British Comedy Guide

The Spicer Life Episode Three The Misunderstanding Page 5

She's narrating letters or is clearly a character uncomfortable talking to people face to face.

Again it's an integral part of her character.

Quote: sootyj @ July 23 2011, 11:36 AM BST

She's narrating letters or is clearly a character uncomfortable talking to people face to face.

Again it's an integral part of her character.

She's not uncomfortable talking to people face to face at all. What happens when she ends up in prision?

Character development.

But we can talk endlessly about those with more talent than either of us.

It diesn't stop Spicer seemingly only speaking to himself because of a mental disorder.

Quote: sootyj @ July 23 2011, 11:46 AM BST

Character development.

But we can talk endlessly about those with more talent than either of us.

It diesn't stop Spicer seemingly only speaking to himself because of a mental disorder.

Why do people have to have a mental disorder to do a video/audio diary? Not everyone in a monologue has a mental disorder.

Yet again I am confused as to why people give so much feedback to James when there are plenty of sketches / sitcom extracts on critique which would benefit more.

Quote: Teddy Paddalack @ July 23 2011, 11:14 AM BST

Marc I am still none the wiser, was it a pun or a put down?

It was neither, it was just a silly poem.

Quote: AngieBaby @ July 23 2011, 12:08 PM BST

Yet again I am confused as to why people give so much feedback to James when there are plenty of sketches / sitcom extracts on critique which would benefit more.

And I am confused why you are commenting on this critique when you could be giving feedback in critique

Like on these 2 brilliant pastiches someone posted yesterday

I'm just confused in general, I like the Cotter Kids enthusiasm and his gumption in going for it.

Overall I just like the idea that people are interacting

Right..on the strength of the length of this thread alone, I had a listen to it..I've not heard the other episodes but for what it's worth heres what I think.

'The Spicer Life' starring James Cotter'...Now, considering the guy you're portraying is 'pompous' and 'overbearing' I would have understood if you'd titled it with him in mind ...but saying its 'starring James Cotter' is very OTT to me...I know that it's only a phrase but it does conjure up a certain image to me, and I'd use it for famous people only.

You explain in detail exactly whats going to happen in the description, too much really, I'd have had no more than a few lines, there is no sense of surprise or expectation otherwise.

The voice is 'put on', there's no harm in that, Alan Partridge has a 'put on' voice, so do all the characters from the Fast Show , I thought it sounded ok....but I think Spicer is neither one thing nor the other...I'm struggling to get a hold of the character...is he annoyingly pompous enough? no, he's somewhere in the middle of being a nice enough guy with ideas of grandure and a pain in the arse who noone likes...he's not defined enough as a comedy character, he sounds too pedestrian or something. I'd like to see him be bolder and really come alive with a voice of his own, be more jumped up, more deluded etc.

There's something more in there waiting to come out...I hope.

I like talking heads monologues, the Alan Bennett ones were excellent, and being on TV was clearly the best way. I'd hold out to see Spicer in that way as being visual may well give it that somethingthat's missing on audio.

James, the next ones you put up probably belong in Showcase, not Critique. You don't care about recieving it, or giving people your opinion on their work.

That way you should get a list of 'I like it!' from all the cultured enlightened people and 'I don't like it!' from the foolish unwashed listeners and then people won't be wasting theirs or yours time offering feedback that is clearly pointless.

If someone listens or reads something you do they're doing YOU a favour, not the other way around.

If I ever recieve notes saying "so and so was unclear" I don't assume that person is lying, I assume it was unclear, and I would say thank you for pointing that out and work to clarify it.

James, modern day DJs don't attempt to imitiate that Tony Blackburn voice any more, so I really think you need to change it or you'll be perceived as cliché and unoriginal. It just clashes at present.

It, again, just seems to be waffle and unengaging - it's an uninteresting story. I know that the writing isn't down to you, but I think it would help if you could get some sort of script editor on board with some experience - I'm not talking about someone with a few radio credits, I'm talking some proper writing experience. Surely someone at your uni must have some contacts?

The FX were a bit distracting again.

Share this page