British Comedy Guide

Tim Vine Page 2

Quote: Nogget @ November 17 2010, 2:16 PM GMT

He was on radio 2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vvvcy

Haha, Richard Allinson really didn't get him did he?

Quote: Tony Cowards @ November 17 2010, 2:44 PM GMT

Haha, Richard Allinson really didn't get him did he?

Dale Winton impression anybody?

Quote: Nogget @ November 17 2010, 3:07 PM GMT

Dale Winton impression anybody?

yes - very good! Or not!!!

Hi everybody, long-time reader and all that.

I'm a massive fan of Tim Vine, got all the DVDs, been to see him, even bought his joke book, which is good and terrible at the same time. I was a bit apprehensive about getting Punslinger on DVD, mainly because I assumed I'd read all the jokes before; surely he didn't have *that* much material.

Which is why Punslinger was a very pleasant surprise. I laughed out loud at most of the one-liners, which are my favourite type of comedy, basic or not. The songs, with a couple of exceptions, weren't up to much but Vine himself acknowledged this which made them somehow better. They weren't lazily written, they were just a tad zany. And in the right hands zany can be good.

The main problem for me with this show was the audience. It was as if half of them had never seen Vine's act before (as this was a DVD recording maybe some of them had been asked to come along from the local area, who knows) and the vast majority of the jokes therefore fell flat. I'm a huge fan of Tim Vine but the audience has to get him and his sense of humour. There's a horrible video on YouTube of Tim at a charity football gig where the material's good but the crowd is barely listening let alone laughing. The crowd for this DVD is nowhere near as bad as that but it does become quite tiresome hearing most of the one-liners elicit mere chuckles rather than belly-laughs. I have to say I only noticed it on repeated viewing as I was roaring at 95% of the material. The ventriloquist bit is hysterical and the DVD is worth buying for that on its own.

I look forward to boring you with more of my opinions in the future. God bless and good night (morning).

Quote: Millsy @ December 19 2010, 11:40 AM GMT

The main problem for me with this show was the audience.

There's a useful lesson for stand-up comedians here.

I've seen comedians do well one night and badly the next in the same venue with another large and apparently 'identical' audience.

I've seen them do well at one venue and then badly at another in the same town on the same night with an apparently 'identical' audience.

Sometimes, you can die simply because you and the audience are a bad match. Sammy Davies Jr at a KKK meeting would be an extreme example but there are many occasions when there's just no identifiable reason for your failure.

If your act usually goes down well and you really can't imagine why you died, just forget it and move on (as Tim will).

A director once told me that there is no such thing as a bad audience, just different audiences.

Have a few comedians coming to my local theatre over the next few months -Stephen K Amos
Tim Vine
Ed Byrne
Dan Clark
Andy Parsons
Dylan Moran
Al Murray
Jimmy Carr
I have booked to see Tim Vine so far.

Quote: Loopey @ December 19 2010, 6:37 PM GMT

A director once told me that there is no such thing as a bad audience, just different audiences.

That.

Quote: Loopey @ December 19 2010, 6:37 PM GMT

A director once told me that there is no such thing as a bad audience, just different audiences.

That's just a convenient excuse though, isn't it?

Loopey: So your latest play completely bombed, then?

Director: The play wasn't at fault, it was the audience, dear ...

I read that as the opposite. "Don't blame your audience."

He doesn't seem to know much about Tim Vine.

Quote: Badge @ December 19 2010, 8:57 PM GMT

He doesn't seem to know much about Tim Vine.

Or lolly sticks.

Quote: Nat Wicks @ December 19 2010, 8:41 PM GMT

I read that as the opposite. "Don't blame your audience."

I'm not blaing them per se, they just didn't seem into it as much as the audiences on Vine's other DVDs. That's not to say the material hasn't got anything to do with it. I loved it, but I know a lot of people who don't like him; some very strongly.

Quote: Kevin Murphy @ December 19 2010, 10:11 PM GMT

Or lolly sticks.

:D

Quote: don rushmore @ December 19 2010, 8:23 PM GMT

That's just a convenient excuse though, isn't it?

Loopey: So your latest play completely bombed, then?

Director: The play wasn't at fault, it was the audience, dear ...

As others have picked up, the director meant don't blame the audience. He was talking generally, based on his experience.

Looks like that's us out of the running for 'Award for most unexpected BCG couple Don.'

I love Tim's new DVD.

I quit my job writing gags for Willy Wonka. Well, I can't write jokes for toffee.

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