prize incentive and ever-growing industry connections, is offering the writers and actors a great opportunity, and will be delivering what's wanted by the industry and the audience. But it is looking at their show that I realise why the Trials is also needed.
Firstly competition can only be a good thing. Not just within the show, but between the two shows. Everyone wants to be the most popular, the most successful and the most respected, it would be disingenuous to suggest otherwise.
Then there is the greater chance for involvement. The Sitcom Mission gets an awful lot of scripts and can only draw up a shortlist of 32. They may then be showcasing on stage as few as eight of those scripts. And it was the live performance of sitcoms that was the starting point for the Trials back in 1999. In our last season, 2009, we performed 20 brand new scripts at the rate of 5 a night.
Then there are the differences between the shows' formats, either of which will find favour with different contributors:
- SCRIPTS. The Sitcom Mission asks for complete 15 minute scripts, and asks for 3 different episodes from the finalist writers, whereas The Sitcom Trials asks for a 10 minute script ending in a cliffhnager moment, then a 3 minute payoff scene which the audience are shown only if it wins their vote.
- VOTING. The Sitcom Mission is voted on entirely by an industry panel, not a public vote, whereas the Sitcom Trials historically relied entirely on the audience's vote (in the stage show 99-06 and the TV series), moving to a mixture of audience vote and judging panel from the 07-09 stage shows. The public, though, have always had a vote in the live Sitcom Trials show.
- PERFORMANCE. The Sitcom Trials has always welcomed writer-performers. Dating from our earliest hits with Miranda Hart's sitcom in the 2000-02 London, Edinburgh and touring show, through to December 09's winners Steve MacNeil & Sam Pampilon, we have long found that comedy actors who can write and perform their own scripts can take leaps and bounds over scripts that then have to be cast and interpreted, although the latter often work marvellously. (TV seems to take a similar opinion, if sitcoms like Not Going Out, Spaced, The Office, 30 Rock, Phoenix Nights, Bottom, I'm Alan Partidge, League of Gentlemen, Gary Tank Commander or indeed Miranda are anything to go by). Whereas The Sitcom Mission invites scripts only, not writer-performers.
- OTHER DETAILS. I have a fondness for The Pitch Fest, another bit of audience participation in which the audience come up with ideas for sitcoms which are read out during the show, the funniest winning a prize at the end. And inevitably there will be differences in promotion and presentation between the Trials and the Mission that will please different audiences.
So I have high hopes that the Sitcom Trials will be returning for a 2011 season, stay tuned for more news when I have it.
Kev F Sutherland http://sitcomtrials.co.uk